32 Best Restaurants in Emilia–Romagna, Italy

Just a handful of steps from Modena's beautiful cathedral, this lively place serves coffee, juices, fine wines by the glass, and lovely little sandwiches. But perhaps it's best to come here for a sweet, as they are luscious and delicious, and they're all made in-house.

Host Paolino Cesari has been presiding over his eatery since 1962, and he and his staff go out of their way to make you feel at home. The food's terrific, and if you love pork products, try anything on the menu with mora romagnola: Paolino has direct contact with the people who raise this breed that nearly became extinct (he calls it "my pig"). The highly flavorful meat makes divine salame, among other things. All the usual Bolognesi classics are here, as well as—in fall and winter—an inspired scaloppina alla Petroniana (veal cutlet with prosciutto and fontina) that comes smothered in white truffles. This one-room restaurant has white tablecloths, dark-wood paneling, wine-bottle-lined walls, and is just a few minutes' walk from Piazza Maggiore.

Honest cooking doesn't get much better than this: host Danilo has been at the helm for decades and oversees his restaurant with a keen eye and great spirit. The food here is local, terrific, and unpretentious. There's a reason why locals swarm here, and visitors as well. Regional favorites like tortellini in brodo, or tortelli stuffed with pumpkin (all pasta made in-house), and bollito misto are on the menu, as are many things with that local product (balsamic vinegar). If you can possibly, do have one of the fab cakes or desserts. 

Ferrara is a city of wine bars, beginning with this one (allegedly Europe's oldest), which opened in 1435—Copernicus drank here while a student in the late 1400s, and the place still has an undergraduate aura. The twentysomething staff pours well-chosen wines by the glass, and they serve cappellacci di zucca (pasta stuffed with squash) with two different sauces (ragù or butter and sage). Those in search of lighter fare might enjoy any of the salads or the grilled vegetable plate with melted Pecorino. Perfectly dusty wine bottles line the walls, and there are wooden booths in another small room for those who want to eat while they drink. No reservations.

Food, service, and ambience harmonize blissfully at this casual but elegant restaurant inside a 12th-century building. The chef shows a deft hand with area specialties and shines with the fish dishes. If they have the chestnut ice cream, don't miss it. There are two tasting menus, and a terrific cheese plate complements the amazing wines poured here. Patrons enter through a tiny wine bar, some pausing for a glass of wine before proceeding into the restaurant.

Sicily-born Parma transplant Angelo Cammarata makes magic in his small eatery on the ground floor of a 16th-century palazzo, where the menu teems with Parma classics as well as modern takes on Sicilian dishes. Creatures from the sea play a starring role—try the terrific starter of blanched shrimp. The “Duchessa di Parma” (chicken breast stuffed with Parma ham and cheese) weds beautifully with marsala sauce. The interior is sleek and minimal with exposed brick complementing the pale, muted gray of the walls.

Locals love this lively café because it does just about everything and does it well, beginning at 7 in the morning with excellent coffee and tasty breakfast pastries and ending long after dark with aperitivi (aperitifs), cocktails, and dinner. The fairly limited menu includes Italian tapas and starters and mains with vegetarian and fish options. The place comprises two rooms, showcasing temporary art enhanced by subtle lighting, and there are tables outside. The wine and cocktail list is winning, as is the service.

A couple of jazz-, rock-, and food-loving friends joined forces to open this smart little restaurant in the center. The interior's warm terra-cotta-sponged walls give off an orange glow, and wine bottles line the walls, interspersed with photographs of musical greats—but the food is what counts. Here you'll find nicely done classics—like cappelletti prepared three different ways (with butter, with a meat ragù, or in brodo)—as well as more contemporary fare. The fritto misto is an absolute winner. The carefully culled wine list includes many local labels, and service is stellar.

Locals and other cognoscenti frequent this sleek eatery just minutes away from Piazza del Duomo, where chef Gabriele Romagnoli uses prime local ingredients to create gustatory sensations on a menu that changes daily. Fish and seafood figure prominently among his dishes, such as with a gratinato (similar to a French au gratin) with seafood. There are also Ferrarese classics like cappelletti pasta. The restaurant's tasting menus are well priced, its wine list is divine, and the service, led by gregarious hands-on proprietor Mara Farinelli, is always top-notch. Two small rooms festooned with works of art have linen tablecloths and jazz playing softly in the background.

Year after year this restaurant defends its position as one of Italy's most refined dining destinations, and heads of state, celebrities, and lovers of fine food venture here to savor chef Valentino Marcattilii's wondrous creations. Typical of these is his memorable uovo in raviolo San Domenico, in which a large raviolo is stuffed with a raw egg yolk—it cooks only a little, then spills out and mixes with Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter, and black truffles (depending on the season). Valentino has passed his expertise on to the next generation, as his nephew Massimiliano Mascia is now in the kitchen with him, while the formal dining rooms are graced with stellar staff, who serve one delicacy after another with discreet aplomb. There are tasting menus alongside the regular à la carte, and the wine list impresses, with more than 3,000 choices.

Two small rooms inside plus kegs and bar stools outside make up this lively, packed little spot. The overwhelming plate of affettati misti is crammed with top-quality local cured meats and succulent cheeses, and the adjacent salumeria offers many wonderful items to take away. At lunchtime, office workers swarm to the "self-service tavola calda" for simple but remarkably tasty primi and secondi. In the evening, Tamburini stays open as a wine bar with a vast array of selections by the glass and the bottle.

The beauty of TCafè is that it does just about everything: the festivities begin with breakfast and end with an evening aperitivo. Locals flock to this place, which once housed the aristocratic Dalla Rosa Prati's art collection, to catch up on gossip, and have lunch, which offers local specialties (among them plates of mortadella and culatello), a soup of the day, sandwiches, and tasty salads like the one with smoked duck breast. The lengthy wine list includes something for all tastes, as does the equally extensive list of artisanal beers.

At the bottom of an alley off Piazza Maggiore, this unassuming place—known to locals as simply "Da Gianni"—is all about food. The usual starters are on hand—including a tasty tortellini in brodo—in addition to daily specials; bollito misto (mixed boiled meat) is a fine option here, and the cotechino con puré di patate (pork sausage with mashed potatoes) is elevated to sublimity by the accompanying salsa verde. The two unadorned rooms are usually crowded both at lunch and dinner.

On the second floor of a building across from the covered market, steps from the Piazza Grande, this simple, typical trattoria is in the very nerve center of the city. Here you'll find exemplary preparations of the region's crown jewels: tortellini in brodo, tagliatelle al ragù, and roasted meats. Wash it down with Lambrusco, as locals have for centuries, and save room for the zuppa inglese (layered sponge cake with custard), which is terrific. The kitchen also puts a contemporary twist on classic dishes. It's highly popular, so even arriving early at lunchtime you'll probably have to wait in line (they don't accept reservations at lunch); or, book a table for Friday or Saturday night.

Bibliophile proprietor (she named her establishment after a Henry James heroine) Marina Bersani presides over this sleek wine bar. High ceilings provide plenty of places to store her vast collection of unique wines, and the short-but-sweet menu offers lots of traditional classics like affettati misti (sliced, cured pork products), as well as cheese plates.

These buildings, joined by a glass-ceilinged courtyard, date from the 15th century, so the setting itself is reason enough to come; that the food is so good makes a visit here all the more satisfying. At lunchtime Ca' de Vèn teems with locals tucking in to piadine (a typical Romagnolo flatbread) stuffed or topped with various ingredients, and the grilled dishes—including tagliata di pollo (sliced chicken breast tossed with arugula and set atop exquisitely roasted potatoes)—are among the highlights. One dish to consider: insalatina di radicchio con bruciatini, a local specialty with raw radicchio and pancetta as a dressing and topping.

At this lively shop---the original location in the now international Italian cuisine empire---with an attached bookstore, you can grab a bite to eat or have a glass of wine while stocking up on high-quality olive oil, vinegar, cured meats, and artisanal pasta. On the top floor, you can have a full-fledged trattoria meal, but what you can't have is anything decaffeinated. It's considered "chemical." 

In the back room of the Salumeria Giusti, established in 1605 and reportedly the world's oldest deli, you'll find just four tables in a room tastefully done with antique furnishings. You'll also find some of the best food in Emilia-Romagna—perfectly executed takes on traditional dishes such as gnocco fritto (fried dough) stuffed with pancetta or prosciutto, and anolini in brodo di Cappone (pasta in possibly the most fragrant broth in the world). If you're tempted by too many things, half portions may be available. Just leave room for dessert, especially la tazzina: a cup bursting with chocolate, anise, and egg. The wine list is divine, as are the staff. Reserve well ahead.

The dining room here evokes the turn of the 19th century with its high ceilings, chandeliers, and damask drapes. The food shines, from the classic anolini in brodo di manzo e cappone (a local variation on tortellini in brodo) to the exquisite roast veal stuffed with prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The friendly staff and a terrific wine list add to the enjoyment.

Little-known by tourists but popular with locals in the know, this small and select restaurant just down the street from Palazzo della Pilotta in the historic center offers up traditional Parmesan cooking with stylistic flourishes. The chef has a nice touch with classics like anolini ripieni di stracotto in brodo di cappone (dumplings stuffed with stewed meat in a capon stock) but also prepares innovative dishes. Though the dessert tray delivers stunners like a ricotta and pear pie, you might want to simply ask for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, carved from a big wheel. Service is personal and friendly, in part because the place is tiny, and the unpretentious surroundings keep the focus on the food.

It's all about fish at this welcoming spot, and aside from vegetable side dishes and dessert there's little on the menu that wasn't recently swimming (or lurking) in the sea. Locals flock here, and with good reason—the food is excellent, and the prices are reasonable. Depending on what's in season you might find a starter like mazzancolle alla catalana (steamed shrimp with cherry tomatoes and red onions, awash in local olive oil), which provides a tasty introduction to more complicated delights. Pastas are made in-house, and the fish on offer is the catch of the day. The winning desserts include fresh fruit sorbets and poached pear al Sangiovese. If on foot you'll likely approach this trattoria via the Ponte di Tiberio, a bridge from the 1st century AD named after the ruling Roman emperor.

A large open-hearth fireplace dominates this rustic trattoria, and wonderful aromas of grilled meats and garlic greet you as you walk in. Marianaza successfully showcases the best of la cucina romagnola (the cuisine of Romagna): the extraordinary primi are mostly made with fresh pasta—tagliatelle or garganelli (egg-based and tubular)—while secondi rely heavily on the grill. Garlic toasts topped with prosciutto crudo delightfully whet the appetite. The mixed grill is perfect for sharing, and the grilled vegetables pair well with it. There is almost always a full house.

This former fruit and vegetable market, established in medieval times and transformed into a covered market after unification, has now morphed into a fancy gourmet food hall. Various outlets offer quality Bologna classics plus some innovations, including tortellini and tortelloni at DeGusto Coop; pizza at Rossopmodoro; panini, pasta, and cold cuts at L'Antica Bottega; and fried fish and quirky fish hamburgers at Pescheria del Pavaglione.

A winning combination of traditional and innovative dishes is the big draw at this colorful, contemporary restaurant with splashy modern art spread over two floors. Young chef Giacomo Garutti delivers Ferrarese classics like salamina da sugo con purè (salami atop creamy mashed potatoes) alongside fried and grilled seafood, and innovations like cappellacci pasta filled with pumpkin, orange, and ginger. There's a good wine list, too. The youthful staff are welcoming, attentive, and informative.

Simple, honest food doesn't get any tastier than what's served at this casual, tiny venue (there are about 20 seats at the wooden tables in the wood-beamed space) with an even tinier kitchen. Nicoletta Molducci, chef and owner, takes pride in turning out terrific regional dishes from a short menu with the usual local specialties, such as cappelletti in brodo or al ragù, supplemented by an ever-changing list of daily specials. The polpettine di lesso (little meatballs) in a lively tomato sauce with peas and pancetta, and the squacquerone e fichi caramellati (soft cheese with caramelized figs) are two winning dishes that might be on offer. Attentive service and a fine wine list make a meal here a true pleasure.

Chef-proprietor Massimo Bottura has done stints with Adrià and Ducasse, takes inspiration from music and literature, and pours all these influences into creating some of the fanciest plates in all of Italy while remaining true to his Modenese roots. The restaurant contains only 12 tables and although it's possible to order à la carte, most everyone opts for the 12-course tasting menu with the accompanying wine pairing. One signature dish is 5 stagionature di Parmigiano Reggiano (five “stages” of Parmesan, served in different textures and temperatures). Decor and atmosphere are muted (except for splendid floral arrangements). Reservations are not only essential, but must be made months in advance, online and at the beginning of the month.

Chef-owner Marco Parizzi is the third-generation cook in this elegant restaurant, originally his grandfather's salumeria (delicatessen), where he now serves a mix of Parmense classics and contemporary creations. The anolini alla parmigiana in brodo di manzo e gallina (pasta with Parmigiano-Reggiano in broth) is a more typical dish, while the faraona in crosta di frutta secca (guinea fowl cooked with dried fruits and mushroom sauce) is a flight of fancy. Alongside the à la carte menu, there are two tasting menus with a meat or seafood focus (both with a parmigiano tasting course), and a wine list with a section of "Rarità" collected by the two elder Parizzi.

The pastaio (pasta-maker) tradition in this bright honeycomb tiled pasta shop and restaurant—which often has a line around the block—started nearly 60 years ago in a town about 9½ km (6 miles) southwest of Bologna. There, Rina De Franceschi rolled sfoglia (dough) following family recipes. Take a seat at one of the communal wooden tables to try regional specialties like tortellini in brodo and tagliatelle al ragù (pasta with meat sauce), as well as a weekly seasonal menu with often vegetarian takes on classics, like mezzelune rose ripiene di ceci, kale, e noci (red half moon-shape pasta filled with garbanzo beans, kale, and hazelnuts). There's also a small selection of regional wines by the glass or bottle and desserts such as crostate (pies) to finish the meal. The last orders are taken at 7 pm and diners may enjoy their meals until 8 pm, making this spot ideal for lunch or an early dinner.

Here, in the mirrored interior, a mostly young crowd chows down on classic regional fare at affordable prices. Nimble staff bearing multiple plates sashay neatly between the closely spaced tables delivering such standards as tortellini in brodo and cotoletta alla Bolognese (veal with Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto). It is the kind of place where the waiters don't glare at you if you only order a plate of pasta—perhaps another reason it's a student favorite.