2 Best Restaurants in Emilia–Romagna, Italy

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.

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.