Italy’s Foodie City: The Top Can’t-Miss Dining Experiences in Bologna
If you’ve come to the Emilia-Romagna region and the Motor Valley to witness the incredible automobiles born in this part of the world, you won’t be disappointed. But while you’re here, you’d be missing out if you don’t take full advantage of the incredible culinary experience that this region affords.
Bologna’s cuisine and food scene are of equal caliber to the luxurious, top-rate automobile makers that also call the region home. So, what to eat? For every meal and for snacks in between, Bologna offers incredible local flavors and puts its own spin on many classic and signature Italian foods.
Rich tradition
The food of Bologna features fresh egg-based pasta often served in a ragú. Bologna also produces some fantastic lasagna and sensational gelato. Its famous delicacies derive from a rich culinary tradition that has influenced the cuisine of greater Italy and even the world. The surrounding landscape of Emilia-Romagna harnesses its climate and mineral-rich, fertile land to offer some of the country’s best farmland.
If cooking is an art, then Bologna has produced many masterpieces. While you’ll want to try it all or as much as you can, look out for some of the traditional dishes of Bologna to really get a taste and sampling of this region of Italy’s signature flavors.
Taste of Bologna
Tortellino can be found in most restaurants and for good reason. Traditional-recipe tortellino uses fresh egg pasta with a meat and cheese filling, all strictly originating in the Emilian region, and is served in broth. Tortellino are slightly larger than the perhaps more familiar tortellini, but both are still common and often handmade at local pasta shops.
Ragú Bolognese might be one of the best-known dishes to come out of Bologna, but it’s much more than just simple meat sauce! In addition to beef and pork, the sauce often contains milk, butter, white wine, carrots, celery, and other ingredients. Authentic bolognese takes time to prepare and matches well with almost any wine from Emilia-Romagna.
Mortadella is known as the original Bologna sausage. It has a rich, intense, often garlicky flavor that’s delicious and unique to Bologna.
Lasagna is a traditional Italian favorite, but the Emilia-Romagna region favors a green lasagna, which includes spinach. It’s not vegetarian, however, since it’s typically served with ragú and the white sauce bechamel.
And you’ll find plenty of tigelle around Emilia-Romagna. Tigelle are made simply from flour and water and are cooked in a cast-iron mold to give them a unique disk shape and light texture. They’re tasty on their own but can be filled with prosciutto or mortadella or with herbs and spices.
There’s lots to drink too! Don’t miss out on a Caffe allo Zabaione, which is a rich mix of espresso and zabaglione — an egg, sugar, and sweet wine concoction. It’s a great way to round out an excellent meal. And of course, there’s wine. Great local wines include Sangiovese, Pignoletto, and Lambrusco, the classic red sparkling wine that pairs well with hearty pasta.
Gelato didn’t originate in Bologna, but the city has put its own stamp on this favorite frozen treat, offering many gelato shops and flavors. For dessert, you might also try zuppa Inglese, which consists of liquors such as Marsala or Rosolio soaked in sponge cake and topped with custard or cocoa powder. Raviole di san Giuseppe is a dessert ravioli with sweet dough and jam or mostarda inside.
Restaurants overview
Unsurprisingly, restaurants abound in Bologna. It has Michelin-starred restaurants and other restaurants that provide vintage meals in trattorias, complete with 18th-century ambiance. Restaurants in the city offer both multi-course dinners, plenty of pasta, and dishes that reflect both traditional and contemporary tastes for a variety of unique styles and flavors.
If you’re looking to try the typical dishes of the Emilia-Romagna and traditional Bologna fare rather than a contemporary or tourist-heavy restaurant, look for a Trattoria or an Osteria. These restaurants pare down appearance but offer the homemade taste of fresh egg pasta and the quality that comes from passion and tradition!
The Motorsport Lab experience
By coupling excellent cuisine with the once-in-a-lifetime experience that the Motorsport Lab provides, you’re in for an incredible trip. You’ve been longing to see and even drive your favorite supercars for your whole life, and now is your chance!
By touring the headquarters and museums of incredible automotive manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and others, you’ll experience a car enthusiast’s dream come true. Just be careful getting behind the wheel of one of these legendary supercars on a full stomach!
So, prepare to experience the Motor Valley for yourself. Register with us to book your trip, and get ready for what’s in store.