Bologna is one of my most favorite cities in Italy - it's slightly off the beaten path from all the touristy places but is hands down the culinary capital of the country in my book. The food there is second to none and way more affordable. I was here in 2016 and fell in love with the city and was excited to be back even if it was just for a short stint.
As soon as we got off the train, we made a beeline for this salumeria. It's right in the center of town along with a bunch of other salumeria. I was really bummed last time I was here to not have gone to one, so I made it my priority to check one out this time.
If you like cheese, meat and Lambrusco, you will be in heaven. We got the Board Royale (18 euros) and also a bunch of other side meats and cheeses along with a bunch of freshly baked focaccia bread. As you can see from the picture, the food did not disappoint. The meats were sliced thinly and cured to perfection. The cheese were a combination of sharp hard cheeses and some stinky blue served with jam. I could eat this all day long. Plus the waiter was super sweet and really nice - it made for a really enjoyable lunch.
The only downside of a place that only serves charcuterie and cheese boards is that you have to eat a lot of it to get full (which we did) and sometimes it is also nice to have some greens (they do have a small salad but it's really not enough). This is a great place for lunch or an afternoon snack but probably not for dinner. Another plus to this place is that it's shockingly affordable for the amount of food we ate. Total bill: $66 for 5 people and tax and tip
Cremeria Funivia Piazza Cavour 1D, 40124 Bologna, Italy 5 Forks
I can't even begin to explain how amazing this place is. Hands down the best gelato of the whole trip. I usually wouldn't review a gelato place but (A) it's Italy, so I feel like it's my duty to report on amazing gelato places and (B) this place is beyond anything I've had before. Even our adorable Airbnb host, who barely spoke any English, she pulled out a map and circled this place immediately and said it was a must visit. We managed to squeeze it in twice in 2 days and would have gone a 3rd time if we could have.
There is always a line but it moves fast. It's a mix of locals and tourists jamming up the place but everyone has these really big smiles on their faces when they are there. All the flavors are super natural but still creative. The first time I went I got a granita, which is basically like a slushie or Italian ice. I got the grapefruit and lemon ice and it was amazing. Super refreshing and very tart - I can see how this is the perfect snack on a hot summer day.
The next time we went, I stuck with gelato and got the yogurt flavor mixed with the dark chocolate flavor. OMG, mind blowing. The consistency was nice and thick, like a soft serve and the yogurt was super tart but cut perfectly with the chocolate. The chocolate tasted exactly like chocolate pudding. I was craving this so badly the next day but we didn't have time for it. I swear, there is crack in it or something that is super addictive as I couldn't get it out of my mind all day. If you are in Bologna this place is an absolute must visit.
Photo Credit: Yelp
Da Cesari Via dè Carbonesi 8, 40123 Bologna, Italy 4 Forks
Most of the team was exhausted and full from lunch and a gelato run but Aarti and I decided to live it up and still go out to dinner. I mean, it's almost a sin to be in Italy and not be eating 3 full meals a day. We checked out this place near our Airbnb and it was adorable. Super traditional place with really sweet waiters.
We started with a green salad, which at 5 euros we felt was a bit overpriced for what it was. But the pasta experience made up for it. The famous dish in Bologna besides bolognese is the tortellini in brodo. I hadn't had it last time I was in Bologna, so I felt like it was my duty to get it here. If you're not starving, it's the perfect pasta dish for you. The beef broth was light but flavorful and the small pieces of tortellini were stuffed to perfection. Perfect bites of pasta with ham, mortadella, parm and nutmeg encased in a soft pasta shell. Aarti got the pumpkin ravioli which was a sweet and buttery delight. The menu had so many other amazing sounding dishes but we just couldn't bring ourselves to eat anymore. While the food, wine and service were great, it was a tad bit more expensive than most of the places we went to in Italy (but still super cheap compared to NYC prices). Total bill $66 for 2 people with tax and tip
Photo Credit: Yelp
Da Nello Via Monte Grappa 2, 40100 Bologna, Italy 4 Forks
We spent most of this day on this epic Italian food tour, complete with a parmesan cheese factory tour, parma ham factor tour and balsamic vinegar tour and topped with a 3 hour lunch on a Tuscan hill top. So we clearly weren't starving for dinner. But again, when in Italy, you have to take advantage. Nat had gone here the night before with a friend and had such a good meal that she wanted to go again.
Since I had eaten my body weight in cheese, meat and pasta for lunch, I kept it very light and got the barley soup and the roast beef carpaccio. I know it sounds like kind of a lame and a weird combination but it was all really very good. I felt like I had to get off the pasta bandwagon for a bit but the soup was very hearty and carb-y but in a different way. The carpaccio was lovely - thinly sliced and served simply with a squeeze of lemon and salt/pepper. Nat got the porcini risotto which was excellent. The mushrooms were meaty and earthy in flavor.
The service was a bit gruff but in the end they were nice enough. It felt like a pretty local place as it was filled mostly with Italians and you could tell that the waitstaff didn't love speaking in English, but I can't really blame them for that. Total bill: $136 for 3 people with tax and tip
Photo Credit: Yelp
No comments:
Post a Comment