Cheap eats in Bologna: 5+ great places under €25 (2025)

Looking for the best places to eat in Bologna on a budget? You’re in the right place.

Whether you're a student, a traveler, or just someone who wants to enjoy authentic Bolognese food without breaking the bank, this guide will help you find real local spots where you can eat well for under €25.

Bologna isn’t just about gourmet restaurants and fine dining.
It’s also full of affordable eateries, quality street food, and classic trattorias where you’ll get incredible food at honest prices.

From hidden osterias near Piazza Maggiore, to vegetarian-friendly bistros, and even a Greek tavern tucked in the university district, I’ve picked out my personal favorite places — the kind I always go back to.

Ready to eat like a local and spend smart?

Here’s my list of cheap eats in Bologna that taste like a splurge but cost less than your Aperol back home.

The best cheap eats in Bologna

1. Zenzero Bistrot

I'm sure you have one special place.
One that you have followed since it opened.
The one where you've spent moments in your life that you'll never forget.
Zenzero Bistrot is this place for me.

Nadia opened it in 2006 to offer great organic food when organic wasn't yet a trend. The place is small and cozy, and it keeps one of the best quality/price ratios in Bologna.

Start with vegetable tempura or carasau bread with seasonal vegetables.
Go on with their handmade pasta, but don't forget the desserts. Options for meat lovers as well.

✅ Recommended time to go:
Lunch during weekdays — less crowded and better deals.

⏳ Average wait time:
Low. Usually, there's no need to wait, especially at lunch, but it's better to book in advance by phone.

🍝 Signature dishes:

• Vegetable tempura

• Carasau bread with seasonal toppings

• Homemade pasta with vegetables

• Vegan and vegetarian options

📍 Google Maps:
Zenzero Bistrot – Via Fratelli Rosselli, 18, Bologna

www.zenzerobistrot.it

2. Eataly Ambasciatori

Eataly in Bologna is not only FICO or Mercato di Mezzo.

Half a bookshop, half a food store, Eataly Ambasciatori is my only food mall in Bologna where I can spend hours.

Get a photography book or browse a travel magazine while eating a good dish of Gragnano pasta with fresh tomato sauce.

Young local chefs are in the kitchen to combine tradition and innovation with Slow Food ingredients.

✅ Recommended time to go:
Late afternoon or early dinner (before 7 PM) to avoid the dinner rush.

⏳ Average wait time:
Medium. It can get busy during peak hours, especially on weekends.

🍝 Signature dishes:

• Gragnano pasta with tomato sauce

• Dishes made with Slow Food ingredients

• Seasonal specials by guest chefs

📍 Google Maps:
Eataly Ambasciatori – Via degli Orefici 19, Bologna

www.eataly.net/it_it/negozi/bologna

3. Osteria dell'Orsa

Inside the university area, L'Orsa (the bear) is one of the most famous osteria of Bologna.

It's the place to eat tagliatelle and tortellini surrounded by university students.
The menu changes daily, but you can always find crostini, salads, or panini for a light lunch.

​Reservation is not allowed. If you have to wait in line, check out the wonderful cinema bookshop next door.

✅ Recommended time to go:
Lunch before 1 PM or early dinner (before 7 PM) to beat the student crowds.

⏳ Average wait time:
High. Expect to queue, especially at peak hours — no reservations allowed.

🍝 Signature dishes:

• Tagliatelle al ragù

• Tortellini in broth

• Crostini and daily pasta specials

📍 Google Maps:
Osteria dell’Orsa – Via Mentana, 1, Bologna

www.osteriadellorsa.com

4. To Steki (Greek tavern)

A Greek restaurant in Bologna?
Cut the wine, Andrea!

Eating Greek in Bologna is different from other ethnic cheap food you can find. A pita gyros is not only tasty but also traditional.

Bologna hosts one of the most important Greek communities in Italy, and Greek food is almost as popular as pizza amongst students and locals.

To Steki is the oldest Greek restaurant in Bologna, in the middle of the University area.

Start with a tasting of meatballs, feta cheese, and pita. Then grilled meat or fish without forgetting to ask about the daily dishes.
Skip the home wine and choose a bottle, or go straight to ouzo or tentura.

✅ Recommended time to go:
Dinner around 8 PM for the full taverna vibe, or early lunch to avoid crowds.

⏳ Average wait time:
Medium. Usually manageable, but can fill up on weekends.

🍝 Signature dishes:

• Feta cheese and meatball platter

• Pita gyros with grilled meat

• Tentura and ouzo for dessert

📍 Google Maps:
To Steki – Largo Respighi, 4/E, Bologna

5. Sfoglia Rina

In the age of Tripadvisor and food blogs, there's still an analog, flawless sign of a quality restaurant.

The queue.

You need to stay in line to enter Sfoglia Rina, no matter when you arrive. Under the 2 towers, near Quadrilatero food market, close to offices, Sfoglia Rina hasn't only a strategic position.

Their lunch formula is perfect:
- One of the best pasta in Bologna, handmade
- Side dish with vegetables and bread
- Free water and service
Choose between the classics or explore original combinations like passatelli with mortadella and zucchini in summer.

✅ Recommended time to go:
Weekday lunch before 12:30 — the line gets long fast!

⏳ Average wait time:
High. Be ready to wait at least 20–30 minutes during lunch.

🍝 Signature dishes:

• Handmade tagliatelle

• Seasonal pasta like passatelli with mortadella and zucchini

• Combo lunch: pasta + side + bread + water

📍 Google Maps:
Sfoglia Rina – Via Castiglione, 5/B, Bologna

www.sfogliarina.it

Do you want to taste the best of Bologna without tourist traps?

Ok so now I've told you my 5 trusted places in Bologna to eat well without being robbed.

Do you want to save time and money and get the best from your time in Bologna?

Join one of our small group Bologna food tours and eat like a local — from markets to osterie.

[photos: steinertree, Alice L, Houston Foodie, Delphi72]