6 Great Michelin Starred Restaurants Near Bologna (that are not Osteria Francescana)
If I say Michelin starred restaurant near Bologna your first thought will go to Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana.
And I can say you're right because #1 restaurant in the world is a worth-a-plane place.
But it's not the only Michelin star that you should check out if you are in Bologna.
It took me some time (and money) but here are 5 very different places that have more than a star in common.
Savigno is a small town inside Val Samoggia, about 25min from Bologna, surrounded by woods and hills full of vineyards.
Since 1934, Amerigo has offered the best products of his land in a family trattoria opened by Alberto Bettini's grandparents.
You won't find any fois gras or caviar there, but only the best local and seasonal products.
Like mushrooms and truffles (black and white), salmerino river fish, or deer, in a cuisine that celebrates tradition mixed with innovation.
A warm and cosy location inspired by a vintage style, with old coffee machines and liquor posters on the walls. A jump back to the ‘30s!
At the entrance there's a small shop to buy some products, I recommend their liquors (China China or Marasca) or saba (cooked grape must).
Prices
50€ à la carte, 60€ fixed-price menu
I suggest you
On the first Sunday of the month, Savigno hosts the antique market. Go for a walk and take home some vintage souvenirs
One dish not to miss
Amerigo's egg. A sort of soufflé, soft as a cloud usually served with truffle when available, I ate it with asparagus.
Info
Via Guglielmo Marconi, 14-16, 40060 Savigno (BO)
Tel. +39 051 670 8326
Email: [email protected]
www.amerigo1934.it
Ready to meet the only Michelin star of Bologna city centre?
The first surprise is that is inside I Portici, one of the best hotels in Bologna, a few meters from the train station.
The restaurant is set in the elegant cafè chantant, called Teatro Eden, which opened in 1889.
Young chef Nicolò Annuziata arrived at I Portici in early 2023, after an intense career around European Michelin stars.
Don't expect a classic cacio e pepe or panzanella.
Just open your mind and mouth and you won't get disappointed.
Prices
110€ 5 courses menù, 150€ 7 courses menù, 55€ 3 glasses wine pairing, 85€ 5 glasses wine pairing.
I suggest you
Ask to eat inside the old ice cave used by the pope. A wonderful and intimate location to eat by candlelight.
One dish not to miss
Broken spaghetti with seafood
Info
Via dell'Indipendenza, 69, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 4218562
Email: [email protected]
www.iporticihotel.com/ristorante-i-portici
Ready to go 7 m below sea level?
You don't need a mask and snorkel, no worry.
You are in the Po River lagoon, a fascinating foggy land full of flamingos and fishermen.
Capanna di Eraclio has stood there since 1922.
Fresh fish comes in every morning from the boat fishing at night. Eels of course, but also small lagoon shrimps, moeche crabs, and if you're lucky granseola, the spider crab.
All around you, some rooms look like an apartment. With paintings, large tables, freshly ironed white tablecloths, and a fireplace.
It feels like home.
But in a house where you eat very well.
Prices
140€ (6 courses menu with paired wine)
I suggest you
Stop to visit Comacchio, a gem of the Po lagoon that sits on the water.
One dish not to miss
Anguilla in umad, stewed eel. It's the historic dish of the tavern. Cut into slices, passed over poplar wood embers to harden the skin and then cooked in the oven
Info
Località per Codigoro, 3 – via Per Le Venezie 3 Codigoro (FE)
Tel. + 39 0533 712154
Ok, it's about 1,5h far from Bologna, but I promise it is worth the effort.
We're in the bassa, the flat humid area near Po' river where you go to follow one myth: culatello. A heavenly cured meat, caressed by the fog rising from Emilia's land.
Massimo Spigaroli gets the best from it, like for its guinea fowl covered by culatello and cooked in clay.
Or just try it pure, just to taste how ageing changes its flavours.
If you haven't had enough culatello at our Parma food tour, that's the address you should write on Google Maps.
Prices
90€ (Tasting menu)
I suggest you
Try also the Hosteria del maiale, for a cheaper experience dedicated to the pig.
One dish not to miss
Podium of Culatelli from “White Pig” aged over 18, 27 and 37 months.
Info
Strada Palazzo due Torri, 3, 43010 Polesine Parmense PR
+39 0524 936539
www.acpallavicina.com
People used to call him 'the king of chefs, the chef of the kings' for his noble background.
Flowers, abat-jours, leather sofas and baroque music create the warm atmosphere of a time when eating out was a luxury habit. Those times have gone, but 40 years later the 2 Michelin stars are still shining.
A pristine classic cuisine that picks up local ingredients like red potatoes, pigeon and asparagus and elevates them with the skills and precision that only study, repetition and experience can build.
The dish to wait for?
Uovo in raviolo with butter, Parmigiano Reggiano and white truffle. When Anthony Bourdain was in Bologna he went there to watch the full process. Not hard to say why.
Prices
Menu from 160€
I suggest you
Go on Wednesday if you were born after 1970. They make the same menu for a cheaper price.
One dish not to miss
The pigeon.
Info
Via Sacchi, 1, 40026 Imola BO
Tel. +39 0542 29000
www.sandomenico.it
Casa Mazzucchelli in Bologna makes wheat the star ingredient, not just a side.
The place feels global, mixing Copenhagen's design with a Zen-like ambiance. Massimo Mazzucchelli and his sister Aurora run the show, blending family traditions with innovative techniques.
The restaurant has evolved from its historic Marconi days without lowering its standards.
Bread, grown locally, features in every course, enhancing the dining experience.
Dishes like sourdough ravioli, mackerel with almond frangipane, and duck breast with honey-glazed chicory show their creativity. If you're looking for contemporary cuisine with Emilian and Sicilian roots, put Casa Mazzucchelli on your list.
Prices
6 courses menu from 100€
I suggest you
Not far from Casa Mazzucchelli you can visit Rocchetta Mattei and Alvar Aalto's Riola church. 2 landmarks of Bologna's Apennines mountains.
One dish not to miss
Maccheroni stuffed with smoked eel, raw oysters and spinach
Info
Via Porrettana, 291, 40037 Sasso Marconi BO
Tel. +39 051 846216
casamazzucchelli.com
Get the best from your time in Bologna
Ok, these are the Michelin Restaurants near Bologna to spend that romantic dinner you're planning for too long.
But as you've set the quality to the highest level, can you eat ordinary food while you visit our land?
During our food tours, we visit legendary restaurants, hidden cafes and family shops famous for being the top in their field.
So read our +300 5 stars review on Tripadvisor and follow the advice of The Guardian, BBC's Rick Stein and Netflix's Phil Rosenthal who chose us in the past.