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Bologna is to food what Milan is to fashion and the city strains with restaurants in the same way your belt might after you have spent a few days helplessly gorging yourself on their typically abundant and delicious food. Although famous internationally for its cuisine, Italy is a land full of deeply felt regional identities where local food specialities are the expression of a region's identity. It is not unusual to hear Italians from different areas claiming theirs to be the home of the best food in Italy. Rich, substantial and varied, la cucina bolognese has a better claim than most, something which the bolognesi will lose no opportunity to remind you of. But whatever your view, suffice it to say that food here is taken (and eaten) seriously and copiously; in a city with street names such as vicolo Baciadame (Lady-kisser Lane) and via Fregatette (Tit-rubbing Street) food is enjoyed with gastro-erotic pleasure. And as the city's nickname la grassa (the fat) suggests, you are unlikely to go home anything other than totally sated, and certainly no thinner.
Eating places range from the formal ristorante, to the more homely and rustic trattoria, to the famous lively pub-like osteria, although several have adopted such prefixes in search of ye olde authenticity and there are many hybrids that blur these distinctions. The majority of places, instead of cutting-edge design, share variations on the same typical décor of wooden beams and vaulted ceilings and the old values of home-made hand-made dishes prepared with fresh, local, seasonal produce according to recipes handed down over generations. Don't be surprised if you are not presented with a menu. Chefs will usually take pride from insouciantly reeling off the huge range of dishes on offer and, provided the ingredients are in season, will often be able (and proud) to rustle up anything (Italian) you may ask for with characteristic disinvoltura.
Despite the abundance of restaurants it is advisable to book ahead. Watch out for days when restaurants are closed and, if visiting in August, be prepared for many restaurants to be closed for holidays. Lunch is usually served between 1200 and 1500 and most places will not open in the evening before 2000 with their kitchens closing at around 2300. In Rimini Spanish hours are fashionable at the height of summer and restaurants tend to fill up around 2330. Late-night munchies can be satisfied in many osterias. It is worth noting that there are fantastic restaurant options outside the Centro Storico and in the surrounding hills. These are accessible by taxi and provide a change from the porticoes and vaults, sometimes with spectacular vistas.
Open to influence and invention, Bologna is better stocked than many Italian cities with ethnic restaurants (Indian, Chinese, Greek and Middle Eastern), which can make a refreshing change from the feasts of regional fare.
Travel Guides | Bologna | Eating And Drinking Bologna
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