Discover The Heritage of Bologna’s Food Culture
Last year Jenoa Matthes, co-founder of Stay Awhile, jetted off to Europe with her husband and co-founder to rediscover their favorite cities under a food-focused lens. Curating their series of global remote work retreats peppered with local food culture, cooking classes and cuisine exploration, the duo ended up in Bolgona, the Italian city where many of Italy’s most famous foods and dishes hail. For our Spring 2022 Discover issue, Jenoa takes us along on her journey with us.
We arrived at the Bologna train station on a Sunday afternoon in late October, having just left the crystal clear waters of Puglia. It was hard to believe that the region we’d left and Bologna were part of the same country — their landscapes and ambiance were as different as night and day.
This was our second time in Bologna. Our first time in the city was a trip on a whim. We had heard from a friend that the food in Bologna was incredible, so we decided to give it a shot. We’re always in search of the best food, so the decision was easy. When in doubt, follow your gut and the advice of good friends.
But, the purpose of our second trip to Bologna was much more intentional. This time, we knew we would be leading month-long food tours of the city and we wanted to create a curated list of Bologna’s finest cuisine.
Tucked away in the hills of Emilia-Romagna, Bologna sits nestled between two Italian powerhouses: Florence and Milan. It’s easy to forget about this medieval city when Florence is calling you to it’s fine art museums or when Milan lures you in with its luxury. If you had to choose between the three, it’s doubtful that you would choose Bologna, that is, unless you are seeking out the best food.
We fell in love with Bologna on our first trip. The streets are filled with locals bustling to university or work, and the city feels like a place you could actually call home. But what really sets Bologna apart from other Italian towns is the rich food scene, including gelato unlike anywhere else in the world. Bologna is home to over 100 gelaterias, which we were surprised to learn considering the quaintness of the city and lack of tourists. It goes to show how much the Bolognese care about quality food.
Of those hundred shops, there are three gelaterias in Bologna that we fell in love with. First, Galliera 49 for their almond and pistachio granitas. According to locals, they have some of the best granitas outside of Sicily. My personal favorite is to get a mix of pistachio and almond topped off with whipped cream. Second, Cremeria Santo Stefano for the classics like crema or fior di latte - the gelato is light yet rich in flavor at the same time. And then there is La Sorbetteria Castiglione - their gelato is the perfect melt-in-your-mouth consistency. I daydream about their gelato often, especially their signature Crema Michelangelo. In my opinion, Bologna consistently has the best gelato in all of Italy - after all, it is home to Gelato University.
Now on our second visit to the city, after dropping off our bags at our apartment, we made our way into the center of town just in time for la passeggiata - a Sunday tradition where the locals take to the street for an evening stroll before dinner. The crowd was exuberant and the streets were buzzing with life and conversation, as you can imagine in Italy. I spotted a stand where two men were roasting chestnuts - a popular street food in the fall and winter in Europe. I love how soft and sweet the chestnuts are when they are roasted, a fall tradition I wish we adopted in the United States.
After our stroll through the city center, we gradually made our way to a restaurant we had been keen to try. Earlier in the day, we had attempted to make a reservation, as you often need to when dining out for dinner in Bologna, but were unable to get a hold of the restaurant. We decided to test our luck by arriving right as they opened for dinner. We were the second couple in line. The host asked if we had a reservation, to which we responded we did not, so he went back to ask the owner if there was room for us, and thankfully there was.
The interior was inviting with old photographs lining the walls and dark wooden beams framing the bar. We overheard the owner telling another table that their Sunday special was house made lasagna, so we ordered that, along with ricotta and spinach stuffed tortellini and tagliatelli al ragu. Yes, the waiter was a bit shocked that we ordered three plates of pasta, too, but we had barely eaten all day!
The food at the restaurant was excellent, by the way. The lasagna was my favorite.
All three of these classic Italian dishes come from Bologna. Pasta bolognese? This is what Italians call “ragu,” we just call it Bolognese because that’s where the dish comes from in Italy. You won’t find pasta bolognese written out on any restaurant’s menu in Bologna. It will always say tagliatelli al ragu.
The Emilia-Romagna region, of which Bologna is the capital, is known for some of the most famous dishes and products in all of Italy.
Many call the region the gastronomic capital of Italy. Parmesan cheese is produced near Parma, a city just an hour outside of Bologna. Balsamic vinegar is from Modena, only 30 minutes away from Bologna. And mortadella and prosciutto are also produced in the region.
You can define Bologna by its three nicknames…
La rossa — the red one — for the red roofs that cover the historic center of the city.
La dotta —the learned one — for the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the Western world, dating back to the early 11th century.
La grassa — the fat one — the most common, this nickname refers to the pork that is used in many of the city’s classic dishes, like tortellini in brodo, small stuffed pasta in a sea of flavorful broth.
Later in the week, we met up with Caterina, a food guide and master balsamic vinegar taster from Modena. We started the morning at a parmesan cheese producer learning about the arduous process of making one of the most essential Italian products. Let’s just say I have a much greater appreciation and understanding of how parmesan should taste. Most of the stuff that I had growing up was already shredded in a bag from the grocery store. A bit dry and crumbly. The real stuff that’s been aged for 24 to 36 months is creamy and has such an intense flavor that it makes you wonder what you’ve been eating your entire life.
Afterwards, we made our way into Modena for a sampling of the city’s best products and dishes. Our first stop was at a cafe for a cappuccino and gnocco fritto. Gnocco fritto is a fried bread, almost like a beignet, but not as sweet. Caterina waited to tell me what it was made out of until after I had finished eating it, but I’ll let you in on the secret beforehand. It’s made of water, flour, yeast and lard and then fried in pork fat. Now you understand where the nickname “la grassa'' comes from.
On our way to the balsamic vinegar shop, we stopped at the local market to buy some freshly made pumpkin tortellini to make for dinner. For the sauce, “a lot of butter and some parmesan,” says Caterina. The Italians know how to do simple in the best way.
We arrive at the balsamic vinegar store and Caterina tells us that she lives for balsamic vinegar. She recently received her official taste tester certification and even makes her own balsamic at home. Caterina proceeds to tell us that “she’s half pork fat and half balsamic vinegar.” I believe it.
During a balsamic vinegar tasting, they only give you two drops of each vinegar to try. The vinegar comes in a small glass bottle that almost looks like a lightbulb. Apparently, Ferrari designed the bottle.
The vinegar is thick and aromatic. I put the spoon in my mouth and immediately experienced an explosion of flavor. Acidic, sweet, and complex all at the same time. I’ve been missing out on this my whole life I thought. My eyes wide open, Caterina smiled, I had no idea that balsamic vinegar should taste this flavorful. Ranging from 12 years old to 60 year old, we tasted 6 or 7 different vinegars. All varying in taste based on the type of wooden barrel it was aged in. A good balsamic takes a minimum of 12 years to make.
After an incredible day spent in Modena, we drove back to Bologna and met up with Andrea, our local foodie and guide in Bologna. We took a leisurely stroll through the dimly lit streets stopping at a few restaurants along the way that he thought we might like to try. We got talking about gelato and Andrea mentioned how he could eat gelato every day, but only eats it 3 days a week because his doctor would be disappointed otherwise. “I’m not obsessed with gelato. I’m addicted!” he proceeds to tell me.
The rest of our week was spent scouting out restaurants, activities, and eating our way through the city. Our favorite dishes of the week were porcini mushrooms with tagliatelle, rabbit stuffed ravioli with smoked ricotta, lasagna, zucchini stuffed meatballs with red sauce, and passatelli, a thick noodle flavored with a hint of nutmeg and served in broth. I feel like we barely scratched the service of the food the Bologna has to offer.
Our hope for our month-long trip to Bologna is to offer an authentic experience where you feel like you’ve become a local. We want people to have the opportunity to take it slow, to find their favorite cafe, to discover their favorite shops, and to make it a temporary home. This is why slow travel is so special, you really get to know a place.
When we told Andrea that we were planning to do our trip to Bologna for one month, his face reflected both surprise and delight at the same time. He said, “I’m honored. Most people just come here on a day trip from Florence. There is so much to see in this city. I’m glad that your group will get to know the real Bologna.”
