Bologna is the food capital of Emilia-Romagna, the Italian region that gave the world parmigiano-reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar from Modena, and the world's best fresh pasta. 20 bookable food tours below — plus the neighbourhoods and dishes the city is built around.
Top picks
What we’d book first
Editorial picks · live inventory
Disclosure When you click Book on Viator, we may earn a commission if you complete a booking. Picks are editorial, not by commission rate. Tour details come from Viator’s feed, which we check for changes every 20 minutes; each listing shows Viator’s most recent revision. Confirm the current price and availability on Viator before booking.
The guide
Bologna is the food capital of Emilia-Romagna, the Italian region that gave the world parmigiano-reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar from Modena, and the world's best fresh pasta. It is also one of the few major Italian cities still resistant to mass tourism. The city is built around an arcaded medieval centre, two leaning towers, and Italy's oldest university, which means it's also a student town with cheap food and student-priced wine. The defining pasta is tagliatelle al ragù, not 'spaghetti bolognese' (a foreign invention; Bolognese will glare at the word). The defining mid-morning ritual is mortadella eaten at the counter at Tamburini, washed down with prosecco at 11am, no judgment.
Where to focus
Four neighbourhoods to anchor a few days of eating
Quadrilatero
The medieval market quarter just east of Piazza Maggiore. Via Pescherie Vecchie, Via Caprarie, and Via Drapperie are the food spine: salumerie, fresh-pasta windows, fish counters, and the Mercato di Mezzo at the centre. Walk in any direction and the food is good.
Università (Via Zamboni)
The university quarter to the northeast. Student bars, cheap menù fisso lunches, gelaterias open until midnight. Where to eat well on a budget and overhear three languages per table.
Santo Stefano
Quieter residential blocks south of the centre. Family trattorias, slow lunches, the seven-church complex of Santo Stefano itself for between courses. The neighbourhood Bolognesi go to dinner in.
Pratello & Saragozza
The old workers' quarter on the western edge. Wine bars open late, a younger crowd, a few of the best new restaurants in the city. Aperitivo here, then walk the porticoes home.
What to eat
The dishes the city is known for
- 01
Tagliatelle al ragù
· Hand-cut egg-pasta ribbons with a slow-simmered meat sauce. Bologna's actual pasta. The official Bolognese ragù recipe is registered at the Chamber of Commerce; serious places follow it. - 02
Tortellini in brodo
· Tiny stuffed pasta in a clear capon broth. Christmas food traditionally, eaten year-round at the older restaurants. Filled with pork, prosciutto, mortadella, parmigiano, nutmeg. - 03
Mortadella
· The pink, pistachio-flecked pork sausage that gave the world bologna (the lunch meat is the inferior export version). Slice it thin, eat it on warm focaccia, drink prosecco with it. - 04
Tigelle & crescentine
· Small round breads (tigelle) and fried-dough discs (crescentine), eaten with salumi and squacquerone cheese. The casual lunch of Emilia. - 05
Lasagne verdi alla bolognese
· Spinach pasta sheets layered with ragù, béchamel, and parmigiano. Heavier than the southern lasagne; the canonical version is from here. - 06
Mortadella sandwich at Tamburini
· Tamburini on Via Caprarie has been a salumeria since 1932. Stand at the counter, order mortadella on focaccia and a glass of Lambrusco. The morning ritual.
Practical notes
Meal timing, tipping, payment
Lunch 12:30 to 14:30, dinner from 19:30. Sunday lunch is the big meal; book by Friday. The coperto (bread-and-cover charge, €2–4) is standard. Tipping isn't expected. Many of the best old trattorias close Sundays and Mondays. August: most family-run places close two or three weeks for vacation.
All 20 food tours
Viator last revised 2026-11-09The full list · sponsored partner links
- 01
Small Group Bologna Food Tour – Local Food & Market Experience
Delicious Bologna Food Tours want the tourists live an authentic experience like a local. 6 stops at some selected historical shops and restaurants to taste MORE THAN 20 local specialties of Bologna region. SMALL GROUPS
4.5h from $110 - 02
Bologna Local Pasta Cooking Class, Ragu, Spritz, Wine & Gelato
Embark on a unique culinary adventure in the Capital Food City. Join fellow participants in mastering the art of crafting Tagliatelle pasta with authentic ragù, all under the guidance of a skilled local teacher. Start wi
3h - 03
Pastamama, Preserving the intimacy of Italian domestic cooking
Safeguarding the Intimacy of Italian Tradition In a city celebrated as the gastronomic capital of Italy, pasta has become an experience for many. In Grace's kitchen, it remains a sacred rite. I welcome you to the privacy
3h from $95 - 04
Bologna Food & Market Tour with Local Dishes, Pasta, Wines & More
On our Secret Food Tour Bologna: we'll provide you with an unforgettable taste experience. We'll start with a traditional Raviola with Mostarda alla Bolognese. Then, we'll visit one of the oldest Salumeria of the city t
2h - 05
Bologna Pasta & Tiramisu Cooking Class With Wine by Cooking Italy
Take a break from sightseeing and embrace Italian cuisine with this pasta and tiramisu cooking class. Learn authentic recipes in a locally loved restaurant in central Bologna, as you sip on wine Enjoy a welcome glass of
3h from $50 - 06
Eating Bologna Food and Wine Tour
Welcome to Bologna, where medieval streets lead to bustling markets, and every meal tells a story. With its rich history and world-famous cuisine, this city is a dream for food lovers. On this three-hour food tour, you’
3h - 07
Bologna Food Tour: Taste Local Specialties, Pasta, Wine & Gelato
Discover hidden gems and immerse yourself in the authentic rhythm of Bolognese life. This experience recreates classic outings with friends and family, offering over 15 tastings of the finest local food, wine, and 25 yrs
3h from $79 - 08
Lezione con Chef di Cucina Tradizionale Bolognese
If you are tired of the city center, the best way to live a local experience is through food! we are in a quiet and wonderful countryside on the hills of Bologna, the company will give you the opportunity to carry out tr
5h from $150 - 09
Private Bologna Food & Market Tour with 6 Tastings & Wine
On our Secret Food Tour Bologna, you'll enjoy a memorable taste experience. We'll start with a traditional Raviola with Mostarda alla Bolognese, then visit one of the oldest Salumeria of the city to learn more about loca
3.5h from $188 - 10
Taste of Tradition: Parmigiano, Wine & Balsamic Tour from Bologna
Discover the true flavors of Emilia Romagna on this small group artisan food tour from Bologna. Visit three family run producers creating the region’s most iconic specialties: Parmigiano Reggiano, local wines, and tradit
8.5h from $238 - 11
Bologna: Dinner, Wine & Food Tastings Experience
Discover Bologna through its food and wine on this immersive culinary experience. Led by a passionate local host, the experience takes you through the city center to selected local spots where you’ll discover the flavors
3h from $89 - 12
Lunch and Tasting of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Hello, I'm Giorgio — welcome to our family's historic vinegar cellar. Together with my father Mario, President of the "Antiche Acetaie" Producers' Consortium and President of the ABTM D.O.P. Expert Tasters Association,
2h from $39 - 13
Food and Wine Experience in Bologna, Italy
Our activity stands out for its unique blend of tradition and innovation in the heart of Bologna. You will experience personalized wine tastings using the advanced Rewine technology, which tailors wine suggestions to you
0.8h from $29 - 14
Bologna historical art walking tour with hidden gems and tastings
A mix of art masterpieces, history, food stories, legends and secrets described by a local art lover with a great experience and knowledge of the city. Most of people get attracted by Bologna main concept "the learned, t
3h from $145 - 15
Secrets of Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar
I’ll bring you along a complete tour to discover all the steps of Parmigiano Reggiano’s production. We’ll see where the animals are bred and where the milk is mould. We’ll go into the cheese factory during milk processin
6h from $150 - 16
Bologna on the plate, Cooking Class with Alessia
What makes my business fun is getting hands-on and learning how to work fresh pasta through my grandmother's old teachings. Tiramisu will be the final cuddle that will amaze you with its goodness.
3h - 17
Cesarine: Private Pasta Class & Meal at Local's Home in Bologna
Immerse yourself in a private pasta-making class at the Cesarina's home, learn the secrets of the region's most famous pasta dishes and taste the fruit of your labour accompanied by a glass of local wine. You'll have a
3h - 18
Private Emilia Romagna Food Tour Full Day
Ever dreamt of spending a full day in the Food Valley of Italy with a top-notch guide and the most famous gourmet products of the world all around you? Well, here you can!
7h from $275 - 19
Bologna Small-Group Food Tour with Full Meal & Local Food Expert
Discover Bologna through its flavors on our Food Tour, a journey through the historic streets of one of Italy’s most vibrant culinary cities. Taste the dishes locals love, from rich traditional pastas and savory cured me
3.5h - 20
Bologna Food Tour by Taste Bologna: Intimate Group (Max 10)
Start with a coffee and a croissant made one of the city's finest baristas. Then walk through Mercato delle Erbe and the Quadrilatero with your guide, shopping for your own lunch at historic family shops: mortadella, p
4h from $115
Frequently asked
- How much do food tours in Bologna cost?
- Roughly $29–$275 per person, with the median around $115.
- When should I book?
- One to two weeks ahead in peak season; same-day is sometimes possible off-peak but limits choice.