21 Food

Food

The food in Bologna is among the best in all of Italy, and it is difficult not to eat well.

There are inexpensive eateries like pizzerie, self‑service restaurants, and bars serving panini. See our “Guide to Living in Bologna” for more detailed information available online at (https://www.bcspbologna.it/docs/Guide_to_Bologna.pdf). Also, try the fairly inexpensive trattorie, rosticcerie and tavole calde in Bologna’s various neighborhoods. In nearly all sit-down eating establishments a cover charge is added to the check. Tipping is not expected.

Grocery Shopping and Recycling

Bologna has many grocery and department stores: PAM, Coop, and Conad (for groceries); Coin and OVS (department stores). The market off Via San Vitale in Piazza Aldrovandi has good prices on fruits and vegetables, as do the downtown markets (Mercato di Mezzo in Via Caprarie), and the Mercato delle Erbe (Via Ugo Bassi).

Hours of store operation vary, but most are open all day, until 7:30 p.m. Carrefour Express (Piazza di Porta Castiglione 14, near the entrance to the Giardini Margherita) is the only supermarket in the city center open 24 hours.

Food is sold by the hectogram (etto, about 1/4 pound) or kilogram (2.2 pounds). In some stores you must purchase plastic shopping bags; save them for reuse. Bring a tote bag or shopping cart to avoid having to buy bags.

Paper, plastic, aluminum cans and glass are recycled in Bologna. You can identify these containers throughout the streets of the city.