Bologna's best pizza: top 10 picks
Soft, thick and small. Or large, thin and crunchy? Even in Bologna there are hundreds of different ideas about pizza.
I love it so much that I've even added it to our food tour in Bologna.
Here's the list of my best pizza restaurants in Bologna, always updated.
Where to eat the best pizza in Bologna
Pizza in Bologna is changing.
Many new restaurants and street food places are opening and the quality is rising.
Bologna doesn't have its own pizza style, but you can find all the classic ones if you know where to look.
Think soft, like in Naples, crusty and square, like in Rome, or even the new gourmet pizza with quality ingredients and stuffing.
Here is the list of my best pizza in Bologna:
Call it gourmet pizza, pizza for foodies, or whatever you like. It’s a different way to eat the most known Italian food.
First choice ingredients, 7 different types of flours and 48 hours ripening - through sour-dough born from apple and pomegranate - make it a must for pizza lovers.
Berberè is in the heart of the university area, not the quietest on Friday and Saturday nights.
Book online, in advance.
Recommended pizza
Speck, gorgonzola cheese, honey, walnuts and fior di latte cheese. But the menu changes seasonally.
Price
30€ pizza and craft beer. But you won’t regret it.
Info
Via Petroni, 9/b, 40126 Bologna
Tel: +39 051 2759196
Piazza di Porta Saragozza 6/A
Tel. +39 051 0185193
Via Augusto Murri, 71
Tel: +39 051 098 8135
Bologna FC bought Roberto Baggio from Milan in 1997.
O' Fiore Mio opened in Bologna in December 2014.
Both great deals for the city.
Compared to the other places on this list, O' Fiore Mio is different: you can sit inside, but it is more a street food place than a restaurant. The menu is made of 10 different kinds of pizza that constantly rotate.
Some of them are also for vegetarians and vegans, like the one with chickpeas, lentils and dried tomatoes.
If you've been to Bonci in Rome you know what I'm talking about.
Recommended pizza
'nduja, bufala and tomatoes or zucchini flowers and sardines
Price
15€ for 4 slices of pizza and craft beer
Info
Piazza Malpighi, 8, 40123 Bologna
Tel: +39 051 040 2308
ofioremio.it
Outside the city centre, you will find this classic and reliable pizza restaurant.
The dough is soft and tasty but light and has quality toppings.
Try tagliere, a larger pizza for 2 served on a wooden board. Caruso is usually very busy and a bit noisy. At the weekend booking is a must.
They're famous for a good gluten-free pizza and well-made fish dishes.
Recommended pizza
Verace, with sausage and wild broccoli
Price
18€ pizza and beer
Info
Via del Parco 13, 40138 Bologna
Tel: +39 051 531341
It is a classic pizza restaurant, the only one in the city center that belongs to the association of true Neapolitan pizza.
Pizza is soft but slightly crispy and very digestible. Margherita with buffalo cheese is always a safe choice. The staff is friendly and booking is not required.
One of the rooms looks like a cave, but it's not as weird as it seems.
Recommended pizza
Cafona, with sausage and friarielli (broccoli). In summer they use zucchini flowers, even better if possible.
Price
17€ pizza and beer
Info
Via Cairoli, 16, 40121 Bologna
Tel: +39 051 588 2700
www.ristorantelaverace.it
The atmosphere of a pub, with a surprising pizza: this is Ranzani 13.
Great care to the ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and organic flour. Great selection of Bologna craft beers on tap.
Their hamburgers are also remarkable.
Reservation is required, but now you can find Ranzani's pizza also at the amazing location of Borgo Mameli.
Recommended pizza
Krotone, with zucchini, smoked provola cheese, bacon, salted ricotta cheese and pepper
Price
25€ pizza and craft beer. Free amaro when you pay
Info
Via Camillo Ranzani, 5/12H, 40127 Bologna
Tel: +39 051 8493743
www.ranzani13.it
Mozzabella is the Roman Empire of street pizza in Bologna.
First a cozy shop in Via del Pratello.
Then a stall inside Mercato delle Erbe.
And now straight to conquest the heart of our food tour in Modena: Albinelli food market.
What's next? Turkish friends, I'd worry if I were you.
Michele Leo, an award-winning pizza maker, is proud and passionate about his work like only people from Naples can be. Luckily we have him in Bologna and Modena, always busy creating new toppings for his soft pizza.
Tropea onion, potatoes, zucchini and cherry tomatoes, or bacon, pecorino cheese and bean cream, or why not radicchio, burrata, speck, and walnuts?
Perfect for lunch or a Bologna aperitivo.
Recommended pizza
Zucchini flowers, ricotta, and anchovies. Or just a simple red one with tomato sauce and oregano.
Price
10€ for lunch with pizza and water.
Info
Via del Pratello 65/B 40122, Bologna
Tel. +39 051 550506
Mercato delle Erbe
Via Ugo Bassi 40121, Bologna
Mercato Albinelli
Via Albinelli, 13, 41100 Modena
For lunch a restaurant with many options for vegetarians and vegans.
For dinner also a stunning pizza place.
Their philosophy?
They don't shop based on the menu, but we build the menu based on the seasonal ingredients food around Bologna food markets.
The result is stunning.
About 8/10 pizzas to choose from, but don't expect the "Classic" ones.
Be open to new flavors. You'll be rewarded.
Recommended pizza
Rovescio, with mozzarella, caramelized tomatoes, bacon, red onions and ricotta.
Price
20€
Info
Via Pietralata, 75a, 40122 Bologna BO
Tel. +39 051 523545
rovescio.it
Pasquale Penne has a red rose tattoo on his right arm. But not only flowers grow from his hands.
Opened in November 2017, Bianco Farina is a small pizzeria in Bolognina, a workers' neighborhood behind the train station (the same as #1 restaurant on Tripadvisor Trattoria di Via Serra). It's not the most romantic place to propose to your girlfriend but...what a pizza!
2 days of leavening, 70% hydration, and only 2 pizzas at a time in the wood oven to keep the temperature. If you love Napoli-style pizza you must go.
Recommended pizza
Borgo vergini: stuffed with endive, taggiasche olives, Salina's capers, Cetara's anchovies and smoked provola
Price
20€ for pizza and beer on tap
Info
Via Domenico Zampieri 36, 40129 Bologna
Tel. +39 346 611 2769
Forno Brisa isn't only one of Bologna best bakeries: it's a project about the production of bread with the aim to bring to Bologna a tasty and healthy bread.
The first shop opened in Via Galliera where you can also find roman style pizza and cakes.
They only use untreated organic stone-ground flour, such as Sicilian tumminia, and starter.
Great rising and right baking with top quality ingredients, a quality confirmed by the easy digest and by the unique taste and variety of the pizzas.
Forno Brisa could be an original meeting point for a different aperitif or for a healthy lunch break.
During Christmas time they also produce panettone, one of my favorites is with marron glacé and cacao bean.
Recommended pizza
Violet potatoes and gorgonzola cheese
Price
15€ for lunch with pizza and beer
Info
Via Galliera, 34D, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 248556
Via Castiglione, 43, 40124 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 224621
Ok, this is controversial.
This is not the best pizza in Bologna.
This is the pizza of Bologna.
Open day and night, it's probably the one and only street food of Bologna.
You don't go to Altero for delicious mozzarella, organic flour, or glamour toppings. It's a square of volcano temperature simple pizza cooked in an electric oven.
But since 1953 generations of Bolognesi ended their sweet young nights there. You have to try it to come back and say you've been to Bologna.
Recommended pizza
Margherita
Price
3€ for a double Margherita
Info
Via dell'Indipendenza, 33, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 234758
Now you know where to eat great pizza, what about the rest?
Now you have a list of pizza places to fill a week in Bologna.
But what about tortellini, gelato, mortadella, balsamic, parmigiano and all the rest?
Join our Bologna food tour to meet our local food experts and enter the small family shops that make the best food of Bologna.
Small groups and happy people, always.
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Comments
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Joel
I ate in Ranzani last night, I can confirm that their pizzas are truly delectable, the smoked mozzarella and salted provolone was heavenly. But the service was a bit tetchy due to them having a party of 50 booked for later that evening, ring in advance I'd say. Would like to have tried their beers but was'nt really given time! I'm now in the Green RIver pub sampling their long list of rare beers, moving on to Berbere later!
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Andrea
I'm glad you're following my tips Joel ;)
Let me know what you think about Berberè, it's probably my favourite in town.
And if you love pizza like I do don't forget O Fiore Mio-> http://www.tastebologna.net/bl...
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Jamie
Me and my friend are in Tonino after reading this blog.
We couldn't help but feel slightly underwhelmed with what we encountered.
The waiters were friendly, but came across as a little pushy. They recommended some pizzas, and we both ordered based on their advice.
Whilst the meal was not disastrous, we expected a little better after a long stroll into the outskirts of the city.
The dough was quite heavy and hard to digest, and the meat was extremely salty.
Also, the toilets were not of the required standard, the hand soap was totally out of bounds.
Certainly won't be returning to this place again, very disappointing.
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Andrea
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for your comment.
I haven't visited Tonino in a while but
I went there a lot of times in the past (I only reccomend places that I know pretty well) and I never had any problems. The waiters maybe try too much to serve antipasti, dessert or coffee but I usually say "thanks no :)" and they were usually very polite.
Also the toilet was always very clean.
Anyway I do appreciate your comment, I'll sure go check soon if I have to update this list in the next weeks
Thanks,
Best
Andrea - Taste Bologna
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Berivan
Hi Andrea,
We will be in Bologna nex week so I'm looking for some tips. Your site is really helpful.
We do not speak Italian, do you think it would be ok in these restaurants. Which one do you think would be the most welcoming? :)
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Andrea - Taste Bologna
Thank you so much, I'm happy you appreciate :)
I think that both at Berberè and Ranzani 13 they both speak english. At Berberè there's also an English menù. I hope you will enjoy them!
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Coco Pazzo
Does anyone do a GOOD pizza romana tonda in Bologna? Not pizza taglia, cf. Pizzarium and O'Fiore Mio.
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Andrea – Taste Bologna
Yes, Pizzartist and Pistamentuccia both offer pizza romana. Not tonda but in teglia. Both really good even if I'm more into pizza napoletana.
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Doug Williams
I second the vote for Pizzartist. You can find it easily by the crowd of locals gathered outside eating Roman style pizza slices. I am partial to crispy crusts so it is perfect for me. We sampled several different varieties and all were tasty. I seem to recall the marinara, margarita, and anchovy being particularly good.
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Andrea
It seems I have to update the post again soon :)