5 Food markets of Bologna you can't miss

Food markets are the first thing I look for when I travel to a new city.
Barcelona's Boqueria, Fatih Çarşamba in Istanbul, and Borough Market in London are local food markets where I can spend months.

I love talking with shop owners and eating food directly from the stalls: this is my best way to find out the real food of a city.

Read which are the best food markets in Bologna.

How to explore Bologna food markets

Bologna has several vibrant markets to explore.
Quadrilatero, or Mercato di Mezzo, is the most popular one just next to Piazza Maggiore.

The Mercato delle Erbe is the largest food market in central Bologna, housed in an impressive early 20th-century building.

Other farmers' markets like Mercato Ritrovato or Mercato del Novale are in the city center.

Practical Tips

• Opening Hours: Most food markets in Bologna are open on weekdays from 8 am to 7 pm, providing a wide selection of fresh produce and local delicacies.
• Sundays and holidays: While most markets are closed on Sundays, some farmers' markets remain open, offering organic and seasonal products in select locations.

The best food markets in Bologna

Mercato di Mezzo

It's the oldest and the most fascinating market of Bologna and a must for all our food tours in Bologna.
Drapperie, pescherie, orefici: all the streets in this medieval area called Quadrilatero preserve their name from the old corporations that were here in the past.

​It's just near Piazza Maggiore so prices can be misleading.
But if you know where to look you can find the best food in Bologna and not only.

What to buy
Fresh fish from Adriatico sea at Pescheria Brunelli; knives and chef tools at Antica Aguzzeria del Cavallo.

Where to eat
At Sfoglia Rina you can sit for a dish of tagliatelle al ragù or tortelloni with a daily sauce. Drink a glass of Pignoletto wine with your own food at Osteria del Sole.

When to go
On weekday mornings, when the stands open, to smell and feel the real soul of this market.

Info
Address: The area between Via Rizzoli, Piazza Maggiore, Piazza della Mercanzia and Piazza Galvani
Opening Time: Depending on the shops, usually from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm

Mercato delle Erbe

It's a market for locals where you can find old ladies with trolleys picking eggs and flour to make tagliatelle.

Set inside the former San Gervasio barracks, Mercato delle Erbe was converted into an indoor market in 1910.
​The structure is amazing: made of glass and iron, with a high roof and full of stalls and shops on every corner.

Renewed in 2013 with new bakeries, restaurants and wine shops, Mercato delle Erbe is now my favorite place for a day shopping and evening aperitivo in Bologna.

What to buy
Burrata and pecorino cheese at Formaggeria Barbieri 1968 or, if you're brave, horse meat at Macelleria Equina.

Where to eat
At Banco 32, one of the best places to eat fish in Bologna, you can find some fresh fish dishes that change daily. Sfarinà serves a gourmet version of Piadina Romagnola sandwich.

When to go
At aperitivo time (from 6 pm) for a glass of wine and a slice of pizza at Altro? or in the morning to go shopping with locals.

Info
Address: Via Ugo Bassi, 23-25, Bologna
Opening Time: Monday - Friday 7 am - 1:15 pm and 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Saturday and Thursday 7 am - 1:15 pm

Mercato Ritrovato

This open-air farmers' market, occurring in the yard of Cineteca di Bologna, is a good way to discover the different productions of the Bologna countryside.

Just local products, like Mora Romagnola pork or Razza Bianca Modenese cow, some of them about to disappear and are kept alive by a bunch of small producers.

​It's a nice market for a street food lunch in summer, maybe followed by a movie in the original language.

What to buy
Cheeses and butter of white Modenese cow, seasonal fruits and vegetables, wholewheat bread from Forno Calzolari.

Where to eat
Try tigelle with Mora Romagnola cured meat or pesto Modenese.

When to go
On a fresh Monday evening in spring for a craft beer and eat outside in the garden of Cavaticcio Park.

Info
Address: Piazzetta Pier Paolo Pasolini, 40122 Bologna
Opening time: Every Saturday 9 am - 2 pm (in winter) and every Monday and Wednesday evening 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm (in summer)

Mercato del Novale

Another farmers' market, set in front of the cypress trees of the elegant Piazza Carducci. The square is named after the Nobel prize-winning poet who spent part of his life in the house in front of the market stalls.

​This is the place to buy seasonal fruits and vegetables by Slow Food producers. Quality and freshness are very high.

What to buy
According to the season, you can find porcini mushrooms and chestnut in October, fresh cheeses like the local 'Caciotta di Castel San Pietro', Pignoletto wine for 2,5€ a bottle, organic meat, local ginger (yes, I was surprised too).

​Some of the best bakeries of Bologna, like Molino Urbano, sell their bread there.

Where to eat
This is a small market, perfect for buying some food and cooking it at home.
You can find some pizza or focaccia at the bakery stall, but don't expect tables or chairs, just a few benches to rest.

When to go
It takes place on Sunday morning.
If you're looking for something rare go there before 10 am. A lot of times I arrived and the fresh porcini were gone. Shame on my Sunday laziness.

Info
Address: Piazza Carducci, 40125 Bologna
Opening time: Every Sunday 8:30 am - 1:30 pm

Mercato Albani

Ready to get the vibe of Bologna food markets?

So these are my best food markets in Bologna, the ones I choose every day to buy fresh porcini mushrooms, heavenly soft squacquerone cheese and seasonal fish from the Adriatico sea.

Are you curious to meet Daniela, Enrico and all the family shops who really know about food?

Do you want to know what's that...it looks like a tomato or maybe asparagus, mm never seen it before!

Do you want to save time and money and stay away from the tourists' traps?

[photos: Gabriele Tudico, Federico Fetto]