Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
run to and from the kitchen. This is not the place for a romantic conversation or
a foray into haute cuisine—simple is the rule. Dishes don't get much more elab-
orate than tortellini or a platter of
salsiccia al ferri
(grilled sausages;
6) or
pollo
arrosto
(roast chicken;
€
7). But like much of the fare, including the pizzas
(
€
€
2.60-
€
6), they're prepared over an open fire and are delicious and very fairly
priced.
€
-
€€
Why do theatergoers flock to the
Trattoria-Pizzeria Belle Arti
(Via delle
Belle Arti, 14;
%
051-225581; www.belleartitrattoriapizzeria.com; closed Wed)
after performances at the nearby Teatro Comunale? Because the food is excellent
and the kitchen keeps later hours than most in Bologna. Even on weeknights you
may have to wait to get a table in the handsome brick-and-panel dining room, but
once the
tortellini neri tartufati
(homemade tortellini in a truffle sauce;
€
8.50) or
tagliatelli con funghi porcini
(flat noodles with porcini mushrooms;
8.50) starts
arriving at the table, you'll be glad you waited. Or choose from a stupendous
selection of pizzas (
€
€
3.80-
€
9) that emerge from a wood-burning oven.
(Via delle Belle Arti, 17a;
%
051-
266894; Wed-Sun lunch and dinner, Tues dinner only),
Anna Maria herself always
seems to be on hand at her animated trattoria, serving some of the finest food in
Bologna in a big room wallpapered with the head shots of hundreds of actors and
opera stars who've dined here following performances at the nearby Teatro
Comunale. All the pasta is freshly made and appears in some unusual variations,
including wonderful tortellini, prepared in a soup,
al ragù, al Gorgonzola, al
pomodoro
(tomato sauce), or
al burro e salvia
(butter and sage) for
5
€€
-
€€€
At
Trattoria Anna Maria
12.
While any of these pasta dishes is a meal in itself, you may be tempted to try one
of the substantial second courses, most of which are simple, deliciously prepared
dishes from the region:
trippa con fagioli
(tripe and beans;
€
11),
fegato alla Veneta
(liver and onions;
€
9 to
€
€
10), or roasted rabbit, guinea fowl, or duck (
€
9-
€
9.50).
RESTAURANTS AROUND VIA PRATELLO
€€
Of the many
osterie
lining Via del Pratello, the tavern
L'Osteria del
Montesino
(Via del Pratello, 74b;
%
051-523426; Tues-Sun, dinner only)
would be my choice for a light meal. It has a huge selection of
crostini
(toasted
bread with a variety of toppings), and you can get a heaping sampler platter of
crostini misti
(
€
6.20). A daily trio of pastas costs
€
6 for one,
€
6.50 to sample
two, or
5
7 for all three (or for the ricotta-and-spinach
tortellacci,
available week-
ends only). These
primi
—along with most wines and the mixed meat-and-cheese
platters—ignore the famed local cuisine and are proudly Sardegnan.
€
(Via del Pratello, 11a;
%
051-
236358; no credit cards; Tues-Sat lunch and dinner, Mon lunch only),
on the other
hand, is my fave for a full meal. The two simple dining rooms are almost always
jammed with people who work in the neighborhood, and the menu reflects their
culinary tastes. You can sample horse meat, which appears on many traditional
Bolognese menus, prepared here several ways, including
bistecca cavallo
and
cavallo
alla tartara
(horse steak and horse-meat tartare;
€
9-
€
10). Or you can opt for
nicely prepared versions of more familiar fare, such as
salsiccia
(grilled sausage;
5
€
-
€€
The down-to-earth
Trattoria Fantoni
€
8)
