Bologna Food Markets and Traditional Food Shops
Bologna has some impressive traditional food shops and markets. They stock quality cooking ingredients and deli items that are ideal for lunch. We tried many places for food during our extended stay in Bologna and are imminently returning to cook some more.
One of my favourite areas to find food is Quadrilatero, which has many specialist food stores and is home to Mercato di Mezzo. I also like the supermarkets in the city, which offer great variety and are handy for stocking up on food.
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Food Markets In Bologna
Street Market in Quadrilatero
The Quadrilatero is Bologna’s historic medieval market district, which has lots of places to buy food, market stalls and historic buildings combined. Quadrilatero has been a commercial and trade hub since the 13th century.
This is one of my favourite parts of the city to explore, especially for the food shops and fresh food stalls. On my visit, I shopped at fish stalls, greengrocers, butchers, and delicatessens. My most notable buys for the kitchen were fresh tortellini, artisan pork chops, mature parmesan, and tuna steaks from the fishmongers.
Mercato delle Erbe
Mercato delle Erbe is a fantastic market with a variety of food stalls. It also has a few cafes and restaurants. Mercato delle Erbe was built in its current form in 1910, and it has some interesting features.
The market’s food stalls were varied. I tried the fresh tortellini stall once. I also purchased olives from the deli and some salad from a greengrocer. As a bonus, Mercato delle Erbe is near Bar Senza Nome, a perfect place to plan a meal over a beer. Bar Senza Nome is a bar known for its hearing-impaired bar staff.
Mercato di Mezzo
One of the most well-known markets in Bologna is Mercato di Mezzo. Mercato di Mezzo is a perfect place to pick up groceries or enjoy a delicious lunch at one of the stalls inside. It has plenty of seating and is geared toward informal dining out.
Mercato di Mezzo dates back to the Middle Ages and is a major part of the city’s culinary tradition. It was also the city’s first covered market. Inside, you can buy meats, cheeses, pasta, and more. You can also eat on-site with a variety of kitchens to choose from.
Traditional Food Shops Bologna
Ceccarelli Amedeo
Ceccarelli Amedeo is a small deli on a narrow street between San Petronio Basilica and the twin towers. It was a pleasure to peruse the produce and carefully select ingredients for our evening meal. The staff at Ceccarelli Amedeo were passionate about their food and were helpful and friendly.
The fresh tortellini at Ceccarelli Amedeo were impressive, with a variety of fillings. On our visit, we cooked these a few times with ragu or fresh pesto. My favourite was the large version of the spinach-and-ricotta tortellini.
Ceccarelli Amedeo also had cured meats and cheeses. The legs of pork hanging in the store were impressive. They also have an in-house butcher with fantastic cuts of meat.
We opted for some large pork chops to simmer in a ragu for a second course.
Supermarkets For Food
Tuday Conad
Near the city centre, and just a short walk from the Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Pietro, is Tuday Conad, a fantastic store for both food and drink. It’s a bit of a cross between a market and a supermarket, with quite the selection of produce. We bought ingredients to cook with here. It’s also handy for buying wine and cold beer to drink in the central square.
Other Markets in Bologna
Mercato Piazzola ā an Open-Air Market
Just outside the main historical centre is Mercato Piazzola, primarily a clothing market that also sells some food. It takes place in a big open square and gets busy. It has been in this area since 1251, when it was a cattle market on Fridays and Saturdays.
You can purchase a variety of foods here, including lots of fresh local fruit and vegetables. The site has over 400 stalls, so it can keep most people busy shopping or taking in the vibe.