Bars, Cafes & Bakeries in Bologna For Beer, Coffee and Snacks
On our three trips in Bologna, we visited many bars, cafes and bakeries for drinks and snacks. We mostly stopped for beer or coffee while sightseeing. Many of these were in piazzas and under the famous porticoes. We stayed in three different parts of Bologna, so this guide features neighbourhood venues as well as many in the historical centre.
We found Bologna a fantastic city to sit, drink and watch the world go by in the Bolognese style. Beyond cafes and bars, we enjoyed many restaurants to try Bologna’s food.
Bars and Cafes For Food or Drink in Bologna
Le Mercanzie Lounge Bar
In the beautiful Piazza della Mercanzia is Le Mercanzie Lounge Bar, a lovely place to stop for refreshments. We sat on their outdoor seating to enjoy the views and soak up the vibe. On our visit, we tried our first Aperol spritz in Italy. An Aperol spritz is a popular Venetian wine-based cocktail made with Prosecco, digestive bitters, and soda water. To go with it, we shared a plate of appetisers.
Agricola e Vitale Osteria
One of my favourite bars in the historic centre is Agricola e Vitale Osteria, with an outdoor seating area and views of Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano and the buildings of Piazza Santo Stefano.
It’s a chilled place for a drink, with great options for beers, cocktails, and spritz. With my beer, they gave me complimentary snacks.
Sartoria Bakery Cafè
In Piazza Aldrovandi, with views of Torresotto di San Vitale and Palazzo Martinetti, Rossi is Sartoria Bakery Cafè. I visited here a few times for drinks with a view and to pick up some cakes for my wife. I found it a friendly place with a decorative terrace.
For drinks, I had their house draught beer here, which always came with a small snack. I also really enjoyed their pistachio cornetto for a light brunch while exploring this part of the city.
QCorner
In the University district, near Teatro Comunale di Bologna, is QCorner, a very nice cafe. They have outdoor seating and air conditioning inside. We visited a few times on our trip as the food was excellent and the drinks were good. This is a counter-service place where you order food and drinks before you sit down.
They served nice coffee and freshly prepared smoothies which hit the spot. They also do sweet or savoury pastries and breakfasts. We tried their pizza slices, cinnamon rolls, and the pistachio cornetto. The pistachio cornetto was the best we’ve ever had.
Rossopomodoro At The Train Station
Rossopomodoro in the railway station has both inside seating and a terrace overlooking the trains. We filled up on a light lunch with Italian beers here. For lunch, we had a few pastries and some fruit. This was an ideal place to sit while waiting for the train to Rome. Rossopomodoro also has a great menu of cooked food, including pasta, pizza, snacks and salads. They also have a restaurant in Mercato di Mezzo, a market in central Bologna.
Bar Piazza dei Martiri di Hong Jianmei
One of the cheapest places I found to enjoy a drink was Bar Piazza dei Martiri di Hong Jianmei. This is slightly out of town, in Piazza dei Martiri. Seating is available in the cafe or under the porticos. Here they serve 660 ml beers, including Moretti and Peroni. I found it a good place to sit and decide what to buy from the nearby supermarkets.
Bar Senza Nome
Bar Senza Nome is in the square by the entrance to Mercato delle Erbe. It is a nice place for an afternoon drink or one until late at night. Senza Nome is known for its hearing-impaired bar staff. Here I drink a few beers on their outside terrace and watch the activity at the market.
Fabrik
Fabrik is a pleasant bar with outside seating near the Bologna canal. We found Fabrik to have a good selection of drinks, including one of my favourite German wheat beers. With our beer, we had the usual nibbles.
Gelato at Cremeria Marconi
No trip to Italy is complete without trying some gelato. We tried some at Cremeria Marconi, a highly rated ice cream shop. I had their chocolate version, a delightful treat on a walk home after a night out.