Food & Drink in Ravenna: Covered Market, Pizzerias, Cafes & Bars

During our stay in Ravenna, we tried a fair few places for food and drink, including the covered market, pizzerias, cafes, and bars. The covered market was an excellent place for its wide selection of food and drink. Throughout the city, near the main attractions, there were many bars and cafes where you could stop for drinks and snacks.

One of the main places for restaurants and cafes in Ravenna was Piazza del Popolo and the side streets leading from the square. For cheaper drinks and takeaway food, the area near Giardini Speyer and the railway station is a great spot.

The Covered Market (Mercato Coperto)

Mercato Coperto is a multi-purpose indoor market in the centre of Ravenna. It is set in a pretty, historic Liberty-style covered market dating from 1922. Historically, a market has been at this site since the Middle Ages.

The Covered Market offers a selection of places to eat, with indoor and outdoor seating across two floors. These include bakeries, fish restaurants, and pizzerias.

As youd expec there is also a selection of stalls to purchase local produce including fish, meats, cheese, modena vinegar and wines. Inside is also a Co-Op supermarket with drinks you can enjoy on the market’s shared seating. We visited a few times for drinks and lunchtime food, as it had excellent choices and air conditioning, which was perfect for keeping Henry, my dog, cool.

Caffè Pascucci

Our favourite spot to stop for coffee and soft drinks in the covered market was Caffè Pascucci in the corner near the entrance. They had a good selection of coffees and soft drinks, which you order at the counter, then find a seat somewhere in the venue

The cafe was also a good spot for lunch or breakfast, and we tried a few of their dishes. Their sandwiches had great and tasty fillings; their small pizzas and cakes also hit the spot.

The Piadina Counter (Molino Spadoni)

Another place we enjoyed lunch inside Mercato Coperto was The Piadina Counter, with great options cooked in front of you. This historic place makes all its dishes fresh in front of customers.

We had their piadina and Crescione Romagnolo with a selection of fillings, mostly local cheeses and hams, including parmesan.

Tried and Tested Bars and Cafes in Ravenna

It was hot during our visit to Ravenna, so we stopped at quite a few places for coffee, beer and soft drinks. All of those we visited were dog-friendly.

il Nazionale

Piazza del Popolo has plenty of places to eat or drink; we visited Il Nazionale, a cafe and gelateria with outdoor seating and views of the pretty square. This was table service, and the server was friendly.

We were killing time waiting for the hotel room to be available, so we had a few beers, which came with salty snacks. My wife had coffee and a big ice cream-based dessert. Henry got gelato tubs filled with water, which he watched while watching the goings-on in the piazza.

Caffe Corte Cavour

One place I enjoyed was Caffe Corte Cavour, which was more laid-back than anywhere else, as it’s in a nice courtyard with shade. You can find this one opposite the Byron Museum.

At Caffe Corte, we had coffee, beer and a pistachio cornetto outside with Henry; they also have air conditioning inside. Both areas were pet-friendly, and we saw many dog owners out for brunch.

Bar Tabacchi Cavour

My favourite bar for a beer while sightseeing was Bar Tabacchi Cavour, with outdoor tables and a view of the Basilica of San Vitale. They had a good selection of bottled beers and a few draught options; I drank both their Peroni and Moretti on my visits. Here you order your drinks at the counter, then pick a seat.

Caffetteria Pizzeria De Rose

Near the NH Hotel was Caffetteria Pizzeria De Rose, a friendly place that was handy during our stay. It’s a cafe and pizzeria rolled into one. We stopped many times for drinks, including draught beer and a cafe doppio.

They sell pizzas and other savoury treats by the slice, which you can grab and go or have with a drink from their bar. We tried quite a few of their slices and especially enjoyed the ones with sausages.

Bar Happy

Happy Bar is a cool place to visit at night and is quite vibrant, and the customers were friendly. It is opposite the railway station, so it’s a handy spot to sit if you’re waiting for a train, since the station’s offerings aren’t that good. I was there for a beer and had a fridge full of cold bottles, including Ichnusa, one of my favourite Italian beer brands.

Caffè Pasticceria Palumbo

In Piazza S. Francesco, with views of Basilica di San Francesco, is Caffè Pasticceria Palumbo. It’s a nice place with seating under colonnades that surround the square. They serve a range of drinks, including beers, coffees and soft drinks. Caffè Pasticceria Palumbo also offers a range of sweet and savoury pastries. We visited after visiting a Dante art gallery with Henry and found them welcoming to dogs.

Etna Cafe

After visiting Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, I needed a nearby place for a drink and to sit down, and Etna Café fit the bill. They have some stools outside and indoor seating. They are a typical Italian café with coffee, beers, soft drinks and some snack food. They were quiet when I visited, and I found the owner friendly. I had a large bottle of beer, water and some complimentary crisps.

Pasticceria Caffetteria 3 Sorelle

For a breakfast cornetto with coffee, we visited Pasticceria Caffetteria 3 Sorelle. They had indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy our drinks and food. We found their cake and pastry selection big; however, they seem to run out of certain things, like the pistachio cornetto, by mid-morning, so arrive early.

Fast Food and Pizzerias

Deliveroo Pizza

One evening we hopped onto the Deliveroo app and ordered pizza delivery from Al Borgo Nuovo Pizzeria Ristorante. They are just out of town but have a great reputation for pizzas. We ate their Calabrese and peperoni pizza, which tasted good, especially the spicy one. The peperoni one was a travel mishap and not quite what we expected.

Stazione Pizza & Kebab

Near the train station is the aptly named Stazione Pizza & Kebab, a nice place for some fast food. I had one of their kebab wraps and fries, which were delicious. The filling and sauces were tasty with a slight kick. I found the staff friendly, and they even delivered food to the table.

Pizzeria Stella Kebab

I had a real spicy food craving when in Ravenna, so I also tried the offerings at Pizzeria Stella Kebab. This is a small takeaway with a few seats inside. After some sign-language work around the language barrier, I got what I wanted, with some fantastic ultra-hot sauce. Definitely a thumbs up from me.