Bologna, sweet Bologna, had the most incredible food. It was challenging for us not to eat lunch and/or dinner out every day because the food was so amazing - we just couldn't get enough of it! Though we tried to counter our indulgence with ample walking, we were fully aware of the impending weight gain during our Bologna stay, and it was 100% worth it.

Bologna is part of the Emilia Romagna region, and the culinary delights of this area are impressive. This region is the birthplace of Italian hits like tortellini, lasagne, prosciutto, mortadella, balsamic vinegar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano (parmesan) cheese. It's also home to the origin of "spaghetti bolognese," which is actually known as "tagliatelle al Ragu."

Here's a round-up of all the delicious dishes we enjoyed during our stay in Bologna!

Dishes

Tagliatelle al Ragu

This is Bologna's pride and joy. This is the dish that carries its name in the U.S., where we know it as "spaghetti bolognese." The original is so much better! It's served with tagliatelle noodles (instead of spaghetti), which are flat. The sauce ("ragu") is slow-cooked and more flavorful, and it's always served with a side of Parmigiano-Reggiano to top it off as you please.

Each restaurant's version was unique based on the noodles (how thick the tagliatelle was) and the ragu recipe. We loved them all and affectionately referred to this dish as "tag rag."

Tortellini

Tortellini was born in Bologna. These little pasta pockets have a distinctive shape and feature a meat filling, typically a mix of mortadella and prosciutto. Tortellini is most commonly prepared one of three ways: en brodo (in a broth), alla panna (in a cream sauce), or al ragu (in traditional Bolognese meat sauce). We had the pleasure of trying all of these versions (and many more!) when we stumbled upon a tortellini festival our first week in Bologna.

Tortelloni

Tortelloni are larger tortellini, typically stuffed with cheese and/or vegetable-based fillings (ricotta, spinach, and pumpkin). The most common tortelloni in Bologna featured ricotta & spinach stuffing served either al ragu or burro e salvia (with butter and sage).

Tortelloni shapes and flavors are more varied than tortellini. One unique type we saw around town was balanzoni, which were monster-sized tortelloni made with spinach pasta filled with cheese and culatello (so decadent!).

We also enjoyed creating our own tortelloni "pasta flight" at home one night; we picked up three different flavors of fresh, handmade tortelloni at a pasta shop and made them in our apartment for dinner that night. Pasta shops sell pasta by weight, so you're free to customize how much you want to buy of each!

Lasagne

Bologna is also the birthplace of lasagne. The original, traditional recipe calls for spinach noodles - all of the lasagne we ate in Bologna was green! Jeff is a big fan of lasagne (more than I am), and he assured me it was the best in the world.

Cotoletta alla Bolognese

Cotoletta, also known as cotoletta alla Milanese, is a breaded veal cutlet. Bologna's version (cotoletta alla Bolognese) is more decadent, topped with prosciutto and squacquerone cheese.

Gramigna alla Salsiccia

This dish features quirky, curly noodles (gramigna) served in a sausage-based meat sauce. It's almost like a meatball pasta!

Friggione

This traditional side dish involves tomatoes and onions slow-cooked together. We went for extra gluttony by serving this with our cotoletta.

Cheese

Parmigiano-Reggiano

The grand master Italian cheese, another prize possession of the Emilia-Romagna region. Parmesan is another thing that I never loved, until trying in Italy. It's a treasure of the area and tastes different and better than the garbage parm we're accustomed to in the US.

While in Bologna, we stumbled upon an unassuming, authentic cheese shop with a wall full of Parmigiano-Reggiano wheels. Our eyes were wide as we sheepishly ordered a chunk from the cheesemonger. We grated our wedge on top of salads and homecooked pasta, and devoured it on its own with a drizzle of balsamic on top. When we ran out, we had no qualms about returning to our favorite cheesemonger for more! The second chunk we bought there traveled with us to Rome, where we finished it with our last homecooked meal in Italy.

Squacquerone

This creamy, spreadable cheese is magical. It's another regional product and menu staple, most often paired with meats and cheese, as well as within piadina sandwiches.

Meats

Mortadella

Mortadella was the inspiration for what we know as Oscar Mayer "bologna" (it all makes sense now!). BUT mortadella tastes very, very different from Oscar Mayer. It's a staple in the area, found in sandwiches and on charcuterie boards. I'm not a big fan of mortadella (or Oscar Mayer bologna, for that matter), but Jeff is, and he indulged in the best during our visit.

Proscuitto di Parma

Proscuitto is pretty well-known in the U.S. at this point. Proscuitto di Parma is considered some of the best in Italy, and guess where it comes from? This lovely region. That meant that when we ordered something with prosciutto, we enjoyed top notch, quality meat.

Culatello di Zibello

Proscuitto is great, but culatello is SUPERB, and Culatello di Zibello may be the best cured meat I've ever had. We cherished it on its own, as well as nestled within a piadina with squacquerone.

Bread

Tigelle

Tigelle are the cutest little bread discs. They're primarily served with tagliere (meats) and squacquerone cheese, allowing you to create perfect little sandwiches. We enjoyed picking up plain tigelle to-go and preparing them at home with nutella/banana, egg/cheese, and other fun combos.

Piadina

Piadina is a tasty flatbread, like an Italian version of a pita or tortilla. It's used for sandwiches - a common lunch in Bologna was a piadina filled with local meats, cheeses, and veggies.

Dessert

Tiramisu

I never really loved tiramisu. That is, until I had it in Italy (so cliche!). Jeff and I both are in agreement that the best tiramisu either of us has ever had was at Buca Manzoni in Bologna. It was homemade with yellow, creamy custard and the perfect ratio of ladyfingers to cream. We loved it so much we went back to the restaurant one night just to have it for dessert!

Gelato

I know, gelato is not unique to Bologna. We've had the great joy of tasting gelato all over Italy, including the "world champion" Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano. However, Bologna had some of the best gelato of our entire trip! Cremeria Funivia and La Sorbetteria Castiglione were both amazing, and I also was addicted to a combo of "Bologna Ride" and "Due Torri" flavors at Gelateria Gianni.

Thank you, Bologna, for sharing your culinary treasures with us!