You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to eating in Bologna. Food is more than just a daily ritual here : it’s an absolute obsession. While cities like Venezia make choosing a restaurant a hefty task due to the scarcity of authentic spots, Bologna does the opposite : we just couldn’t decide where to sit down.
On the first night, we settled for a standard bolognese charcuterie and some wine. I’d posted a shot from our hotel room online, and Luigi – a fellow industry acquaintance messaged me shortly after:
“Bolo?”
“Siii. Qualche consiglio ?” (Yes. Any recommendations?)
He sent me a short list. One stood out to me immediately.
“‘Osteria Bottega’: vino convenzionali ma mangia da Dio” (Osteria Bottega: Their wine list is conventional, but you eat like a god there)
The next morning, I called ahead to make sure we’d get a spot. The voice on the other end lent me a preliminary understanding of the atmosphere : familial, wholesome, unpretentious. If anything, I underestimated the place, pinning on it the personality of a corner taverna with its menu scribbled on a chalkboard out front.
What greeted us, however, after 17 minutes’ walk out the very centre of town, was only slightly different – but in all the right ways.
While Bottega isn’t the type of place that spends more time than necessary developing its online presence, a lot of effort has gone into its physical presentation. From impeccably dressed waiters to a gorgeous façade and terrace, it is clear that the owner is someone with an eye for detail.
That being said, the thread of local identity – and pride in its community, is ever-present. “Nessuno dentro” (Nobody sits inside), the hostess explained to me over the phone. I had thought this to be a matter of preference, but upon arriving, I heard the full explanation : a protest against the Italian ‘Green Pass’ allowing only vaccinated or recently tested people to dine inside establishments. For Osteria Bottega, the solution was simple: everyone sits outside.
Upon being escorted to our table – from which I took the above photograph, I was promptly offered a small stool upon which to rest my handbag. I glanced at my partner, who was similarly impressed. It’s a tiny detail, but it’s an important one.
After a brief scan through their menu, I understand Luigi’s message. Everything looks fantastic.
Nevertheless, this is our first ‘real meal’ in Bologna, and so I have to get the tagliatelle al ragù. My partner decides on something a little more outside the box and orders the pigeon.
Perfectly al dente ribbons of handmade pasta paired with the harmonious combination of minced meats, vegetable soffritto and tomato purée come together in a celebration of tradition in this dish. When the waiter asks you if you’d like some parmesan cheese with that, there’s absolutely no pressure to say ‘stop’ (as you can see from the photograph). It’s a dish that leans wholly into gluttony, finished off with the obligatory scarpetta.
The arrival of my partner’s dish left us both without words for several moments. There’s no getting around it: prepared properly, pigeon is simply gorgeous. While the taste of pigeon is decidedly ‘game-y’, it is a remarkably quick cooking process. In order to roast an entire pigeon medium rare, you only need 10-12 minutes. This, however, means that it’s also a very delicate process.
Here, the pigeon – perfectly pink – was served with sautéed spinach, some raspberries and a rich yet balanced gravy to tie it all together.
We hadn’t intended on ordering wine with this meal, but eventually opted to for this dish. The hostess recommended a Sangiovese. Although the flavours of the dish brightened the wine considerably, we maintained that a fruitier wine would’ve probably paired better with the dish overall.
Throughout our meal, we were attended to with a level of care and professionalism that is uncommon for small establishments, yet with enough friendliness to match the local setting.
If you’re choosing to dine here, however – you might want to stick to wine rather than any other beverages. Both water and Coca-Cola run perhaps a little obtusely expensive here, and on viewing the bill – we would’ve been better off with the same quantity in wine than the other refreshments.
Nevertheless, we look upon it as one of the highlights of our trip – and certainly a place to which we’d like to return one day.
Book your table for All’Osteria Bottega here