Aperitivo in Bologna: a complete guide

Happy students, curious tourists, tired workers: everybody wants to have aperitivo.
​But what is exactly aperitivo? And which are the best places to have it in Bologna?

The word aperitivo has different meanings. These are the ones you should be aware of:

• A time of the day
  ​​If you say: “Let’s meet for aperitivo!” you mean that you’d meet your friend just before dinner. Time can change according to where you are, in Bologna it’s from about 6pm to 8pm.

• A kind of drink
  Ask a barista for an aperitivo and you’ll get an low alcoholic sweet drink. It can be a cocktail or a liquor. Spritz is the most famous, vermuth was the origin, Aperol, Campari, Crodino or Cynar the classics.
• A way of eating
  ​There’s no aperitivo without food. Even a few chips and olives or something more.
  ​Amongst students, aperitivo means a cheap dinner where you pay slightly more for the drink (6 to 8€) and then you have an all you can eat buffet to attack. Most of the time the quality of the food is poor: lunch leftovers, overcooked pasta, salty appetizers to make you drink more. Quality aperitivo exists, but you always pay what you get.

Ex Forno MAMbo
Museum of Modern Art isn’t only a must visit during you staying. Just next door this fashion bar with vintage sofas is my first choice for aperitivo. Good selection of pure origin coffee. Sunday brunch from 12:30 to 3pm. 

Ex Forno MAMbo
Via Don Giovanni Minzoni, 14/E, 40121 Bologna 
exforno.com
Tel. +39 051 649 3896 

Serre dei Giardini Margherita
THE place to have aperitivo outdoor. Drink a spritz sit between rosemary and sage in the renovated greenhouses.  
​After aperitivo, you should have a proper dinner at the Vetro restaurant. 

Serre dei Giardini Margherita
Via Castiglione, 134, 40136 Bologna 
Tel. +39 370 333 6439
leserre.kilowatt.bo.it

Mercato delle Erbe
One of the best food markets of Bologna is a place for shopping in the morning and to eat and drink in the evening. 
Find a table inside to enjoy a slice of pizza at Mozzabella, a gourmet piadina at Sfarina or a fish tagliere at Vini e Sapuri.  

Just outside in Via Belvedere you can get a drink at Bar Senza Nome or the best cocktails of Bologna at Bizarre. 

Mozzabella
Via Ugo Bassi, 23, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 484 1969 

Sfarina
Via Ugo Bassi, 23, 40121 Bologna
sfarina.it 

Vini e Sapuri Via Ugo Bassi, 23, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 320 189 1408 
www.viniesapuri.com

Bar Senza Nome
Via Belvedere, 11, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 392 516 2896 

Bizarre Tel.
Via Belvedere, 4/a, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 347 097 7547
www.bizarrebologna.com​

Mercato Albani
Another market, but far from the movida of Mercato delle Erbe.  A long hallway with food stalls and a few bar that at night becomes alive.   At Sbando you can choose from a good list of wine and pay for small tapas (1€ each).
​On Friday and Saturday night the atmosphere is lively and a bit alcoholic. Surely authentic.  

Sbando
Via Francesco Albani, 40129 Bologna
Tel. 375 502 7838  

Via Mascarella and University area
The street of jazz in the middle of University area.  Get a drink and a read a book at Modo Infoshop bookshop.   
​Sit outside at LOrtica for a Bologna craft beer amongst students.   
​A few meters and you get a street food pizza at Pizzartist and a glass of wine at Rubik or Camera a Sud.   

Modo Infoshop
Via Mascarella, 24/b, 40126 Bologna  
Tel. +39 051 587 1012  

LOrtica
Via Mascarella, 26/B, 40126 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 587 6455
www.lortica.org 

Caffè Rubik
Via Marsala, 31/D, 40126 Bologna BO
Tel. +39 051 014 0660
www.cafferubik.com

Camera a Sud
Via Valdonica, 5, 40126 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 095 1448
www.cameraasud.net

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