Botanica Lab In Bologna

Fantastic! Extreme care, uncommon flavors

A spectacular meal from start to finish. Everything was delicious, thoughtful and beautifully presented. The bill represented excellent value given the quality and creativity of the dishes. The staff were friendly, and the service was impressively quick, with each course arriving within minutes of ordering despite the restaurant being busy. Booking is recommended. This is a must-visit for plant-based locals and visitors alike, and easily one of the best meals I have had in Italy.

the best vegan Italian restaurant i have been to, 100percent would come again 🫡👏

I'm not vegan myself, but my partner Sam is, and we both absolutely loved this place. I had the Pici con 'Nduja and Sam had the Green Trofiette with White Ragù—both dishes were incredibly tasty and excellent value for money. It was Sam's birthday, and the staff made it extra special by bringing out his vegan cheesecake with a birthday candle. It was such a thoughtful touch and really made our evening. The only slight downside was that we were seated outside. Even though we arrived at around 7:30pm, it was still absolutely roasting, and with no outdoor fans it became a little uncomfortable. If you're visiting during the summer, I'd definitely recommend asking for an indoor table. Overall, an outstanding experience with delicious food, fantastic service, and great value. I'd recommend it 100%!

I celebrated my birthday at this restaurant, and it was a memorable evening. The meals were prepared with fresh ingredients and had excellent flavors. The waiters were cheerful, attentive, and made our celebration even more enjoyable. The restaurant was clean, beautifully decorated, and had a warm atmosphere. I would definitely choose this place again for another special occasion.

Welcoming and refined atmosphere, located in a beautiful part of the city. The appetizers were truly amazing, and the main courses were totally unexpected, with truly generous portions (we shared everything, and we're foodies!). The only downside was the first course: it lacked eggplant, was not very flavorful, lacked salt, and the eggplant needed to be roasted and seasoned, in my opinion. But one dish out of five might not be 100% satisfying. The price is a bit high, yes, but if you choose dishes with generous portions, it can be offset. For €35 per person, we had a THRILLING lunch ♥️

Friendly staff! The fillet steak on potato flakes was amazing! The cheesecake with berries was delicious, I recommend it :)

The food is original and excellent, both in its presentation and flavor combinations. The atmosphere is relaxed and intimate. An overall great experience!

2nd Visit; Having enjoyed a wonderful meal at Botanic Lab Cucina earlier in our stay in Bologna, we returned on our final night before heading home to Australia. Unfortunately, while parts of the meal were outstanding, the overall experience was disappointing compared to our previous visit. We started with the Trofiette Verdi al Ragù Bianco, which was absolutely exceptional. The sauce was rich, creamy, and packed with flavour. My only suggestion would be to serve it with some bread, as it was too delicious to leave any of the sauce behind. For our mains, my wife ordered the Beyond Burger. The overall flavour was good and the accompanying sauces helped, but the patty itself was overcooked and lacked the succulence that Beyond is known for. I ordered the Filetto Plant Based. As soon as it arrived, I could tell it wasn’t cooked to the same standard as the one I had enjoyed on my previous visit. When sliced open, the interior was brown, dry, and lacking the pink texture and beetroot-coloured juices that normally characterise a properly cooked Juicy Marbles fillet. For context, I’ve been vegan for over 12 years and have worked as a chef for more than 20 years. I’ve eaten Juicy Marbles products at several establishments and know what they are capable of when prepared correctly. On my previous visit to Botanic Lab, the same dish was juicy and tender, with beetroot-coloured juices running into and colouring the surrounding sauce. This time, there was none of that. When I raised my concerns, the waiter explained that this was how the steak was intended to be cooked and that it was cooked for seven minutes at 200°C. I explained that I preferred it cooked less and pointed out that the same dish I had eaten there only days earlier had been significantly juicier and more tender. The kitchen agreed to prepare another one, but it took over 30 minutes to arrive. During that time, my wife had completely finished her meal, had already been offered dessert and the bill, and I actually had to remind the staff that my replacement dish was still coming. When the second Filetto finally arrived, it was unfortunately almost identical to the first: dry, overcooked, and lacking the qualities that make Juicy Marbles such an exceptional product. What disappointed me most was not the overcooked steak itself, but the lack of engagement from the staff afterwards. Nobody checked whether the replacement was satisfactory, despite knowing there had been an issue. It felt as though the restaurant had decided the original preparation was correct and preferred to avoid further discussion rather than understand the customer’s perspective. Service throughout the evening was also noticeably lacking. We had to wave down a waitress to order dessert, nobody checked whether we wanted additional drinks, and I was never offered a second beverage despite happily ordering more had someone asked. The tables around us appeared to be experiencing similar difficulties getting staff attention. Dessert, thankfully, was excellent and ended the meal on a positive note. When it came time to pay, I had to go to the counter myself. The gentleman processing the payment avoided asking how the meal was and simply told me the amount owing before thanking me. After the earlier discussion regarding the Filetto, it left me with the impression that the restaurant preferred to avoid acknowledging the issue rather than address it. Botanic Lab clearly has talented chefs and some truly exceptional dishes. That’s what made this visit so disappointing. My hope is that they place more emphasis on listening to customer feedback and improving service, because the food has the potential to be among the very best vegan dining experiences in Bologna. 1st review was five stars but google doesn’t allow multiple reviews. The last photo is the overcooked filetto.

We returned yesterday. Excellent food and excellent service.