In the center of Bologna, just steps from Piazza Maggiore, next to the Nanni bookshop and overlooking the small square of Santa Maria della Vita, lies a historic restaurant, Buca di San Petronio, a must-visit for Sunday lunch. The restaurant is spacious and welcoming, with two interior rooms and a patio under the portico, complete with a warming oven, providing plenty of seating. The staff is friendly and attentive, and the food was excellent. For starters, we chose a pan of ragù with crostini and grilled octopus, followed by a cockerel with caponata, grilled salmon with vegetables, and a fragrant artichoke. We washed it all down with a glass of Cantina Avanzi Lugana di Sirmione. An excellent tiramisu with coffee was a must. The chef even stopped to ask how we had eaten, a welcome gesture for a customer. I'm more than happy to recommend this place, even though there was a small mix-up, I think due to forgetfulness: we had booked with The Fork, which offered a 20% discount on the menu (excluding drinks and probably a cover charge), which wasn't applied to the final bill of €125. We're still happy we went; the food was truly excellent.
LORENZA CAVALLARO
.
21 Dicembre 2025
10,0
Excellent cook!
It was a wonderful discovery.
Anna Romani
.
17 Dicembre 2025
10,0
I went on Friday, May 9th, taking advantage of a 20% discount on The Fork! The restaurant is right in the center of Bologna, with an 80s atmosphere, background music in keeping with the aforementioned era, and excellent traditional Bolognese dishes! The waiter, Maurizio, was very kind, courteous, and attentive to all my needs and concerns! Congratulations!
Enrico
.
12 Dicembre 2025
10,0
It's a guarantee!! Excellent dishes and a lovely place.
m b
.
08 Dicembre 2025
10,0
Evocative and immersive, an excellent conclusion to a walk in the centre of Bologna
Stefano talotta
.
29 Novembre 2025
10,0
I was here for a graduation. Excellent restaurant, elegant, and excellent food. They're very well-equipped for gluten-free options. I ordered a plate of pasta Bolognese, which was exceptional.
Chiara Rizza
.
23 Novembre 2025
10,0
We had the the lasagna and the spaghetti alla bolognesa they were amazing. Flavor-wise the best I’ve had. The portion is not that big though and the lasagna was not really hot, rather lukewarm. The place is beautiful, but just a little hectic as it was Saturday and most places were fully booked. The service was good, but the waiters were clearly overworked, so the restaurant should hire more personnel.
Glauber Rosa
.
16 Novembre 2025
8,0
We had lunch in the very special and welcoming basement room. The tortellini in capon broth were delicious.
Vale
.
16 Novembre 2025
10,0
Top-notch, excellent service and dishes, 5-star service.
Acfernandes
.
02 Novembre 2025
10,0
Red tortelloni calamari and sangiovese super good.
Tiramisu not the best and limonchello too sweet
Natalia Díaz Rodríguez
.
27 Ottobre 2025
6,0
TripAdvisor
Google