Where to shop in Bologna: ten neighborhood shops, from historic addresses to new ventures

Grocery from the Rain

Drogheria dalla Pioggia is a grocery store in the purest sense of the word. Evidence of its existence dates back to 1610, but the Sarti family has been selling goods and food products here since 1967: from spices to jams, and even sweets in glass jars that grace the store's shelves alongside candied fruit and dried fruit. The Drogheria's windows, overlooking the intersection of Via Galliera and Via de' Falegnami, are just a prelude to a journey through time and space that can be experienced inside the shop, displaying just a few of the 12,000 items housed here. A magical place, where it seems there's a solution to every problem, a product for every need.

Pioggia Grocery Store. Via Galliera 20, Bologna. Tel. 051 223754. Facebook.

Antica Formaggeria Bernardi

Antica Formaggeria Bernardi is a small family-run shop located at the entrance to the centrally located Mercato delle Erbe on Via Belvedere. It has offered a vast selection of cheeses since 1953. The shop was founded by Silvano and Mario, Donatella's father and uncle, respectively. Today, Donatella, along with her husband, runs the business. A little over a decade ago, they added cured meats to their dairy delicacies: from Carpegna prosciutto and Pratomagno prosciutto to local cured meats such as Culatello di Zibello, Felino salami, Prosciutto di Parma DOP, and Strolghino.

Antica Formaggeria Bernardi. Via Ugo Bassi 25 – Herb Market, Bologna.

The Sfogline

We remain on Via Belvedere, where, just steps from the Antica Formaggeria Bernardi, Renata Zappoli, along with her daughters Daniela and Monica, has been a go-to place for traditional Bolognese fresh pasta since 1996. Careful selection of quality ingredients, respect for traditional recipes, passion, and an incredible ability to create small works of art are the key ingredients in every Sfogline product: from filled pasta to baked pasta, they're made with 00 soft wheat flour, free-range eggs, cow's milk ricotta, 30-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano, STG meat, and locally grown vegetables.

Le Sfogline. Via Belvedere 7, Bologna. Tel. 051 220558. Website. Facebook. Instagram.

Bruno and Franco's Delicatessen

It's impossible to pass under the porticoes of Via Oberdan and not be tempted and enchanted by the windows of this historic shop, which has been showcasing traditional Bolognese products and more since 1985. At Bruno and Franco, you can find fresh pasta made in the nearby workshop, where they also offer courses, a vast selection of cured meats and cheeses, as well as condiments, oils, and pickles from carefully selected producers. Completing the beauty and deliciousness of the offerings are the deli's first and second courses.

Bruno and Franco's Delicatessen. Via Oberdan 16, Bologna. Tel. 051 233692. Website. Facebook. Instagram.

Lambertini Chicken Coop

Polleria Lambertini is one of those butcher shops you stop to admire as you stroll under the porticoes, with its single red-framed window and sign that belies more than half a century of business and the work of three generations. Today, Lamberto and his son Giacomo are behind the counter, offering a selection that, initially focused exclusively on meats from various breeds, has been enriched with a selection of cured meats, cheeses, and traditional products.

Lambertini Chicken Shop. Via Giuseppe Petroni 1, Bologna. Tel. 051 238150.

The Ancient Grain Shop

"Forno Pane Pasta" (Forno Bread and Pasta), the sign above the door of this shop transports us back in time. The aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through you as you enter, the ovens, and many of the furnishings contribute to a sense of home and belonging. This place embodies the very essence of the bakery we all hold in our childhood memories. At Bottega dei Grani Antichi, products are made with locally sourced ingredients, from non-intensive and organic farms. The grains used have not been altered by human intervention, but have retained their characteristics, lending specific organoleptic properties to the breads along with their natural leavening. Stone grinding allows for optimal preservation of the grain's nutritional properties, resulting in a more digestible finished product. The shop's counter offers sweet and savory baked goods, from cookies to pizzas, which can be enjoyed at the old-school desks that fill the space, as well as products such as honey, pasta, flour, and extra virgin olive oil.

The Ancient Grain Shop. Via Saragozza 225 d, Bologna. Tel. 051 19986697. Facebook. Instagram.

Silvia's Shop – Bulk Food in Bologna

Since 2013, La Bottega di Silvia has been the go-to place for bulk purchases: it offers 400 different products, including biscuits, pasta, rice, cereals, legumes, spices, nuts, flour, coffee, tea, and organic herbal teas, as well as detergents and cleaning products on tap, plastic-free cosmetics, accessories, and other zero-waste products. Shopping by weight allows you to purchase the exact amount of each product, fostering greater consumer awareness and eliminating waste, as well as saving money. This neighborhood store offers products from carefully selected businesses and companies that base their operations on values ​​of ethical production, environmental protection, and respect for labor. La Bottega di Silvia offers home delivery in Bologna and shipping throughout Italy.

Silvia's Shop – Loose Wine in Bologna. Via Vittorio Veneto 16 d, Bologna. Tel. 379 2777276. Website. Facebook. Instagram.

Taste Stop

Also under the porticoes of Via Saragozza, Franco and Simona have been running this gourmet restaurant for just over three years, whose counter is always brimming with options. They start with traditional Bolognese fresh pasta and the incredibly delicious, historic, and rare Scrigno di Venere, a veritable treasure chest of shortcrust pastry enclosing a heart of tortellini stuffed with ragù and béchamel sauce. Then there are delicatessen dishes such as pasta frittatine, steamed meatloaf, porchetta, pastrami, jars of Bolognese ragù, wild boar ragù, barnyard ragù, sausage ragù, and homemade friggione ragù. Finally, they finish with a meticulous selection of meats, cured meats, cheeses, and wines from producers throughout Italy. Fermata del Gusto offers home delivery, shipping throughout Italy, and catering services.

Fermata del Gusto. Via Saragossa 89 a, Bologna. Tel. 051 6142006. Website. Facebook. Instagram.

Bee Grocery

We've already told you about this new addition for 2021, citing it as one of the perfect spots for an aperitivo. We're telling you about it again here because Drogheria delle Api began as a neighborhood grocery store, where you can shop and purchase products from select small producers. Its true joy is the ability to sample comfort foods, from cheeses to wine, as well as preserves, chocolate, and baked goods, which are sold here at retail throughout the day, from breakfast to dinner.

Drogheria delle Api. Via degli Orti 23 e, Bologna. Tel. 051 0284915. Website. Facebook. Instagram.

Farmer's Shop

Bottega Contadina is a project by Fabio Gendusa, a shop where you can buy local products such as fruit, vegetables, eggs, honey, wine, and fresh pasta. A selection of local farms contributes to the wide selection of products offered at this shop. In addition to having two physical locations, it also offers a highly organized home delivery service. By WhatsApping +39 336 559568, you can receive the updated price list every Sunday, place your order, and wait for the delivery date based on your home zip code.

Bottega Contadina Made in Bologna, zero-mile. Via M. Bastia 27 / Via Claudio Treves 42, Bologna. Tel. 336 559568. Website: Facebook.

[Cover photo Le Sfogline]