Mattarello — Restaurant in Bologna

We only had one day in Bologna to eat lunch before heading to the airport. That street this restaurant is on is a tourist trap in general, none had seats so at least they had a table which was inside at the back by the cash register. We felt we were led there under false pretence though as we were then ignored for around 40 mins without water, or bread and nobody would take our order and apparently only one guy was able to take peoples order. We watched another table’s have their order taken next to us even though we came in 25 mins before them and no apology when we pointed this out. Our antipasti came relatively shortly as did our drinks once we were served but our main course we ended waiting for over an hour and needed to prompt the staff we eventually lost our appetite. They forgot our water and we had to ask for bread. Their slow service meant we had no time to see any other parts of the city, we had to go back to the airport. The food standard was ok as I would expect in Bologna but I have had similar in other EU cities IT’s just the service was just appalling. Also after the meal, expect to queue like you’re in a post office. We had a constant line of people standing by our table waiting to pay which wasn’t pleasant. While my husband queued to pay for our meal my daughter and I waited for the one toilet. The state of the toilet would have put me off eating there completely had I know before ordering. Absolutely filthy I don’t know how their staff use. My daughter refrained from using it and waited till we got to the airport. The toilet we used on the frecciarossa was so clean in comparison. My shoes were filthy and stank from being in there. We aren’t in a rush to come back to the city and will avoid that entire...

Absolutely incredible! Mattarello is one of those places that makes you fall in love with food all over again. From the moment we walked in, we felt so welcome – the staff were warm, friendly, and clearly passionate about what they do. The food was incredible. Honestly, every single dish we tried was unforgettable. The pasta was fresh and perfectly cooked, and you can really taste the care and tradition in every bite. The ragù was rich and comforting, the tortellini in brodo felt like a hug from a Bolognese nonna, and even the simplest dishes were packed with flavor. The atmosphere is cozy and authentic, it’s the kind of place where you instantly feel at home. You can tell this isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a place where food and tradition truly matter. If you’re visiting Bologna, you have to eat here. It’s easily one of the best meals I’ve ever had in Italy. We left with full stomachs, huge smiles, and a promise to come back next time we’re in town. Grazie mille, Mattarello you’re absolutely...

Avoid- there is no reason to eat here. I visited with two friends but didn’t check the reviews first… big mistake.

Came in for a quick aperitivo, crescentine (fried bread) and a plate of prosciutto.

Server brings just the fried bread (which was previously fried, then microwaved), and forgets the prosciutto. We try to ask about the prosciutto (because the warm bread and prosciutto go together) and he didn’t understand… despite ordering in Italian.

Server same back 10 mins later and brought a freezing plate of salumi. Previously sliced, and then frozen. Who does that??? Meanwhile, the bread is now cold.

I mentioned this to the server- and he didn’t seem to understand or care.

If I were the server, I’d have offered more fried bread, and freshly slice the prosciutto. Oh well.

Obv this restaurant does not understand what to do when there’s a problem. Problems happen, but the key is how you handle it.

Next time, I’ll check out another place. There’s far better places to...