Trattoria del Rosso

Portions are generous and quite filling, but the flavor is not exceptional — I’ve had the same dishes elsewhere with better taste. The coperto (€3) felt a bit high. The restaurant seems to attract mostly tourists, but service is fast and friendly. Reservation is necessary for dinner, as it gets crowded quickly. ⚠️ If you have a seafood allergy, pasta is unfortunately not a safe option here — cross-contamination is likely, even in non-seafood dishes.

It was a very bizarre experience. We read great reviews and that's the reason we came here - for the traditional flavors. The second we came to the door around 7pm the hostess said she can get us seated around 9.. (plenty of seating inside and outside). I asked if there's anything available sooner and reluctantly she sat us immediately. Weird. Took us about 15 min for the server to come take our order. I asked for the recommendation and was basically told: how can I decide for you, it's you choice.... Okay... Food was ok, nothing super.. served the purpose and was great for the price. The rest of the staff was very friendly and nice. Just a very weird experience. Definitely hit or miss judging by other reviews

Delicious food with truly local dishes! It was my second time in Bologna, and I visited this trattoria again—and I’ll definitely do it in the future too. Don’t miss the chance to taste their food; it’s like a warm hug!

Tried this place after being recommended by our local host. The experience was sadly underwhelmed. The food was good, but the service when we ate here for dinner wasn’t great. It took quite a long time to get the menu and to order. We ordered the tortellini with walnuts and saffron, tortellini in brodo, and meatballs for secondi. When the food arrived there was a bug in the soup. I chugged it out but later informed the waiter. She just said that the bug might’ve just flew in while the food was being served. A simple apology would’ve been sufficient and appreciated being in the hospitality industry. Putting the bug aside, the rest of the food was good, but I don’t think i’ll be coming back.

This place was recommended to us and it did not disappoint. Food came out fast, pasta was al dente and the ragú was delicious. Staff was friendly and the restaurant quite cozy. I recommend going early to get a better experience.

The lasagna and the pasta were amazing, tiramisu is a must and the wine was great. The toalett is clean and tidy. The restaurant is charming 10/10

The food looks good, and that’s it. Portions are very small, the waitress started to clean the table while I was still eating which I considered rude.. We pay 50 euros - not worth it at all

I’ve worked in hospitality for years, so I understand the importance of good service. Unfortunately, our experience at this restaurant fell far short of expectations. When we arrived, there were only three tables occupied and around five servers working. Even so, we had to wait for someone to notice us and then ask another server to come take our order. When our server finally approached, her attitude was unwelcoming and rude. It left us wondering whether it was because of what we ordered or even because of our nationality. She made unpleasant facial expressions every time we requested something, which put a damper on the entire meal. The atmosphere was also lacking. The room felt silent and awkward, with servers pacing back and forth despite the light workload. The food itself was just okay, but the service and overall ambience were so disappointing that I would not return

Decent food and reasonable prices. Service is friendly and attentive. They have small (half) wine bottles on their menu.

Had a meal that helped us understand the incredible origins of Italian food variants commonly found in the US. Everything was presented unpretentiously, and we were able to order 6 dishes plus a bottle of wine for just 115 euro. The highlights. Crescentine con salumi e formaggio - Crescentine are fried rectangles of dough found in Bologna. Served with cheese sauce and a tasty selection of parma ham, mortadella, salami and something else I couldn't make out. Tagliatelle artigianali alla bolognese - tagliatelle pasta served in a very meaty, tomato based bolognese sauce. Tortellini in brodo - tortellini in chicken broth. A specialty of the region that's often served around Christmas and new year. Around that time we found a few pop up shops on the street selling tortellini. Lasagne alla bolognese - not as cheesy as the US variant, tomato sauce less prominent. I think they prepare it with a beschamel, not cheese. Tortelloni verdi porri, noci e zafferano - star of the meal. Large tortellini filled with leeks, nuts and saffron.

Make a reservation. They get busy. Sit on the patio and people watch. For what it is. It's top notch. If you want good service, good food at good prices. Then this is definitely worth a dinner while in town. The food is not fussy. It's just good wholesome local Italian fare done without pomp or pretense.

Some things are good, but this is a tourist trap. First of all, they charge excessive sneaky charges for water and something called servizio. I asked about it. The server said the service charge is for plates, bread and water. But they also charged for water separately, so we were charged twice for lukewarm water. Not like sparkling Pellegrino or anything. So that's a rip off! We asked the manager at our hotel about the bill and his jaw dropped. He said service charges are customary, but should be 1-1.5 euros per person. Two people at dinner and it came to 6 euros. And I didn't want 2 baskets of stale bread. Not only did we not ask for it, but we told the server, please, no more bread, evidenced by the uneaten bread in the basket. And we got more bread. And it was not good. Stale bread is stale bread, I don't care what country you are in. The burrata starter was good and the friggione side was remarkable. But I wouldn't order the lasagna again. It was so soft, the pasta was way overcooked. Maybe lasagna isn't supposed to have al dente pasta sheets because it is baked, but I shouldn't be able to smear the pasta across the plate like it's paste! The house wine was good and desserts were enjoyable. But I left feeling ripped off for the not so stellar 70 euro meal that we had. And the 10% charges they arbitrarily tacked on because we are American and they think we are stupid.

Honestly, considering I got this recommendation after doing some research, I wasn't impressed. I was a bit surprised at all the grease floating in the brodo of the tortellini en brodo. I actually didn't eat that all. I tried the famous Lasagna verde, typical of Bologna. Was okay, not that flavorful, and seemed not al dente. Not cheap for these 2 items. Realized too late this was one of those places recommended but not very good. So much great food in Bologna, just skip it.

Heard a lot of good things about Trattoria del Rosso from Fred Plotkin and the chowhounders, so we took the train from Padua and stopped in Bologna for lunch. From the train station, it was a good 20 min walk and by the time we reached here it was almost 2:30 pm. I was so scared that we wouldn't get anything to eat as most places stop lunch at 3 pm sharp. We entered the restaurant and it was bustling with energy, even at this late lunch hour. We stood by the entry for a few minutes but no one was in a hurry to attend to us. The old woman who was sitting near the cash register then came to us and in my broken Italian I told her we were very hungry and she made one of the servers give us a nice corner table. She was the sweetest ever! The Tortellini (ravioli stuffed with ricotta and Parmesan) with butter and sage was amazing as was the Tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce. Avoid the lamb chops, was chewy and too oily....this was the one dish that left a bad taste in my mouth. The house wine was pretty good and reasonable (1 liter which made about 4 glasses was 8 Euros). Go here for the pasta dishes, esp the tortellini and anything with the Bolognese meat sauce...it was really good!

This place was a great find for a simple meal. The staff is very friendly, the prices are good, and the food is excellent. I believe the most expensive bottle on the list (only 15 euros), and it was excellent. We started with the mixed meats, and they were good (but that's been our experience at all restaurants in this region). We also had the fried zucchini, and it was so light and crispy. Perfect. Then I had the tortelli en brodo. Oh, heavenly. The broth was so rich, and the pasta was perfect. I wish I could have that dish again.

Fastest service I experienced in Italy. Actually, it's fast for anywhere. It was the lunch rush and place was packed, but we waited less than a minute before a table was setup for us. Not long after our orders were taken, they each arrived one by one. I swear it wasn't even 10 minutes! I wish the food had been better, though, because it would've made the place perfect. Everyone was pretty friendly and attentive (the owner even helped place my bag on a chair) except for the cashier, who was curt and on the surly side and also the youngest staff member but good at his job. Food was neither great nor bad, just okay. Tortellini in Brodo was a bit salty. It was looking forward to having this dish in Bologna, but the broth lacked depth and didn't balance the saltiness of the tortellini. The Tagliatelle alla Bolognese was a little better than okay but nothing stellar. If I lived here, I probably would go here for the decent food and friendly service out of convenience.

Great atmosphere and service. More attentive than most Italian places. Nice wine list. Food was quite good, especially the tortellini in brodo and the polpette. The crescentine with salumi was great.

Simple family dining... simply awesome. First off nice bottle of wine, 375 ml, 5 Euro. Del Rosso don't change that! Of my three days in Bologna I eat at Trattoria Del Rosso twice. Both times very happy. Night One: Fresh spaghetti w crushed tomatoes. Really good. For me fresh pasta can be too soft. I guessing this spaghetti is made and dried some. Beautifully al dente. Second course, Eggplant parmigiana that was top notch. Cheese on top browned just right adding a touch of smoke flavor. Night Two: Now I start this second review with noting I had taken the bus all the way to FICO. Don't do it. It reminded me of an IKEA in a bad way. FICO is the type of monster that will eat up the small family businesses like Trattorias around Italy. I walked around feeling alone and not invited to the party. I did walk the entire monument and left. I took the next bus back to Bologna town square and marched to Trattoria Del Rosso where I felt welcome and part of the family. Ok, back to dinner. Insalata Mista w fresh parm, balsamic, and good olive oil. Main course: Tagliatelle al Ragu...most delicious. Great staff both night. Helped w bill as I needed itemized for work. Each night they took time to chat. Thank you!

This place offers the standard bolognese fare. Food is simple but good and home made. This trattoria offers a great quality/price ratio. It's vegetarian-friendlier than the average restaurant in Bologna. PS the place is hugely popular, so don't just pop by, make reservations at peak hours.

Bottom Line - Very fresh pasta. Mozzarella was great. I would definitely come again. For the price (10 euro for 3-course menu), it's hard to pass. My friend and I came for dinner on Tuesday, 7 August 2012 after reading the limited reviews on Yelp. We ordered the following: 3-course Menu of the Day (€10,00), which we shared: Penne con Pancetta, Funghi - This dish was very flavourful. The mushrooms and cream sauce were really nice, but the penne was a little heavier... it *almost* felt similar to dried penne. Caprese - I love mozzarella, and the tomatoes went well with the dish. Though the bread was slightly stale, I was okay eating just the mozzarella with the tomatoes. Tiramisu - You could choose any of the available dessert items, so we chose tiramisu. It was good, and a good way to end the meal. In addition to the 3-course menu, we also got: Papardelle with Lamb Ragu (€8,00) - OMG SO GOOD. Papardelle is my favourite cut of pasta, and this pasta was fresh. The ragu was light yet flavourful. The lamb was ground very finely, which I especially liked. I want to eat this again as I type this. Along with a glass of the house white wine (€1,00) and the service charge (€1,50), our bill came to a total of €20,50 for the two of us. Quite affordable!!!

I think we came here based on trip advisor reviews. I usually try to avoid using trip advisor for restaurants simply because why would I want to go eat somewhere that tourists eat at? Isn't the whole point of eating out while traveling is to infuse yourself in your environment, be one with the locals? anyway, I digress, the food was overall average. We orderd the pork shank, the lasagna bolognese (too cheesey), torelllini in brodo (solid dish, but we've had better), crestatine and meat plate (fried gnocchi, yum), and marscapone and strawberries (avoid). definitely affordable and casual.

Ate here on our last night in Italy & didn't regret it. It was lovely. Lucky we called in advance & put our name down because they were turning people away. We had the fried bread with cheese & deli meat appetizer. Obviously fancier than that but I can't remember it all. Yummy! But the pasta was the star! My husband had regular pasta ribbons & I had ravioli stuffed with pumpkin. Both topped with meat ragu. A must have in Bologna. Of course we had red wine & dessert too. Wonderful at a moderate price. Highly recommend.

I was quite satisfied with this little gem. This is pretty close to the city center with local cost(cheap.) This place gets packed but service is amazing, so attentive and fast. Having a small appetite I was only able to have the traditional Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese. Noodles freshly cooked al dente with hot Bolognese sauce..mmm take me back. Sauce was rich with just a hint of sweetness, skip the table cheese it doesnt add any flavor or texture to pasta. Tiramisu was delicious just needed to be a little bigger of a bowl to satisfy my sweet tooth.

OMG! They have the best Tagliatelle al ragu in Bologna! Two thumbs up!!!! I highly recommend this place. Please also try their Tortellini al ragu. Yum yum!!!

Rated as one of the best in Bologna - completely justified. Although it's located in a quite busy street, dinner here is a great experience. I kinda wish it had been in one of the smaller streets to make it 100%. The menu is smaller than many other trattorias, but definitely has something for every taste. All kinds of meat, and fresh pasta, as they should. I had the oven roasted pork with grilled veggies and it was excellent. That also came with roasted potatoes. My father had the coteletto bolognese and was very satisfied. The meals are all very cheap, and there's a lot of food. Great food and bang for your buck - love it. This is the first time I've seen a restaurant doing the billing manually. It's very charming, a man sitting inside with his books, pens and calculator. However, this doesn't mean they don't take credit cards.

Went here while on holiday. Pretty good service but the highlight was the food. Best tagliatelle al Ragu in Bologna. Gnocchi was the lightest I've had during my time in Italy and the eggplant parmigiana was AMAZING! Good prices, nothing fancy but certainly hits the spot.

Tried this place because of the great location, and great reviews. The menu is simple and inexpensive, while having all of the basic Bologna specialties! We started off with the torta fritta (fried bread) and it was the best we had of anywhere on our trip! I had the Tortelloni in a butter and sage sauce and it was the best thing I've ever tasted -- and I've been to Italy 3 times! You can read more about it here: http://bettybeyondboston.blogspot.com/2014/05/bologna-italy-not-pronounced-boloney.html The only downside was that the service was very slow -- I think they forgot about us, BUT, they ended up giving us a free bottle of wine, a coffee, and a dessert! It was amazing!

My wife and I stayed in Bologna and had wonderful meals. This place on the other hand was not worth going to. The service was horrible and food was sub mediocre at best. The waiter and waitress was rude, disorganized and could not get the order straight. I should have known things were going wrong when the bread was old and stale. We stayed because of the reviews about the homemade dishes. We were wrong. There is no reason why in a city like Bologna that you would have bad bread when this is the corner stone of their meal. EVERY place we ate at had incredible bread and olive oil. I'm surprised this place is still I. Business. do not go here. It gives Bologna a bad name. Forewarned is forearmed. BEWARE!

Got to say, after reading the reviews here and other places, we were greatly underwhelmed by the quality of this place. Yes the portions are very large, but if you are looking for a special meal (at whatever price range) this would not be my choice... When we got the bill, the comment was - we didn't really spend that much less here, in spite of the 10 Euro specials, etc. and wished we would have tried a different place.

Rosso was a great restaurant to start our trip. The bolognese sauce was prepared totally different than what Americans are used too (no tomato sauce). Then we ordered the chicken with prosciutto and it came out smothered with a creamy sauce. It was ok, but nothing special. Come for the pasta. It was reasonably priced

What a great €10 lunch option! You get to choose one primi, one secondi, water and coffee. We had rigattoni with salsicia and saffron (wonderful delicate taste) and deep fried veggies (me) and salsicia and potatoes (partner). I couldn't finish my secondi, so ladies might be better off with a primi + dessert option, the tiramisu looked truly wonderful! I sincerely recommend this place for truly bolognese cuisine.

Wonderful meal in Bologna! The pasta was home made and delicious and the price was very reasonable. The only downside is the waitress brought out my meal after my wife's but that was probably a communication error on my part. Best place in Bologna thus far!

This trattoria was quite a surprise, especially given the level of competition in this area of Bologna. We had a great bresaola starter, followed by yummy pastas. Give it a try!

The most delicious Italian food I've ever had, and that's from 65 years of dining. Two others in my group agreed, and three others said it was "in the top three." Wonderful, savory flavors, perfectly seasoned, and finely prepared. A memorable meal. We ordered the tortellini bolognese, tagliatelle ragu, eggplant parmesan, and lasagna. The menu is only in Italian, but you can easily translate these, if interested. We all sampled each other's orders. Everything was marvelous. We were here in early afternoon and were the only tourists in the place, everyone else were locals. Look for the red neon "Trattoria" sign out front. If I lived within 50 miles of this place I would soon be morbidly obese.

Came here because of the reviews--and the famous 10 Euro lunch. Bottom line: recommended. Just stick to the meat-based dishes. My friend ordered a meat-based fettuccinne and the roast beef in a very nice wine-mustard sauce. I pretty much wanted to eat his dishes, as my gnocchi --while good--was slightly boring, and fried polenta was downright regrettable. The tiramisu was delectable in its creaminess and balanced flavor. Very nice, crusty bread. Great house wine. We ordered a 1/2 pitcher of wine and two coffees plus the pasta-main-bread-water and our bill came to 30.50 E. Very reasonable!

The staff is super friendly and helpful here and the food is amazing at an unbeatable price. The crescentine are a MUST here! Light and delicious and classic of Bolognese cuisine. We had the tagliatelle with butter and prosciutto and gnocchi al ragu - huge portions and top quality. There's a nearby gelato spot as well called gelateria delle moline which is perfect for dessert!

Real Trattoria the italian way. They serve simple and genuine food quality is ok. Only the bread is not the top but for the rest is good. Clearly tagliatelle is must, but I also tasted Parmigiana which was good even if not an original Neapolitan one ( I am from Naples!). Also dessert are very good and price is reasonable. The only weak point is the madame, I think the owner, which was quite rude because each of us had to pay individually as we need the receipt for our company... definitely to improve here

This is perfect for a quick lunch, just popped I. Here full to the gunnels but they found us a place. Quick service and the 10€ 2 course menu of the day is fine. I'm full. An extra 10€ for a bottle of nice wine and you're all set. The ambiance is great, locals and tourists alike.

10 euros for dinner: eggplant parmesan, coffee, water, glass of wine, and basket of bread. Very good! Huge portion! The eggplant was not salty at all which I absolutely liked. Fast service. Good location. Close to Piazza Maggiore. Very nice and attentive staff. Locals like this place. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

A very nice traditional Trattoria in the center of BOLOGNA. Pasta al Ragu fatto à la mano. Very tasty ! I would recommend it whew staying in town.

Following some internet recommendations, my friends and I decided to head off this restaurant for lunch. After being ignored by the staff for 10 minutes we finally got seated and the menu in hand. We all took the combo for 10 Euros that include 2 courses, wine, water and coffee and the result... was fabulous. I definitely recommend this place for the quality/price rate. They will see me again for sure :-) !

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about Italy is its tantalizing cuisine. Ripe tomatoes bursting with sunshine, rich olive oil, and fresh pasta are seen throughout. When in Bologna, try some Bolognese! The genuine sauce has little tomato and is rich in hearty meat. Trattoria Del Rosa prides itself on serving handmade pasta stemming from family recipes, giving you an authentic taste of the city. This cosy restaurant is great for casual meals as the ambiance is low-key. Experience the Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese or the slightly curled noodles of Gramigna alla Salsiccia, only 8 Euros each.

First we sat down outside at an empty table and was immediately asked to sit at another table next to a lady vigorously puffing away at her cigarette. My wife has asthma, so we had to move a second time. No big deal. We ordered the tortellini and pappardelle with lamb ragu based on our waitress' recommendation. We also ordered some sparkling water and asked for olive oil with our bread. They brought out still water in a bottle. Fine. No big deal. Then they brought us bertolli olive oil. Yes, the tasteless same brand they sell in walmarts throughout the US. This should have been enough for us to get up and leave. The bread was stale. Like two day old stale. Then came our entrees. The tortellini was good. The pappardelle was over cooked three minutes past al dente. It wasn't home made pasta. We should have stopped there but my wife ordered the mascarpone dessert. It was so so. We honestly should have left once we saw the bertolli.

Was very disappointed with our experience with this location. I got Tortellini with Bolognese Sauce which was very delicious however the portions were horrendously small considering the cost. My girlfriend got roasted chicken which was burnt all over the outside, dry and overcooked on the inside. I would have expected much better quality then we received from this location so we left feeling disappointed and ripped off... Not to mention that they charged us an extra 6 euros on top of our food price for tap water and service. Do not go here.

This is a good standard restaurant for affordable Bolognese food. I came here with a group of Erasmus students which I think was frustrating for the waiters, because many did not speak Italian, but the staff was cooperative. As a vegetarian, I ordered the tortellini and had tiramisu for dessert - simple, delicious, and filling. You'd be surprised at how good tortellini in brodo can taste when it's so simple! While there are better versions out there, this is a reliable option especially for students. Do make reservations for busy times, as it can get crowded.