33 Best Restaurants in Emilia–Romagna, Italy

Here, in the mirrored interior, a mostly young crowd chows down on classic regional fare at affordable prices. Nimble staff bearing multiple plates sashay neatly between the closely spaced tables delivering such standards as tortellini in brodo and cotoletta alla Bolognese (veal with Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto). It is the kind of place where the waiters don't glare at you if you only order a plate of pasta—perhaps another reason it's a student favorite.

At this simple trattoria off the main tourist circuit, much care has been taken with the decor: the rooms, overseen by host Flavio, are small and intimate, and the wooden walls painted a creamy whitish gray. Chef Tommaso gives equal care to the menu and deftly turns out Bolognese classics, as well as dishes with a modern twist—among the antipasti, his tosone avvolto nella pancetta incorporates roasted Parmigiano-Reggiano trimmings and unsmoked bacon. Pastas are mostly homemade, and desserts are delicious. Though the trattoria is not in the centro storico, it's only a five-minute walk from the train station, and well worth a detour.

Mercurial host Ermes Rinaldi greets you as you walk in and seats you wherever he happens to have room: it doesn't matter that you might be put with people you don't know, since the host feels this quasi-communal style of lunching encourages conviviality. In the kitchen, Bruna, Ermes's wife, turns out splendid versions of cucina casalinga modenesi (home cooking, Modena-style). Ermes recites the short list of primi and secondi on the set-price menu, which change daily and arrive promptly. The accompanying wine is local, simple, and inexpensive: most stick to Lambrusco. It's no surprise that this rough-and-ready place is favored by everyone from suits to construction workers to students. Come early to get a table, and note that bookings are not accepted.