Upon arriving in Bologna, we immediately set out to find a good restaurant to enjoy the city’s namesake dish - Bolognese. However, if you're looking to try the authentic version of this dish, find a menu that reads “Tagliatelle al Ragù” or in this case “Tagliatelle con Ragù alla Bolognese”.

Since it’s a hearty comfort food, I didn’t want to try this particular meal in a fine-dining restaurant, but rather, somewhere that felt more home-grown. Several reviews online pointed me in the direction of Osteria Dell’Orsa and it turned out to be exactly what I was looking for. Their vegetables are sourced from local organic farms and their homemade pasta is made with flour that comes from a farm just outside of Bologna.

We trekked through many beautiful streets at golden hour to find our way to the doorstep of this Osteria, where people casually waited for their turn to enter. We also noticed the outdoor seating just on the other side of the street that Dell’Orsa utilizes. Despite the busyness of the restaurant, the wait staff was exceptional and made everyone feel at home.

Warm and Welcoming

We were guided through the formal dining area and down into a lower room with shared tables full of families, college students and tourists.

When you’re seated, you might notice that your table has a wobble, but if you’re industrious like Genevieve, it should be no problem.

Appetizer

We started by sharing a generously poured glass of house wine and a meat plate (1/2 Affettato Misto) with Mortadella, Prosciutto, and tigelle, which I had not seen before.

Tigella bread is similar to an English muffin and the proper way to eat it is to cut it in half and spread cheese on it or drape a slice of prosciutto over it and enjoy!

The menu at Osteria Dell’Orsa changes continuously, but there are a few mainstays that you can rely on - and those were the dishes I was most interested in trying.

Entrees

We ordered the 3 entrees that this restaurant prides itself on: Tortelloni, Lasagna alla Bolognese, and of course, Tagliatelle con Ragù alla Bolognese.

Tortelloni are large pasta pockets stuffed with delicious ricotta and parsley, and glazed with butter, sage and a dusting of fresh parmesan. The smaller version is called tortellini, and they are served the traditional way in beef broth. It's one of the most popular dishes here and I really wanted to try it, but I decided that ordering 4 entrees would have been a bit much.

Osteria Dell’Orsa felt like the perfect place to experience iconic Italian dishes that would be served at a family dinner - which is why I had to try the Lasagna alla Bolognese. Generously layered sheets of pasta with fresh cheese and meaty red sauce in every bite! This was excellent and exactly what you’d expect.

The Tagliatelle con Ragù alla Bolognese is a simple and very satisfying dish. The egg tagliatelle is wide and hearty and the sauce is a meaty Ragù. It originated as a French stew and evolved over the years with Italy’s tomatoes and spices, eventually to become what you see here. Now, Bologna’s Chamber of Commerce holds an official recipe registered to preserve its traditional form and heritage.

It's no surprise that if you do a quick Google search for “Best Bolognese in Bologna”, you’ll see Osteria Dell’Orsa near the top of the list - and for good reason. This warm, friendly atmosphere made this famous dish feel like a meal shared among friends. I couldn’t have been happier about it.

If this is a bucket list item that needs to be checked off, as it was for me, then this is a great place to do it.

Dessert

Though we ordered an appetizer and 3 entrees, we always make room for dessert!

We tried the Panna Cotta topped with berries and I swear, Genevieve isn’t acting in this footage, she is just genuinely this excited about food always. The Panna Cotta is smooth and flavorful with fresh cream, and the berry sauce is deep, rich, and homemade.

Of course, we also had to try the Tiramisu. Their presentation is a simple, almost cafeteria style take on the famous dessert. The lack of formality doesn’t take anything away, though. In fact, it shows why it’s such a staple across Italy: with fresh ingredients and a little love, you can’t go wrong with cream, coffee, and lady fingers.

Osteria Dell’Orsa can make even tourists like us feel like we live in Bologna. It’s inexpensive, there’s no cover charge and the environment is diverse and friendly. They work hard, make good food, and treat you like family - and community tables means that there’s no need to eat alone. However, private tables are available too!

Understand This Before You Go

Some have referred to the food here as “nothing special”, but it’s important to understand what it is that Osteria Dell’Orsa offers. You won’t find any artistic, boundary-pushing or outside-of-the-box presentation– just authentic versions of classic Italian dishes made with quality ingredients by hand. I was looking to try all of the familiar staples, but at a place that resembled a family dinner rather than a fine dining experience. Osteria Dell’Orsa is exactly what I was looking for to enjoy my first dinner in the food capital of Italy. It’s not going to challenge your culinary perceptions, but it is a great baseline in understanding standards for the entrees your non-Italian mother made you while growing up in the states.

Open 7 days per week

From 12:15pm-10:30pm

30+ Min wait times

No reservations

Prices

Glass of Wine - € 2.50

Filtered Water - € 2.00

Lasagna alla Bolognese - € 10.00

Tagliatelle con Ragù alla Bolognese - € 9.00

Tortelloni - € 11.00

1/2 Affettato Misto - € 8.00

Panna Cotta - € 5.00

Tiramisu - € 5.00

Total = € 52.50

Note: prices likely higher in 2026; expect slight increase.

Watch the Video

See all the visuals of our experience by watching the video below.

Searching for Bolognese in Bologna: Finding it at Osteria Dell’Orsa