- liveletroam
Honeymoon in Bologna Italy
Updated: Apr 6, 2022
Once her taste buds were engaged, she quickly agreed to visit my holy land of gastronomy to consummate our vows.
When I was 12, I once snuck a jar of wine into my Home Economics class with a goal to perfect my classic version of the famous Northern Italian dish, Pasta Bolognese. For decades I’ve been mesmerized by the allure of classic northern Italian food. In 2019, when Christy and I were planning our wedding & honeymoon, there was no shock nor surprise when I suggested Bologan Italy as a destination. To be fair, a lavish dowery of fresh gelato helped grease the wheels. Once her taste buds were engaged, she quickly agreed to visit my holy land of gastronomy to consummate our vows.
Where to eat in Bologna Italy?
This question faced us on the morning train from Milan to Bologna. I had several places tagged in Google for lunch, yet which was the best? Since our train arrived at 1:30, more importantly, which place would be open? We arrived and efficiently checked into our centrally located hotel, ditched the bags, and pretend not to jog under the never-ending mazes of porticos until we finally arrived at Drogheria Della Rosa. The host (maybe the owner) looked a little puzzled with us arriving at 2:30 for lunch, yet graciously set up our table on the sidewalk.
Emilia-Romagna region of Italy
This was my third time in Italy (and it won’t be my last) and to my sober knowledge, I’ve never had a bad meal in Italy. Well, some undercooked late-night drunk pizza in Florence, wasn’t La dolce Vita, yet most every meal I’ve eaten across Italy seems to taste better than even imaginable. The parmesan cheese, the prosciutto di Parma and the Balsamic vinegar from Modena, GOD help me! When the ingredients are amazing and they dance together in a dish, this is where pure magic happens. Check out this Stanely Tucci special for a deeper dive into the food of the Emilia-Romagna region.
In Search of... Bolognese in Bologna
About two minutes after being seated for lunch, our taste buds were immediately greeted with a symphony of delights. Without asking, we were pleasantly greeted with a complimentary glass of Pignoletto and a few slices of dry-aged sausage and sheep's milk Pecorino cheese, which immediately calmed us down and refreshed our spirits. Then, another glass of white... hey why not, it's our Honeymoon. At this time the regulars were asking for Il Conto per Favore, and the staff were assembling for their midafternoon pre-dinner meal. This change over did not derail our experience, in fact, it enhanced it, as we now had this secrete restaurant all to ourselves to savor.
Before we ordered half the menu, a bottle of Sangiovese appeared, then the traditional regional classics of Bologna began to stroll onto our table. Starting with Tortellini in brodo, followed by my ultimate classic, Tagliatelle Bolognese ragu, then the centerpiece, a Filet Mignon covered in the most delightful blanket of semi-sweet, slightly tangy coating, aged for generations, balsamic vinegar from Modena. Last but not least, was the simple yet perfect fresh sliced peaches placed in a shallow pool of Mascarpone cheese with shaved dark chocolate. The meal has now exceeded the danger warning of delights and was satisfying on various levels. We enjoyed Drogheria so much, we returned two days later for our final meal in Bologna, as a fitting tribute to toast this amazing gastronomic capital of Italy.
Eric is a blogger, podcaster & educator with a passion for food, arts, and cultures around the world. Follow Eric on Instragram@wanderingwigloo or facebook@liveletroam & liveletroam.com
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