Since I live in the Bologna area, I was asked for some advices about coffee places in the city. I tried different places so I thought a post on it own could be helpful for other people loving and travelling here.
For me specialty coffee = pour over coffee, so in all of these places you can find good pour over coffee which is what I always order, alongside more traditional methods
The list doesn’t follow any particular order. Also note that the photos are not mine but found online instead
Via Sant’Isaia 17/D Mon - Fri 9:30 - 16:00 Tue 9:30 - 14:00 Sat - Sun 10:00 - 14:00 Wed closed
One of the first specialty coffee shops in Bologna, it is a very fancy-looking place. The two owners took the mission to promote the specialty coffee culture in a time where only espresso existed in Bologna, so they put a lot of care in serving coffee, choosing seasonal beans and most of all informing costumers about this world.
It is one of my favourite spot in Bologna and I always had great coffees there. They occasionally hold coffee workshops with coffee experts, which are totally worth it in my opinion
You can even rent a table for some hours or the entire day to work there with unlimited coffee servings, they also serve various pastries and brunch, although food it’s a bit expensive.
As a final note, alongside V60, Chemex and Aeropress coffee, they also serve cold brew coffee, especially during the hot season, which is a little rare for an Italian bar.
Via Porta Nova, 12b Thu - Sun 9:00 - 14:00 Mon - Wed closed
A very small shop near the city center, they serve a wide variety of coffee preparations alongside their specialty coffee choices. As far as I know they have a fixed selection of beans but I don’t know if they offer seasonal varieties. Their activity goes beyond the very coffee shop, they hold master class courses, sell manuals and participate in international competitions, so you can expect to find well trained staff there
As I said the place is quite small with a vibe totally similar to any historical Bolognese bar, and they serve classic selection of Italian pastries
Via galleria 34D Via Castiglione 43 Via San Felice 41A Via L Bassi Veratti 29B Via Nicolò dall’Arca 16 Via Jussi 18 See the website for opening hours
Forno Brisa is firstly a bakery focuses on bread and baked goods, however they have inside tables so you can sit and order products like cakes, focacce, pizza, cookies and more, plus in the recent years they added specialty coffee to their menu
I went there just a couple of times, however both of the times the staff was very good in showing their beans variety, which changes frequently, and giving advices based on my tastes. I tasted two different and very good coffees, in particular they served me a seasonal Colombian variety which was so good that I had to buy a bag to bring home.
It’s a very good spot for a breakfast, a little brunch or a break, the food is a little expensive while the coffee prices are quite average (I mean, for a specialty coffee place)
Via Galliera 11C Mon - Sat 8:00 - 16:00 | 18:00 - 00:00 Sun 9:00 - 16:00
This place is described as a bakery, specialty coffee and natural wine bistrot If get there in the morning you will find a variety of pastries, a product this place is well known for. I’ve been there just one time and I enjoyed a very good cup of specialty coffee. Their selection was very interesting and I supposed it changes during the year. Although the place’s vibe is a little too much Instagram/hipster oriented for my personal taste, I’d still recommend it, also for the pasties
Melée Café (This link opens the Facebook page, no actual website available)
Via Zanardi 9C Mon - Tue 6:30 - 17:00 Wed 6:30 - 14:30 Thu - Fri 6:30 - 17:00 Sat 7:00 - 13:00 Sun 8:00 - 13:00
This is a small bar, totally similar to a classical Italian bar, which also serves specialty coffee and a good variety of pasties. You won’t find the same variety of the shops I listed before, however it worth a stop for the joyful atmosphere: this is more a neighbourhood place with a strong LGBT identity, so you will feel totally welcome there, for sure
Via Riva Reno 65M Mon - Fri 8:00 - 18:00 Sat - Sun 9:00 - 18:00
This place offers a wide variety of coffees, also specialty coffees, but it is more specialised in Campagna-style coffees, so you will find a lot of blends and robusta alongside the single-origin choices. Although the coffee I tasted there was not as good as the other places I listed, I still like this shop for the wide variety of coffees, coffee preparations and food, since you can stop there for a good breakfast or a brunch.