Ristorante Antica Trattoria La Grotta dal 1918

The setting is sublime. The culinary experience a wonder. Best of all though is the wine. Chef Andrea is also a maker of very fine wine. Grab the opportunity to buy one of his limited reserve bottles. It’s absolutely swoon-worthy!

We went during a holiday and even though there was a lot of people waiting for a table, Andrea (the chef and owner) was able to give us a really nice one.
We were a group of 4 from different nationalities (Peruvian, US, Bahamas and Spain) and we ordered 3 antipasti, 4 pastas and 2 vegetable dishes, everything really good!
The wine Andrea recommended was a sparkling white (dry), from his own vineyard, I recommend to try it, it was very good and went really well with the meal we had.
The whole experience was amazing because of the food and the nice people working there.
For us the drive was not a problem because we were doing a road trip from Como to Tuscany but I do recommend if you are nearby, try to go to that area, have lunch, and make a day out of it.

WOW, WOW, WOW - That was the theme for our evening, and wow, did it ever live up to that lofty billing!

Our group arrived on time and were immediately greeted by the head chef and owner, Andrea. I made a prior reservation, so my name was prominently listed at our assigned table. The restaurant's decor is fit for an establishment that has been in business for over 100 years and has been awarded numerous Michelin designations over the last decade; it's spacious, homey, and extremely inviting for diners of all culinary levels.

Chef Andrea took his time in explaining the intricate menu while carefully catering to our individual palettes and dietary restrictions. I don't eat pork, nor do I consume alcohol, but even I was left very satisfied with the numerous options. Chef Andrea even offered me a glass of his DELICIOUS alcohol-free wine that he manufactures and produces himself (I live in the USA, but I'd gladly pay top dollar to have a case shipped here). We dined on several items, including the cheese platter, the whole hen, and the chicken pate, and each dish showed off a level of sophistication that you would come to expect from a highly revered establishment. And the desserts! We tried each one and were left with a feeling of unique innovation and delight as Chef Andrea and his team pushed the boundaries of what a sweet finish looks and tastes like.

One of the biggest highlights of the evening was Chef Andrea himself. He is as hands-on as it gets, but in a great way. His vibrant personality and commitment to his guests and staff were only matched by his extreme humbleness. He checked on every table as we all dined, spoke respectfully of and to his staff, and manned the phones/cash register when needed. His restaurant was passed down to him, and you can tell his love of the craft by how he honors every aspect of the business. He even waited with our party well past closing time after contacting a taxi for us. He handled this responsibility to allow his staff to leave on time and also because he felt duty-bound to ensure our safe travel back to our hotel in Bologna.

All in all, this is an experience that must be had while traveling to Bologna. The food was amazing, the service was even better, and we had an awesome time getting to know Chef Andrea's history and commitment to the culinary world! Please check them out! Thanks again, Chef!

Chef Andrea and his staff were wonderful, and the food was delicious. La Grotta is up a windy road, but the farm fresh ingredients and fresh made dishes were well worth the trip. The wines that they make are very nice as well. Save room for dessert. We stopped on our way to Florence and look forward to making it back there. Would definitely recommend.

We were in Bologna and went here to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday with dinner. The trip here offered incredible scenery and the restaurant's service was truly personal and the best we have ever experienced. Chef Andrea made our experience the best. We ate the menu with 4 different dishes and enjoyed each one! I definitely recommend tasting chef Andrea's own wines.

My group and I biked to Antica Trattoria la Grotta from Bologna for lunch and we had an absolutely incredible meal - I cannot recommend it highly enough. We started off with the carciofi croccanti, prosciutto castagnolo with mozzarone (a house specialty consisting of Mozzarella filled with squacquerone), and fried polintine with guancia on top. For our pasta, we enjoyed Chef Andrea Funi's "Virgola" pasta, an extruded pasta using local ancient grains, along with Strette with April Truffles. For our secondi, we enjoyed suckling pig with local asparagus, and for dessert we shared a delicious, light lemon sorbet with bergamot.

Throughout the meal, Chef Funi and his team were extremely attentive and hospital, and made sure we were taken care, with food and wine recommendations and discussion of the background of what we were eating. The ambience was also delightful, as the team rolls out fresh pasta in view of the diners - whetting our appetites for what's to come. We ate a lot of delicious food during our long weekend in Emilia Romagna, but Antica Trattoria la Grotta was an incredible standout! I highly recommend giving it a try and will certainly return when I am next in the area. Thank you to Chef Funi for a dining experience we will not soon forgot.

The food was excellent. We had carciofi croccanti, tortellini al brodo, tortellini gnole, maialino bio brodo, orto di aprile and Fritto Misto Dolce-Salato. All are good and we especially love the tortellini Al brodo and maialino bio brodo. All vegetables are of the season and tasted wholesome and honest because they are locally produced (including the wine) and are in season. Chef Andrea went out of his way to accommodate us even though the restaurant was full and squeezed us early in order to not occupy the table for the later reservation. He was very welcoming, attentive to his patrons, and ensures that we have nothing but an amazing experience. I would highly recommend it if you are in the area. Be sure to call or WhatsApp ahead of time as the restaurant gets busy especially for Sunday lunch.

Of many delicious meals I've had in my visit to Italy from Canada, the lunch I had at la Grotta has been the most outstanding. The chef is clearly passionate about making use of fresh and seasonal ingredients of high quality, and employing them masterfully.

The hospitality was excellent, with attentive service from the staff, and the chef checked with all patrons to ensure everything was to their liking.

In addition to the seasonal ingredients (during my visit, the star of the show was the porcini mushrooms), they've prepared many items in house, including a delicious bread, their house wine, and a liqueur.

What really elevated the experience beyond words was the fresh pasta laboriously rolled out by hand, which the region is famous for.

It's worth mentioning the nice view from their outside terrace, and the wonderful scenery on the drive there. Also, the value is high considering the quality of the meal.

Overall, I can't recommend this place enough. You must try it if you're in the Bologna area, even if it requires a detour - you will not regret it. Next time I'm back in the area, I intend to have many more meals here!

Wow what a truly incredible experience! Chef Andrea reached out to me via WhatsApp and provided directions and a menu ahead of time. We stayed in Bologna and while the restaurant is about 25 minutes outside of town, a taxi was very reasonable and easy to arrange. Chef also was able to call us a taxi to return to Bologna after dinner.

We wanted to arrive to see the beautiful sunset and chef Andrea was so accommodating - he let us come early even when they were not yet open. My husband and I sat out on the patio and watched the sunset with some wine and fresh Parmesan cheese.

Our meal was incredible - truly one of the best pastas I had the entire trip. We also purchased a bottle of chef’s own wine and it was incredible! Thank you again to chef Andrea and his whole staff. This was truly a memorable experience and I highly recommend!

Thank you so much for the amazing experience Andrea! You and your family showed the most caring and top hospitality. You were all so friendly to greet me and excited that I had eaten at your restaurant before. As always the food was incredible. All seasonal and local ingredients which made for an incredible meal. The prosciutto and crescentine are a must order every time I come here. An amazing gem in the hills of Bologna.

Grazie Chef Andrea! Amazing experience and wonderful food and wine! We were fortunate enough to partake in the Chef’s personal endeavors creating an amazing wine, Virile! Bottle 12❤!

All the dishes were delicious and beautifully presented! The best part of the evening was seeing the passion and love the Chef and his staff had for what they do! Love of food, wine and their customers!

During a family trip through Italy this month, visiting from California, we had the great pleasure of having Easter lunch at Antica Trattoria La Grotta. During our trip we dined at fantastic restaurants in Rome, Florence, Venice and Naples...and this was unanimously my family's favorite meal and experience. Andrea Funi and his staff put out an excellent meal, with wonderful service and it was great to be able to get to spend some time with Chef Funi. Antica Trattoria La Grotta is a bit outside of Bologna proper, and the the drive is beautiful, and the setting of the restaurant is gorgeous. Highly recommend!

We were looking for a memorable dining experience with which to end our vacation. My friend did an internet search and reserved at La Grotta and boy did she find a gem. We immediately felt welcomed by Chef Andrea and his team. Clearly a lot of love goes into this restaurant. Their menu changes almost daily and there are specials as well. They make excellent use of seasonal local ingredients, and while they use cheese they use no butter or cream so nothing is overly heavy. They also make some of their own wines -- we started with a lovely glass of pignoletto and moved on to bottle #63 of their 300 bottle production of a delicious Nebbiolo (amusingly named Virile). After 3 delicious antipasti (the highlight for me was the capon sformato special) and 3 perfect primi (all great but my favorite was the chestnut tagliatellini with guanciale and leeks) we were running out of room (despite the fact that the secondi sounded so tempting). The chef suggested sharing their salty and sweet fritto misto. Fennel, sunchokes and pumpkin were complemented by apples and custard -- a great suggestion. La Grotta has a lovely patio with a nice view -- it was too nippy to sit outside when we visited but I'd love to come back and have an aperitivo while watching the sun set outside.

A romantical beautiful elegant place to go, dim lights, exquisite design, out in the nature, on the hills of outside Bologna! On the way you can also meet wild animals crossing the street! Gourmet Menu, with a welcoming caring client service, carefully advising and taking care of your tastes and needs. The food is delicious, whether it’s a starter or first/second course! We are definitely returning this weekend again !

ATTENTION: LOOK RIGHT. We made the mistake of entering the Osteria on the corner, not the Ristorante to the right. After we realised we decided to still enter the Ristorante, for dessert. It was amazing and we highly recommend to eat here. When we told chef Andrea about our confusion, he brought us to the kitchen to try their new cherry gelato which was delicious. We recommend that all Canadians come here. We will be back.

What an experience! The food and the service is amazing!

The knowledge of the menu from the staff is superb!

We travelled from Bologna and I recommend anyone who is in the area to make the trip you won’t regret it!

We will definitely be going back on our next visit!

Thank you Andrea and your wonderful staff and the staff experience really was fantastic!

Our journey began as we called to place a reservation and were pleasantly welcomed for our evening meal. Upon driving to the serene mountaintop Ristorante, we knew we found a pearl. Chef Andrea Funi and his staff warmly greeted my family. Chef Andrea’s culinary expertise was evident as each course of the meal was so perfectly paired so as to delightfully enlighten the palate.

I can’t begin to express how moved and inspired I am to know there are people like Chef Andrea and his team who thrive to expand the palate and enhance the enjoyment of life that others experience as a result of his inspiration and knowledge. He has a gift and he generously bestows the fruits of this gift onto others. My family was a benefactor of this gift tonight and I am so grateful. 🙏🏼😊❤

Don’t hesitate, book the reservation! You won’t be disappointed!

Hannah (Arizona)

Guided by the wonderful reviews on Google Maps, we found a hidden gem in the hills near Bologna. We were welcomed by a very kind staff and chef Andrea. Seated on a beautiful terrace, the menu was explained to us. The specials sounded especially good after chef Andra showed us a picture of local mushrooms. We ordered the mushroom salad as a starter, it was both beautiful and delicious! It was accompanied by the special non-alcoholic wine from Andrea's farm. For the main course, we chose the classic tortellini in brodo and a pasta dish with the local mushrooms. Again, very tasty! We ended our lunch with a cherry sorbet. After Andrea heard where we were headed, he gave us wonderful tips for places to visit in Umbria. Which we did. Many thanks to chef Andrea and all his staff for this wonderful experience!

This was a wonderful culinary experience not to be missed! We tasted authentic and innovative Bolognese cuisine by masterchef Funi. He has an outstanding gastronomic knowledge and culinary skills, coupled with personal charm, made this a unmissable experience. It is well worth the trip to the outskirts of Bologna to taste his magnificent prosciutto crudo with wild radicchio, mozzarella cheese wrapped around spesa cheese followed by spaghettini Septembre with caviar shaved over personally by chef Funi and beautifully presented. Tortellini in brodo was simply heaven! The special just for the night was tartare with salted cream and caviar. Cherry sorbet and torta di riso topped our gastronomic adventure! His sparkling zero alcohol wine was perfect, playfully called Oniv (vino spelt backwards)! We would certainly return all the way from Australia to visit this splendid Ristorante! Thank you chef Funi and staff!

This restaurant is a real highlight. The chef is a very proud and very welcoming owner. I went during lunch time and they were just putting together ravioli while you can watch.

The prosciutto castagnolo e Mozzarone was great. Mozzarona is similar to mozzarella but has stronger flavor.

Gramignone Al Ragu was very traditional and great. Given it was lunch, I tried the alcohol free Prosecco, which was surprisingly good.

Finished off with a chocolate cake that I can also recommend.