Last Updated on February 26, 2021 by Nina Ahmedow
If you read my post on things to do in Bologna you know that I promised a Bologna vegan guide so here it is.
Italy is certainly one of the vegan-friendlier countries in Europe, and this isn’t only due to the fact that many traditional Italian dishes are already vegan. The vegan movement in Italy seems to be quite strong, and with Italy being a culinary paradise, all those new Italian vegans try to create great vegan versions of their favorite food.
If you’ve read my vegan travel guides to Milan and Rome you’ll know that I have found some amazing vegan food in Italy. With that said, my expectations were quite high when we booked our trip to Bologna. We all know that when our expectations are too high we can easily get disappointed, and well, that sort of happened to me in Bologna. Not because of the food itself, but many of the restaurants I would have liked to try for this Bologna vegan guide were closed during the weekend. That’s not to say we didn’t have good vegan food in La Grassa.
The Ultimate Bologna Vegan Guide
Vegan and Organic Breakfast in Bologna, Italy
As we arrived very early we definitely needed some breakfast first. Luckily, there was a vegan and organic bistro not far from our Airbnb. Canape Incontro has various dishes which you order directly from the counter instead of checking a menu. As I was quite hungry, I went for an Italian croissant and a carrot cake while Alfonso had a slice of pizza (for breakfast!). I also had some tea because, as you may know, I love my tea.
Now, Italian croissants are not the same as French ones but once you know not to expect the typical croissant flavor and texture, the Italian version is not bad at all. This was a great start into our time in Bologna!
Via S. Isaia 57d. Open Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 8 pm, Saturday 8 am to 3 pm.
We really needed to go back to sleep after breakfast because we had woken up in the middle of the night to go to the airport. After we woke up, we walked around the city for a bit which you already know I loved!
Italy’s Best Vegan Restaurant
As the city center is very compact, it wasn’t difficult to find the next restaurant on this Bologna vegan guide when we were hungry. Botanica Lab was quite busy when we arrived during lunchtime. It is a very popular restaurant, and once we were inside we found out why. On the wall, we could see that Botanica Lab had been voted the best vegan restaurant in Italy in a 2017 Italian restaurant guide. Needless to say, this increased my expectations for the food.
I chose the salad because given the price I thought it would be quite filling. It certainly was very interesting! It was more about the presentation than the flavor, however, and I was left feeling a bit disappointed at how few ingredients were actually in the salad. I understand that you want your dishes to look pretty but at the price point I really expected more. As I still had room for dessert, I ordered the raspberry chocolate cheesecake which was fantastic!
I will admit that I probably didn’t choose the best dish. Alfonso had the gnocchi which
I would say that if you’re willing to pay a bit more and want to enjoy a really lovely atmosphere, check out Botanica Lab but see what the locals are ordering and get the same. If they come back for those dishes they must be mouthwatering, right?!
Via del Battibecco 4c. Open Monday
Veganized Italian Dishes
After exploring the city some more and listening to a free concert, we decided to have dinner at another restaurant I am adding to this Bologna vegan guide called Un’Altra Idea. This place is owned by a couple with a young toddler and has a bit of a hippie vibe to it. There’s a lot of seating available and all sorts of decorations on the wall, from local artists’ drawings to hand-painted corners that brighten up the interior.
The best thing about Un’Altra Idea is definitely the friendliness of the owners. They are so kind and helpful, and you can tell that they really care about providing vegan options in the city. To go for a more Italian experience, I ordered the risotto while Alfonso chose a pasta dish. I also had
I wouldn’t say that the meals were outstanding, but the kind service and good prices definitely had us coming back for more on our last day in Bologna.
The Best Vegan Croissant Ever
When we went back for more cookies we decided to have breakfast there as they seemed to have really tasty options. Remember I told you that the main dishes were nothing out of the ordinary? Not so the breakfast, oh my goodness! I had an Italian croissant and hot chocolate which were both out of this world. Luscious, scrumptious, delicious, tasty, yummy. None of these adjectives could accurately describe how good this breakfast was.
This really goes to show that it’s always a good idea to try more than one dish at a restaurant. If we had not come back I would have missed out on one of the best breakfasts of 2018.
Via Marsala 29b. Open Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 3 pm and 6:30 to 11pm, Saturday 10 am to 11 pm, Sunday 10 am to 7 pm.
Quick Vegan Bites
As I mentioned before, some of the vegan and vegetarian places in Bologna are closed on the weekend which makes it a bit more difficult to find vegan food. We did find another spot called Malerba in the university quarter, though. Malerba is a very small place more suitable for
The muffin was absolutely incredible and definitely much better than I had expected from such a small and understated place. The guy that was working at Malerba was one of the friendliest people I’ve ever seen working on a Saturday morning!
Nothing but smiles at Malerba, but sadly we couldn’t come back a second time!
Via Petroni 15b. Open Monday to Thursday
Give Vegetarian Restaurants a Chance
Lunch proved to be a more difficult endeavor with so many of the restaurants being closed. We ended up going to Estravagario, a vegetarian and organic restaurant outside of the Old Town. Unfortunately, they had a brunch menu that day which wasn’t very vegan-friendly. The vegan option included far fewer dishes. However, the flavors were so wonderful that this was certainly one of the places I would recommend most on this Bologna vegan guide.
We got soup, some juice, and some bread with various spreads, but oh my, how delicious it was! It really made me taste the difference between organic and non-organic food. The pictures don’t do the dishes justice.
What looks like a very simple and possibly boring combination of food burst with flavors. The staff didn’t actually speak English but were beyond friendly, and, after all, don’t you agree that a restaurant seems all the more authentic if its staff doesn’t seem to be used to tourists?
We really wished we had found Estravagario sooner because it was our favorite food spot mentioned on this Bologna vegan guide.
Via Mascarella 81h. Open Monday to Saturday 11 am to 4 pm.
Perfect Vegan Takeaway
For dinner, we ventured out of the Old Town again to a place called Missfagiola. Like Malerba, they had limited seating so we opted for takeaway. Now, we may have gone a little overboard here as we ordered a hummus and avocado salad, two panini, a slice of cheesecake, and some cocoa balls. Everything was so unbelievably delicious. The owner is clearly passionate about providing interesting but simple vegan dishes that are quick but still healthy!
I imagine that if I lived in Bologna I would go there quite often for a little takeaway snack. Everything from the décor to the food is made with so much love that it would be hard not to fall in love with Missfagiola.
Via San Felice 116b. Open Monday to
An Unexpected Vegan-Friendly Gem
We had some more time to spend walking around Bologna before our time there was coming to an end. Before heading to the airport we wanted to have a quick lunch, but the only thing we could find was a non-vegan, non-vegetarian panini place with vegan options. Rather than starve, we chose to give them a try and had another delightful food experience. Pan8 makes their own vegan ham and other cold cuts out of beans and lentils, and oh my God, the flavors that exploded in my mouth were simply life-changing!
I usually try to avoid non-vegan places because I want to support vegan businesses, but when I had my
Via Massimo d’Azeglio 8. Open Monday to Sunday 11 am to 3 pm, 6 pm to 10 pm.
Places I Look Forward To
Alchemilla: We didn’t get to try this vegan restaurant because they’re not open on weekends. They’re one of the top-rated Bologna vegan restaurants though and are located in the same street as Estravagario. The dishes on offer look really good, and there’s everything from gluten-free options to raw choices. Via Mascarella 76a. Open Monday to Friday 11 am to 3 pm, 6 pm to 9:30 pm.
Flower Burger: This vegan burger chain is one of my favorite vegan restaurants in Milan, and I’m happy to see they’ve opened up a location in Bologna as well. The buns are colorful, and the potato wedges are super tasty. Via Riva di Reno 118. Open Monday to Sunday 12 pm to 3 pm, 7 pm to 11 pm.
Tips for Vegan Travelers in Bologna, Italy
To sum things up: The restaurants we expected most from also disappointed us the most, while the non-vegan spots on this Bologna vegan guide really outdid themselves with regards to the quality of their foods. Maybe this is a lesson I have to take with me on future trips: Give non-vegan places a try if they have a proven record of providing awesome vegan food. At least that way, they’ll be happy to have made the effort of adding vegan items to their menu.
What do you think about this Bologna vegan guide? Which vegan places did I miss?
68 Comments
Katy Malkin
February 23, 2019 at 9:04 pmYou’re making me want to go just for the cheesecake! Thanks for the fab read.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
February 24, 2019 at 3:11 pmHahaha, you absolutely must go!
Poorna
August 5, 2019 at 10:49 pmSeriously missing Italy after reading your post – I am supposed to go with a vegetarian ffriend, so bookmarking this for her.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
August 11, 2019 at 5:51 pmThat’s amazing! When and where are you going?
Marissa | Marissa's Teachable Moments
February 25, 2019 at 3:44 pmMy best friend is vegan, so I find myself looking for vegan-friendly places when we travel together. These dishes look delicious! The pictures of all of the sweets make me want to hop on a plane.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
February 25, 2019 at 9:31 pmThank you so much for the comment, Marissa! I love that you try to look for places that make it easier for your friend to find food there as well. Not everyone does that!
Laura
March 3, 2019 at 10:26 amWow that food looks incredible! For my vegan friends, I’m so glad that the options around the world are improving, it seems a lot of countries are embracing it xx
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
March 4, 2019 at 3:19 pmThank you, Laura! It’s definitely becoming easier every year!
Sandra
April 2, 2019 at 2:30 amVegan (and other dietary restrictions) food can be so hard to come by when traveling (and it sucks not being able to participate in all that great food and new culture!). I actually recently traveled with my vegan friend and discovered this dilemma first-hand! It’s awesome that you were able to find some delicious vegan eats in Italy. It all looks so yummy!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 2, 2019 at 10:06 pmYes, Italy is much easier than some other countries I’ve been to. I’m glad that there are now many restaurants in different countries that offer veganized versions of traditional dishes. That way, I don’t have to feel like I’m missing out on too much.
LaRena Fry
April 2, 2019 at 3:01 amThanks so much for sharing. What a great list.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 2, 2019 at 10:05 pmThank you so much!
Kalena
April 2, 2019 at 6:06 amThe food looks amazing! What great finds. I visited the city years back and would definitely go again.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 2, 2019 at 10:04 pmIt’s such a cool city, right? Well worth more than one visit!
Lanae Bond
June 17, 2019 at 9:59 pmThe food looks so good.I think any traveler would love these places.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
June 18, 2019 at 11:15 amThanks for the comment, Lanae!
Nicole
April 6, 2019 at 2:30 amThis all looks delicious! It is good to know vegan options before traveling somewhere.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 6, 2019 at 2:42 pmThank you for the comment, Nicole!
Vox
April 6, 2019 at 3:26 pmI like the idea of trying the vegan options at a non-vegan restaurant if you know they serve great food, in general. In the end, no matter what your diet, when you eat out, you want a good meal. So if a restaurant already serves flavorful food, then there’s a really good chance that their vegan food will be tasty. Thanks for sharing quite a comprehensive look at the vegan experience there.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 7, 2019 at 10:20 pmIt’s certainly something I will do every once in a while. Thanks a lot for the comment!
Kat
April 7, 2019 at 6:00 amThat lunch at the best vegan restaurant in Bologna… Oh dear, let’s just take a minute to envy you! haha
I wish I could go to Italy now as easily as when I was living in Europe. I’ve never been lucky to visit Bologna though… Maybe one day.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 7, 2019 at 10:19 pmYea, traveling within Europe is so easy!
Ashley
April 8, 2019 at 5:11 pmAll of the food looks so delicious!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 8, 2019 at 8:25 pmIt most certainly was.
Mariamma
April 8, 2019 at 6:31 pmThis food looks amazing!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 8, 2019 at 8:24 pmIt really was!
Ryan K Biddulph
April 9, 2019 at 8:02 amI would love a pizza and cake breakfast. I never knew Bologna had those types of vegan options. Quite amazing.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 12, 2019 at 11:39 pmGreat way to start the day for sure!
Priti Mirashi
April 9, 2019 at 6:39 pmNice one thanks for sharing it..!
Good Work Keep It Up…
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 9, 2019 at 6:54 pmThank you, Priti!
Emily Eaton
April 15, 2019 at 5:55 pmWow, looks delicious! I’d love to go!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 15, 2019 at 11:11 pmYou absolutely have to!!
Mary
April 20, 2019 at 7:44 pmthanks for an informative read, travelling with my vegan daughter to italy this summer so this will come in handy
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
April 22, 2019 at 11:16 amOhh nice! Which cities will you be exploring?
kathleen
May 14, 2019 at 11:34 pmthese looks like such yummy options!!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
May 15, 2019 at 11:41 amAbsolutely! You have to try them if you ever go to Bologna.
Angela C.
May 19, 2019 at 2:41 amMy goodness! What an endless selection!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
May 19, 2019 at 2:00 pmYes, it was quite amazing!
Denise Dixon
May 20, 2019 at 11:08 pmLove love love love LOVE that you are writing about traveling as a vegan! I was hesitant to travel to Italy, with so much emphasis on CHEESE and meat, but I feel inspired to consider a trip, after reading your very helpful post. Grazie!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
May 21, 2019 at 2:32 pmThank you, Denise! I hope it convinces you to travel to Italy. It’s actually fairly easy to find vegan options there. Feel free to also check my posts on Rome and Milan.
Britt
June 8, 2019 at 8:48 pmThe food all looks so delicious! I love that the area is so pro-vegan. A lot of other countries could really learn a thing or two from that example.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
June 9, 2019 at 8:00 pmItaly is really one of the easiest countries to be vegan!
Natasha @ Away From Origin
June 17, 2019 at 3:33 pmWow, all of this looks amazing! Definitely pinning 😋
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
June 18, 2019 at 11:14 amThank you! I hope you get to try some of these dishes if you ever go to Bologna!
Emily
June 17, 2019 at 7:12 pmThese dishes all look really nice! I am not vegan but I would like to try vegan dishes more often!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
June 18, 2019 at 11:15 amLuckily, it’s now easier to find vegan options everywhere so you will be able to try quite a few dishes yourself.
Rick Lowe
June 22, 2019 at 2:43 amNow, I’m no vegan. That’s for sure.
I have no interest in being a vegan, nor am I an a-hole that preaches to people as to how they should live their lives…
…BUT…
SERIOUSLY, if you can tear me away from that chocolate cheesecake, you’re better than I am. It looks DELICIOUS.
In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a MASSIVE fan of a good cheesecake, and that one looks GOOD!!
Yum.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
June 23, 2019 at 11:04 pmHope you get to try it, Rick!
Lauren Elena
June 22, 2019 at 4:14 amIt was a bummer a lot of places were closed but it sounded like you ended up finding some tasty places! Your post has made me hungry even though I already ate! I wish I could try the places that you loved. Maybe one day!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
June 23, 2019 at 11:03 pmYes, I really didn’t expect so many spots to be closed on the weekend, but luckily there were enough other places to try. Hope you get to go to Bologna soon as well!
Bacefi
July 2, 2019 at 5:28 pmMy god I think Eataly is friendly with the vegans, I mean you can eat pasta and there is pasta everywhere, well maybe is everybody friendly cos they have even many gluten free things. But some countries could be very hard if you’re vegan, like 95-100 restaurants don’t have something you can eat.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
July 3, 2019 at 2:38 pmI guess it’s because Italians like good food so they want to make good food for everyone!
Payton
July 4, 2019 at 2:07 amGood to know Italy is one of the more vegan-friendly countries in Europe! And pizza for breakfast sounds just my style, lol. Seems like a fun trip!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
July 4, 2019 at 11:12 amAnd if it’s Italian pizza… 🙂
Ceci Rey
July 6, 2019 at 6:11 pmI am not vegan…but these look delicious! Descriptions and pictures are fantastic!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
July 8, 2019 at 11:26 amThank you very much for your comment! I’m sure even as a non-vegan you would like some of these dishes.
Natasha
July 9, 2019 at 11:47 amThere seems to be so many delicious-looking Vegan options! I wonder about gluten-free… 🤔 Great post!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
July 10, 2019 at 11:24 amI believe several of these places also had decent gluten-free options.
Joleisa
August 5, 2019 at 10:59 pmI must say that this post came right on time! My friend went off to Italy yesterday and she has us drooling over the food and the views!
I enjoyed reading about all the eateries you went to and I particularly like the fact that you didn’t just give everything glowing remarks. That’s so rare in posts like this. Thanks so much for sharing and your pics look great by the way.
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
August 11, 2019 at 5:50 pmThank you so much, Joleisa! I really believe it’s important to give my honest opinion. Of course, if I only visit a place once and don’t like it that doesn’t mean the place is generally awful, but I want my readers to have to the most accurate description of what I experience.
Bryan
August 5, 2019 at 11:00 pmItaly is synonymous with great food. Good to know that so many vegan options exist!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
August 11, 2019 at 5:49 pmYes, exactly! Because they are so good with food they also make amazing vegan food!
Liz - The Spectacular Adventurer
August 6, 2019 at 3:27 amThese look like such amazing options throughout the city!!! Thanks for posting and sharing!
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
August 11, 2019 at 5:48 pmFor a relatively small city, Bologna definitely has its fair share of vegan options.
Laux Wilson
August 6, 2019 at 4:54 amWe are transitioning to a vegan diet. This gives me much hope!! Thanks for.sharing
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
August 11, 2019 at 5:47 pmThat’s so great to hear. All the best!
Angelina Anzalone
August 10, 2019 at 11:01 pmOmg everything looks amazing! So glad to know there are vegan options over seas. ☺️
Nina | Lemons and Luggage
August 11, 2019 at 5:47 pmItaly is sooo vegan-friendly!