4 Best Restaurants in Ferrara, Emilia–Romagna

Ferrara is a city of wine bars, beginning with this one (allegedly Europe's oldest), which opened in 1435—Copernicus drank here while a student in the late 1400s, and the place still has an undergraduate aura. The twentysomething staff pours well-chosen wines by the glass, and they serve cappellacci di zucca (pasta stuffed with squash) with two different sauces (ragù or butter and sage). Those in search of lighter fare might enjoy any of the salads or the grilled vegetable plate with melted Pecorino. Perfectly dusty wine bottles line the walls, and there are wooden booths in another small room for those who want to eat while they drink. No reservations.

Food, service, and ambience harmonize blissfully at this casual but elegant restaurant inside a 12th-century building. The chef shows a deft hand with area specialties and shines with the fish dishes. If they have the chestnut ice cream, don't miss it. There are two tasting menus, and a terrific cheese plate complements the amazing wines poured here. Patrons enter through a tiny wine bar, some pausing for a glass of wine before proceeding into the restaurant.

Locals and other cognoscenti frequent this sleek eatery just minutes away from Piazza del Duomo, where chef Gabriele Romagnoli uses prime local ingredients to create gustatory sensations on a menu that changes daily. Fish and seafood figure prominently among his dishes, such as with a gratinato (similar to a French au gratin) with seafood. There are also Ferrarese classics like cappelletti pasta. The restaurant's tasting menus are well priced, its wine list is divine, and the service, led by gregarious hands-on proprietor Mara Farinelli, is always top-notch. Two small rooms festooned with works of art have linen tablecloths and jazz playing softly in the background.

A winning combination of traditional and innovative dishes is the big draw at this colorful, contemporary restaurant with splashy modern art spread over two floors. Young chef Giacomo Garutti delivers Ferrarese classics like salamina da sugo con purè (salami atop creamy mashed potatoes) alongside fried and grilled seafood, and innovations like cappellacci pasta filled with pumpkin, orange, and ginger. There's a good wine list, too. The youthful staff are welcoming, attentive, and informative.