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The Best Bars in Bologna

Bologna keeps its cocktail bars in and around the historic center, from the Quadrilatero to Strada Maggiore, and several of them pair drinks with serious food. The best bars in Bologna start on Via Marchesana at Sentaku Izakaya, a corner of contemporary Japan that mixes izakaya cooking with modern mixology, grew out of the Sentaku Ramen Bar founded in 2017 and holds one pin in The Pinnacle Guide, which praises its zero-waste philosophy; guests can eat at a heated tatami-style table under the portico. Behind a huge medieval door on Vicolo Broglio, Donkey is a speakeasy that revisits the great classics with short seasonal lists, pours whiskey, rum and bourbon with cigars, and stays open until 4:30am. On Via Manzoni, I Conoscenti pairs cocktails with chef Salvatore Amato's cooking inside Palazzo Conoscenti, a 14th-century house, and Guero on Via Goito sorts its signatures by spirit, from agave to whiskey, with tasting flights and tacos. Donkey works by reservation only, and I Conoscenti takes table bookings online. These are the bars we would start with.

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  1. Sentaku Izakaya
    PINNACLECocktail Bar

    Sentaku Izakaya

    Sentaku Izakaya brings the Japanese izakaya, a place where drinks and food are meant to arrive together, to Via Marchesana 6 in the heart of Bologna's old town. It opened in December 2023 as the next step for the team behind Sentaku Ramen Bar, which Nicolò Ribuffo and Claudio Alessandro Musiani started in the city in 2017, with Musiani now executive chef and owner. Bar manager Erick Munguia runs a cocktail program that joins izakaya conviviality to a contemporary mixology approach, with attention to raw ingredients and modern technique. The kitchen sends out small plates to share, from little bites built for the drinks to fuller dishes such as bao, katsu sando and a marinated roast cauliflower. In 2025 The Pinnacle Guide awarded it 1 Pin.

    Via Marchesana 6, 40124 Bologna
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  2. Donkey
    Speakeasy

    Donkey

    Donkey is a speakeasy on Vicolo Broglio in the heart of Bologna, hidden behind a heavy medieval door and open by reservation only. It favours clean, minimal drinks built on high quality spirits, with whisky, rum and bourbon served alongside cigars. The room is styled as a private salon, and entry is reserved for club members.

    Vicolo Broglio 1F, 40125 BolognaMon-Sat 20:30-04:30, Sun 20:00-04:00
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  3. Bamboo Lounge
    Cocktail Bar

    Bamboo Lounge

    Bamboo Lounge calls itself an urban refuge in the center of Bologna on Strada Maggiore, where an exotic jungle atmosphere meets quality. Its seasonal cocktails reinterpret drinking traditions from around the world. Food runs through the day from breakfast and lunch into the evening, and happy hour is every day from 5pm to 8pm.

    Strada Maggiore 23/C, 40125 BolognaMon-Thu 07:30-02:00, Fri-Sat 07:30-03:00, Sun 07:30-02:00
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  4. Guero
    Cocktail Bar

    Guero

    Guero is a cocktail bar on Via Goito in central Bologna, built for cocktail lovers. Its signature list is organized by spirit, from agave and rum to gin, vodka and whisky, next to classics, sparkling drinks and mocktails. Guests can also order tasting flights of agave, amari, rum and other spirits, with tacos, burritos and snacks from the kitchen.

    Via Goito 9/2A, 40126 BolognaMon-Thu 18:00-01:00, Fri-Sat 18:00-02:00, Sun 18:00-01:00
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  5. I Conoscenti
    Cocktail Bar

    I Conoscenti

    I Conoscenti Cocktail e Cucina is a cocktail bar and restaurant in Bologna's historic center, named after the fourteenth century Palazzo Conoscenti on Via Manzoni. The concept is cocktail and food pairing, with dishes signed by chef Salvatore Amato. The palazzo also houses the guest rooms of Casa Conoscenti, and in summer the team moves to a second site in the hills above the city.

    Via Manzoni 6, 40121 Bologna
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