Review of Amerigo. Savigno (Near) Bologna: Where The Good Meals Are.

Amerigo shop front a sign of the good old days with a modern touch.

Amerigo is not exactly in central Bologna, it will take at least a good 40 minutes by car from the city center to reach Savigno where Amerigo is. This Michelin starred traditional osteria has been pleasing the Bolognese since 1934 when the original owner opened to the public, and then handed down to family members since then. The atmosphere is representing the time gone by but the food is very modern and also reasonably priced considering the quality of the ingredients and the attention to the preparation. Most diners will go there to try the truffle dishes (this is what Amerigo is famous for) but the traditional menu with tortellini is also worth to explore.

Some of the dishes from Amerigo, including tortellini, truffled polenta, and traditional balsamic vinegar fiordilatte icecream.

The dishes that we tried from top left corner:

Polentina con tartufo bianco: a runny polenta topped with the seasonal and local white truffles. If you go all the way to Savigno you should include some truffle dishes to your lunch or dinner. Emilia Delizia also offer truffle hunts in Savigno.

Calzagatti con Lardo: Calzagatti (the cat’s socks) it is a traditional dish from the Modena and Bologna mountains. It is basically polenta with beans that can be eaten grilled or fried. In this case each individual piece was wrapped in lardo di colonnata.

Gnocchi al Tartufo Nero: An Italian classic, potato gnocchi with seasonal Savigno black truffle.

Tortellini in Brodo: Another classic of the Bologna and Modena culinary tradition. In this case the tortellini were truly tiny, and served in a meat stock (brodo di carne).

Risotto con gli Ovuli: it is mushroom season in October so here another classic Italian risotto with Caesar mushrooms (amanita caesarea).

Leprotto: It is a younger hare. In this case it was served on a bed of pickled crunchy vegetables. Game is also a classic dish when you visit the Italian mountains.

Guancia di Vitella: The Veal’s cheek is often discarded and considered of low value, but in fact it is a very tasty part of the animal that too often goes neglected. At Amerigo it was served stewed with its own gravy and fried onions.

Gelato Fior di Latte: Made with fulll fat milk and cream and then topped with traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. It is simple but the best way to end a nice meal.