Where to eat in Modena: tortellini, balsamic vinegar and Lambrusco
Guide to the flavours of Modena: tortellini in brodo, tigelle, gnocco fritto, traditional balsamic vinegar and the best restaurants between the centre and the Modenese countryside.
Modena: temple of Emilian gastronomy
Modena is one of the world's food capitals. Here tortellini are a religion, traditional balsamic vinegar is a treasure that ages for decades in attics, and Lambrusco — too often underestimated — is the perfect wine for a rich, generous cuisine.
Sacred dishes
Tortellini in brodo
The dish of dishes. Fresh pasta stuffed with pork loin, prosciutto, mortadella and Parmesan, served in a clear, fragrant meat broth. The correct size is that of a little fingernail. Do not accept tortellini with cream: it is a Modenese heresy.
Gnocco fritto
Bread dough fried in oil (or lard for purists), puffy and hollow inside, served with cured meats and cheeses.
Tigelle (crescentine)
Small discs of dough cooked between terracotta plates, filled with Modenese pesto, cured meats and cheeses.
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP
Not the supermarket condiment: the real traditional balsamic ages at least 12 years. Used by drops on Parmesan, strawberries or cream gelato.
Where to eat
Old town
Via Emilia and Piazza Grande concentrate historic trattorias and the Albinelli Market — the gastronomic heart with fresh pasta, cured meats and counter-dining.
Modenese countryside
Trattorias outside the city offer the most authentic cuisine with handmade tortellini and farmer's Lambrusco.
Budget tips
- Tortellini in brodo cost 10-15 euros
- Gnocco fritto with cured meats costs 8-14 euros
- Albinelli Market lunch costs 8-12 euros
- Acetaia visits cost 10-15 euros with tasting
