Food, Drinks & Traditional Dishes in Ravenna

These delightful shortcrust pastry biscuits are a beloved, highly local tradition tied strictly to the historical centre of the city. Baked to celebrate the feast of Saint Catherine in late November, they are charmingly shaped like small dolls for girls and roosters for boys. They are generously coated in rich chocolate and decorated with colourful sugar glaze and sprinkles. Finding them in a local bakery is a wonderfully authentic experience.

A deeply comforting, traditional pasta dish that forms the backbone of Sunday family lunches. These ring shaped, stuffed pastas resemble small hats and are filled with a rich mixture of soft cheeses, predominantly ricotta and parmesan. Unlike other regions that serve them only in broth, here they are famously smothered in a thick, slow cooked meat ragù. It is a hearty, exceptionally rich dish that perfectly showcases local culinary generosity.

This iconic, unleavened flatbread is the absolute cornerstone of street food across the region, but locals will insist the best are made right here. Cooked quickly on a scorching hot terracotta or metal griddle, it is served warm, slightly crispy on the outside and soft inside. It is typically folded in half and stuffed with highly savoury fillings like squacquerone cheese, rocket, and prosciutto. It is the ultimate quick, delicious, and deeply satisfying lunch.

An incredibly unique and comforting soup that exemplifies the peasant tradition of never wasting ingredients. Instead of dough, the 'pasta' is made from a rich mixture of breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, and a pinch of nutmeg. This thick mixture is pressed through a special tool to create rough, worm like shapes that are briefly boiled in a deeply flavourful meat broth. The result is a texturally fascinating, deeply warming dish perfect for cooler days.

A close relative of the famous piadina, this street food uses the same dough but is sealed before cooking, similar to a calzone. This allows for rich, moist fillings that would otherwise fall out of an open flatbread. The classic filling is an incredibly flavourful mix of wild herbs and spinach, sometimes paired with mozzarella and tomato. Watching it being flipped on the hot griddle at a street kiosk builds immense anticipation.