Paolo Atti & Figli

Paolo Atti & Figli is a historic bakery and fresh pasta shop at Via Caprarie 7, in the Quadrilatero beside Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. It is among the best-known pasta and bread shops in the old market district and sells the staples of the city's table: hand-rolled egg pasta, bread, pastries and traditional cakes. The window display, often stacked with trays of tortellini and tagliatelle, is a regular stop for visitors walking through the quarter.

The signature product is fresh tortellini, the small stuffed pasta traditionally served in broth, sold by weight alongside tortelloni, which are larger and usually filled with ricotta and herbs. Crescentine, the fried or baked flatbreads of the Emilian tradition, and torta di riso, the rice cake that is a regional dessert, round out the selection. The shop emphasises traditional recipes and techniques rather than novelty, which makes it a reliable place to buy authentic Bolognese products to cook at home or to give as gifts.

This is a shop rather than a restaurant, with no seating and no table service. Customers queue at the counter, choose items, pay and leave. The atmosphere is that of a long-established neighbourhood bakery, with a steady flow of customers and the smell of bread and pastry. There is no dress code, and no beverage programme, although visitors can buy a coffee at one of the cafes nearby.

Hours follow regular shop times, and the shop is listed as closed on Sunday afternoon, so visitors should confirm locally. Prices are modest, with fresh pasta sold by weight and pastries priced individually. Reservations are not taken. The busiest periods are Saturday mornings and the hour before closing on weekdays, when locals buy fresh pasta for lunch or dinner, so a mid-morning visit is more relaxed. Visitors without kitchen access can buy baked goods to eat as a snack, while those renting an apartment can combine the pasta with produce from neighbouring stalls.