Shine muscat grape ade at Bologna, a Daejeon Italian restaurant

I went to Bologna, a great restaurant near Daejeon City Hall Station, with my eldest daughter Yuja. We had pasta and pizza, and had a relaxed date in a place with really nice atmosphere — it had been a while.

Bologna Daejeon Dunsan Branch hours and parking

• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30
• Break time: 15:00–17:00 / Last order 20:30
• Parking: 2 hours free at Hyeongseong Parking Building

When to visit Bologna to avoid the wait

Bologna usually has a long wait. I didn't want to wait, so I went late at 5pm. I'd recommend reserving ahead or going early 😉

What we ordered at Bologna

• Bolognese ragu pasta
• Gorgonzola pizza
• Green grape ade

The pre-meal ciabatta bread and soup were delicious too

Bolognese ragu pasta

Of everything we ordered, this was my favorite. Bolognese ragu pasta!

They said the ragu sauce is simmered for 4 hours using the authentic Italian method. The noodles weren't regular spaghetti but flat pasta, so the sauce clung to it thickly and it was easy to eat.

I don't usually like tomato spaghetti, but this was genuinely delicious. The ragu sauce was rich and had real depth of flavor.

The olive ciabatta that came with it was also great. After finishing the pasta, I piled the leftover ragu sauce onto the ciabatta... truly a happiness-inducing flavor ❤️ I couldn't bear to waste the sauce, so I scraped the plate clean.

Gorgonzola pizza on pastry dough

We also ordered the gorgonzola pizza. Gorgonzola is always a winner.

Dipped in honey, it's salty and sweet at once, and that sweet-salty combo kept me reaching for more.

What made it even better was the pastry dough. It was packed with buttery flavor, giving it a totally different charm from a regular pizza dough. Savory and crispy — this one disappeared in no time too!

A whole shine muscat in the green grape ade

For drinks, we ordered the green grape ade. It had a whole frozen shine muscat grape inside, which was fun to look at, and the sweetness wasn't overpowering, so it was just right. Sipping something refreshing between bites of the rich pasta and pizza worked really well.

The mood at this restaurant near Daejeon City Hall Station

I really loved Bologna's atmosphere, not just the food. Between the vintage-feel framed art and the soft lighting, it felt like I'd briefly stepped abroad.

Which is probably why I thought it would be especially great for a date.

I think it would feel great with a glass of wine too, and since there's seating from tables for two up to larger group tables, it also seems like a good spot for gatherings or work dinners.

There was also a nice small touch — the powder room had simple grooming items ready, like a Dyson styler and mouthwash. I didn't manage to get a photo, but it seemed like a pretty thoughtful service for people on dates.

A house-blended herb salt gift on the way out

When we finished eating and were leaving, they also gave us house-blended herb salt as a gift. Eating well and getting a little gift on top made for a happy ending.

I also heard Bologna's gnocchi is excellent, but I didn't get to try it this time, which was a bit of a shame. Next time, I'm definitely trying the gnocchi!

Now that my eldest daughter Yuja and I have filled up on delicious food, on to the next stop of our date~

If you want great pasta and pizza with good atmosphere near Daejeon City Hall Station, I'd recommend Bologna.