Reggio Emilia is well known for its balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Lambrusco wines, and its beautiful city center. But Reggio Emilia is also becoming a welcome part of the craft beer scene of Emilia Romagna, Italy.
On our recent visit to Reggio Emilia in June, 2015, I wasn’t holding out too much hope for finding a great selection of craft beer. We were staying at the Albergo delle Notarie, just off the Piazza Camillo Prampolini in the center of the city. The only rated beer bar in Reggio Emilia on Ratebeer, Arrogant Pub, is over 3km away, not exactly an easy walk for a few pints. However, I was pleasantly surprised with what I ended up finding.
First, going back to that city center, it’s beyond beautiful. After settling into the hotel, I wanted to run out to find some bottled water for the room, and the first moment I set foot into the Piazza Camillo Prampolini, it took my breath away. And, then I wandered into the Piazza di S. Prospero with the Basilica, and Piazza Martiri del 7 Luglio 1960 with the Teatro Municipale Romolo Valli, and I was hooked! Reggio Emilia is a beautiful city! And if I couldn’t find anything else, I did see a shop that had bottles of Baladin in the window, so I had a feeling I’d be OK if nothing else popped up.
I spent some time sitting in the Piazza Camillo Prampolini to have a beer, and soak in the view. And as expected, the view was better than the beer, but still, I was able to find an Italian craft beer from Manabrea. That served me well for the first day, but I naturally wanted more!
And the next day, I found it. Just meters away from the hotel, heading away from the main Piazza. It was here, in the Piazza San Giovanni, that we found the Bottiglieria San Giovanni, a quaint wine bar, which not only had some Italian craft beer on offer, but local craft beer, from Birrificio Dada out of Corregio, in the Province of Reggio Emilia. They also had a number of bottles from Birra Toccalmatto, out of Fidenza in the Province of Parma. They had outdoor patio seating which was a great place for our entire group to settle down for some wine, beers, and snacks on the Friday evening.
I can never be happy with one great find though, so the next day, it was pointed out that right on the corner, between the hotel and the Bottiglieria, there was another craft beer shop! Le Mille e Una Birra just opened on May 9, 2015, and was offering a fine selection of bottles that you could drink in the shop or take with you to drink at home, or out on the streets with everyone else enjoying the evening in Reggio Emilia. On my visit, there were not too many truly local selections from Emilia Romagna, but there were beers from other provinces of Italy, as well as from the US and other European locations.
So don’t fear if you find yourself in Reggio Emilia, concerned that you won’t be able to find a place to satisfy your craft beer craving. Reggio Emilia has you covered!
The team of Our Tasty Travels was in Reggio Emilia as part of the Blogville project, in conjunction with the Emilia Romagna Tourism Board and iAmbassador, however all opinions and calories gained are solely our own.
