Scacco Matto Agli Orti, Bologna
A former 17th-century convent in Bologna serving seasonal, vegetable-led Mediterranean cooking with Lucanian and Emilian roots.
Photo © Scacco Matto Agli Orti
- WhereVia della Braina 9
- CuisineMediterranean, vegetable-ledSeasonal, vegetable-led, Lucanian and Emilian roots
- Contact+39 051 263404Official website ↗
Why go
About Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Scacco Matto agli Orti sits in a former 17th-century convent in Bologna, with a leafy inner courtyard and several rooms of different character. For ten years it was the summer home of the Scacco Matto restaurant in the city centre. Since September 2023 it has been the only venue of the restaurant founded by Mario Ferrara, aiming to feel elegant yet easy to approach.
The kitchen is mainly Mediterranean and puts vegetables first, bringing Lucanian experience together with Emilian tradition. The menu follows the seasons and changes often. Dishes keep to three or four ingredients and pair sea and land. The wine list also keeps evolving, and is overseen by Simone Ferrara, who joined his father in the project.
Services and dietary options
Good to know at Scacco Matto Agli Orti
- Garden courtyard
- Vegetable-focused cooking
- Rooms bookable individually
- Venue for special occasions
- Wine list, regularly updated
Gallery
Inside Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Photo © Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Photo © Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Photo © Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Photo © Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Photo © Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Practical information
Scacco Matto Agli Orti: address, opening hours and contacts
Via della Braina 9, 40124 Bologna
- Same day
- For a table today, phone +39 051 263404.
Getting there
How to get to Scacco Matto Agli Orti
From Piazza Maggiore
On foot: 830 m, about 14 min walk.
From Bologna Centrale station
On foot: 1.3 km, about 21 min. By taxi: from the official rank at the station, metered fare (CoTaBo +39 051 372727 · CAT +39 051 4590).
From Bologna Airport
Marconi Express monorail to Bologna Centrale in under 8 minutes (single €12.80), then about 21 min on foot. Or a taxi from the airport rank, metered fare.
By car
The historic centre is a camera-controlled limited-traffic zone (ZTL): park outside it, and walk.
Straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors); walking times are approximate. Marconi Express time and fare from the operator.
Around the restaurant
Near Scacco Matto Agli Orti: sights, and hotels
City Guide · Things to do
Sights near Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Bologna landmarks with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
Museum
Casa Morandi
Giorgio Morandi's studio, with his bottles back in place
Church
Santo Stefano, the “Seven Churches”
Seven sacred spaces in one, Bologna's little Jerusalem
Monument
The Two Towers
The skyline's twin emblems, one leaning, both under watchful care
Market
The Quadrilatero market lanes
Medieval guild lanes still selling Bologna's best food
Basilica
Basilica of San Petronio
Bologna’s great Gothic church, with Cassini’s meridian line
Museum
Lucio Dalla’s House
Guided tours inside Lucio Dalla's home on Via D'Azeglio
Square
Piazza Maggiore & the Neptune Fountain
Bologna's living room, watched over by Giambologna's bronze Neptune
Monument
Palazzo d’Accursio & the Clock Tower
Bologna's town hall, with frescoed halls and a clock tower
Library
Salaborsa and its glass floor
Walk on glass over Villanovan huts and Roman Bononia
All things to do
On the Bologna map
City Guide · Where to stay
Hotels near Scacco Matto Agli Orti
Hotels, B&Bs and apartments with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
Boutique hotel
Il Convento dei Fiori di Seta
Boutique hotel in a former convent near the centre
Hotel
Hotel Touring
Third-generation family hotel with the Terrazza Mattuiani rooftop
Boutique hotel
Hotel Porta San Mamolo
Boutique hotel built around an inner Garden Court, with the Orangerie
Hotel
Albergo delle Drapperie
Romantic 3-star hotel in the ancient Quadrilatero
Family hotel
Albergo Garisenda
Small family-run hotel by the Two Towers with a panoramic terrace
Boutique hotel
Art Hotel Commercianti
12th-century building facing San Petronio's Gothic windows
Hotel
Hotel Roma
Welcoming guests 50 metres from Piazza Maggiore since 1875
Boutique hotel
Phi Hotel Bologna
Romantic hotel born as a 14th-century tavern
Hotel
Art Hotel Orologio
Family-run hotel in the pedestrian heart by Piazza Maggiore
All hotels
On the Bologna map
City Guide · Experiences
Tours and experiences
Tours, classes and guided walks with their own Holiplanet page.
City walking tours
Guide d'Arte
Licensed guides' cooperative for Bologna city and themed tours
Bike tours
Walk 'n Ride by BikeinBO
Guided bike and walking tours plus bike rental
Car museum / factory tour
Museo Automobili Lamborghini (MUDETEC) and Factory Tour
Lamborghini museum and production line tour in Sant'Agata Bolognese
Balsamic vinegar tour
Acetaia Giusti
Free guided tour of the Giusti family museum and ageing rooms in Modena
Food valley tour
Italian Days
Parmigiano, balsamic and prosciutto producers in one day
Cooking class
Taste Bologna
Hands-on pasta class, small groups, near Piazza Maggiore
Balsamic vinegar producer visit
Acetaia Pedroni
Family acetaia in Nonantola (Modena): balsamic tour and tasting, €8
Food market tour
Delicious Bologna
Walking food tour through the Quadrilatero market and centre
For kids & families
Genus Bononiae
Weekend museum workshops for children at Palazzo Fava
All experiences
On the Bologna map
Straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Questions
Scacco Matto Agli Orti: frequently asked questions
When is the restaurant open?
In summer it is open for dinner from Monday to Saturday. The site gives no dinner times and no other seasons' schedule.
Can I celebrate a special occasion here?
Yes. The restaurant describes its spaces in the former convent as suited to celebrating special days.
Can a room be booked on its own?
Yes. The convent has several rooms, each with its own character, and they can be booked individually.
What kind of food is served?
Mainly Mediterranean, centred on vegetables, drawing on Lucanian and Emilian traditions. The menu follows the seasons and is updated constantly.
Is there a wine list?
Yes. The wine list is updated continuously and is looked after by Simone Ferrara.
How can I contact the restaurant?
By phone on +39 051 263404, by WhatsApp on +39 333 46 78 086, or by email at info@ristorantescaccomatto.com.