Arlecchino Pizzeria Birreria

The historic shop Arlecchino was born on Via Ravenna, an important and busy road that, as its name suggests, connects two major cities of Emilia-Romagna. For this reason, the name Arlecchino was given to the venue in 1956 by “Silvan il Pittore” (Silvan the Painter): one Monday, wood and coal market day, Silvan saw numerous truck drivers from various regions of Italy stopping at the bar, and hearing them talk exclaimed: “What a harlequinade of people here!” — hence the name and the two Harlequins painted on either side of the entrance door.

The venue was opened by Signora Jole Merli, grandmother of the current owner, Sabrina Dolcetti, as a café, spirits shop and telephone point, in an era that today seems distant, dreamlike, almost surreal, when to make a phone call one had to go into a shop in search of a landline.

In 1965, the building was expropriated to make way for the construction of Via Ferrariola, and the business moved to the premises of the former Farmacia Bonatti on Via Ravenna, which is still its location today.

Since then, the premises have undergone several renovations, but the continuity of the business under the same family and the expansion of its offering from a simple bar to pizzeria, beer hall and chickpea specialities have, over the years, confirmed the quality of this historic shop.