Mercurial host Ermes Rinaldi greets you as you walk in and seats you wherever he happens to have room: it doesn't matter that you might be put with people you don't know, since the host feels this quasi-communal style of lunching encourages conviviality. In the kitchen, Bruna, Ermes's wife, turns out splendid versions of cucina casalinga modenesi (home cooking, Modena-style). Ermes recites the short list of primi and secondi on the set-price menu, which change daily and arrive promptly.

Trattoria Ermes is a lunch-only restaurant in the centre of Modena, run for decades by its charismatic owner, Ermes, who sadly passed away in early 2023 at the age of 85. Bruna now runs the kitchen, but the menu hasn’t changed – you’ll find traditional pasta dishes like tagliatelle al ragù, with the traditional Modenese version of the meat sauce with no tomatoes, and second courses like scaloppine (thin-cut veal) with Balsamico and meatballs with tomato sauce. The price is about €25 per person and you might be sharing the table with other people, which just adds to the atmosphere of the place!

There’s no shortage of affordable trattoria along the backstreets, but Trattoria Ermes (Via Ganaceto, 89) is a good place to start. The unassuming trattoria, just south of the railway station, serves up steaming bowls of tortellini en brodo, tiny pasta parcels stuffed with mortadella and served in a rich capon broth. Those with steelier stomachs will want to try Modena’s most traditional dish, the zampone, a cured and stuffed pig’s trotter.

Il signor Ermes era un’istituzione in città, e lo è ancora adesso che non c’è più e la sua trattoria è stata rilevata da Alessandro Dolcini, giovane imprenditore con esperienza in altre attività del centro cittadino. I clienti della trattoria hanno un nome, i “gabiàn” (gabbiani) come Ermes era solito chiamarli affettuosamente. Un po’ come i sorcini Renato Zero e i Little Monsters di Lady Gaga.

For those looking to experience genuine Italian home cooking, Trattoria Ermes is a perfect choice. Located in the heart of Modena, this small, rustic eatery is famous for its hearty, traditional dishes. The menu changes daily, depending on what fresh ingredients are available, but you can always expect staples like lasagna, tortellini in brodo (tortellini in broth), and roasted meats.

Ermes is not a simple tavern but it is a symbol for my city: its owner, Ermes, died in 2022, was one of the “characters” of Modena. Authenticity, genuineness and folklore remain three words that come to my mind to describe this place. Opened only for lunch, this typical restaurant, small but precious, has often a row in front of its door.

Di questa trattoria Massimo Bottura ha detto: «I momenti insieme sono stati tanti e sempre speciali. Un chilometro scarso e pochi minuti a piedi dividono la tua trattoria e La Francescana; i più sprovveduti ci possono anche pensare lontani, invece io e il mio staff vogliamo gridarti: Ermes, tegh tota la véta!

My favorite, for sure, would be Trattoria Ermes (located at Via Ganaceto 89). It’s the real Modena old-style tavern (50 years old and with the original owner). The owner is constantly shouting at the customers (he never speaks Italian, only local dialect, so you will need an help from other customers).