Driving between Bologna and Florence

Why bother? Just stop at an Autogrill in one of the rest area (Area di Servizio) and just go on. It's less than 1 hr drive.

figured why not try a small village instead of waiting until Florence or the auto grills. Aren't those more fast food style Roberto?

Surprisingly Autogrill's are good food. It is a short drive so Roberto is right.

you can exit at Pian del Voglio or at Barberino, but don't know the restaurants in the area. Autogrill is better than any highway diner I've ever stopped in the US. Actually even better than some regular restaurants in Italy.

The zone between Bologna and Florence is a mountain one with little population; the motorway was built without following traditional itineraries so it gets close only to very tiny and isolated villages whose population mainly commutes to Bologna for work.
The Barberino exit services the Mugello area, north of Florence, where a search for restaurants could be more successful.

Ristorante da Delfina is an option for a "destination lunch," a detour from your route, in Artimino, lunch offered Wed - Sun. I have not been there, but it gets good reviews.

I don't doubt that Da Delfina might be a good restaurant, but unless you intend to visit the Medici villa at Artimino, or the nearby village of Vinci (where Leonardo was from), it would be a major detour and the likelihood you get lost very high. There are some tortuous narrow streets to get up there.
If you really want a great restaurant somewhat along the way between the Mugello valley and Florence, there is the Ristorante Il Feriolo, on the Via Faentina.