shane eaton 12/6/25 shane eaton 12/6/25

Martinis in Milano for the Martinista

By 2018, seeking an antidote to the fatigue of maximalist mixology, I embraced the ethos of the Italian Martinisti: clean, crisp, and stripped of all frills. My personal specification is aggressive—a 20:1 ratio of London Dry to vermouth, finished with lemon oils. While technically unbalanced, this drink is less about the mechanics and more about the ritual; a fleeting "Bond moment" that transcends geography.

As David Wondrich famously observed, the martini is "a larger-than-life invention... so sharp, clean, and deadly that it cuts the head off while the legs keep walking." Whether it was born at New York's Knickerbocker in 1911 or evolved from the 1860s Martinez, it remains the essential cocktail of 2025.

Yet, I maintain that the true capital of the martini is neither London, with the Connaught’s theatrical service, nor New York, with its wetter vodka-based riffs—but Milano. Here, the culture is woven into the fabric of daily life, thriving in historic pasticcerie like Biffi, Marchesi, Ginrosa, and San Carlo. These venues shift effortlessly from morning espresso to evening aperitivo, acting as magnets for the dedicated Martinista. For the true believer, the city offers deep history: Nottingham Forest holds the original Knickerbocker bar top, while Harp Pub Guinness has been pouring the "Direct Martini" since 1976. Below I highlight the three most iconic Martinis in Milano for the Martinista.

Pasticceria Biffi

Pasticceria Biffi stands as a fortress of Old Guard Milanese etiquette, offering a refined, standing-room-only experience that is the sophisticated antithesis of the modern, chaotic Happy Hour. Between 5 pm and 7 pm, the zinc counter becomes a sea of V-shaped glasses, confirming its status as the sanctuary for true Martinisti. Come summer, Martinisti claim the outdoor tables, sipping glasses filled precariously to the brim. Biffi strictly rejects the heavy buffet trend in favor of a classic pre-dinner ritual designed to whet the appetite rather than spoil the meal. The house standard is a freezing, textbook Tanqueray London Dry prepared "in and out" (vermouth is used only to rinse the ice). While the demographic leans toward distinguished older gentlemen, a younger crowd is discovering this tradition, with insiders—like Daniele Poggi of Direct Martini—even securing a special non-diluted pour upon request. To accompany the Martini, expect Biffi’s renowned savory pastries, specifically the tiny anchovy tartines and the coveted uovo tonnato (hard-boiled egg with tuna sauce).

Harp Pub Guinness

Based on the local lore of the Martinisti in Milano, the Direct Martini served by Angelo Corbetta at Harp Pub Guinness is a cult classic that defies the venue's Irish pub exterior. While most expect a pint of stout, those in the know ask "The Boss" (Angelo) for his martini,which is unpretentious, technically precise, and dangerously drinkable. Angelo is an unapologetic loyalist to Tanqueray London Dry (43%), famously stating in interviews that "despite the drop in ABV over the years, it remains the best gin on the market." However, in recent years, Angelo has begun to take a liking to Vallombrosa (47%) and Farmer’s (48%). In true Milanese "Direct" style, both the gin and the classic V-shaped glass are kept in the deep freeze. The gin is poured thick and syrupy, directly from the freezer to the glass. A whisper of Noilly dry vermouth is used to coat the frozen glassware before pouring the icecold gin, leaving only the aromatic memory of the fortified wine. As a garnish, a lemon peel is expressed over the surface to release the oils (but then discarded), adding a bright citrus nose to cut through the cold juniper. What makes this martini iconic is the setting. You are drinking a world-class, sophisticated cocktail in a historic 1976 pub filled with dark wood, brass taps, and university students, served by one of the classiest gentleman in Milano. It is an unexpected moment of elegance in a casual setting.

Nottingham Forest

At Nottingham Forest, the martini drinkers are a distinct tribe. If you look past the dry ice fog and the Indiana Jones’ attic décor, you will spot them. These sophisticated drinkers are not here for smoke guns or bathtub cocktails; they are here for the wood their elbows are resting on. They know that the bar counter itself is a holy relic—salvaged from the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York, the very place where the martini is rumored to have been invented in 1912 for John D. Rockefeller. Just like at Biffi, the Martinisti of Nottingham Forest are often older, impeccably dressed Milanese men who treat the barstool like a church pew.

While the line outside is full of tourists waiting 45 minutes to see Dario’s molecular magic, the veteran martini drinker knows the rhythm. They arrive right at opening—6 PM on Sundays—making this tradition much like going to church. While the rest of the bar is a chaotic theater of smoke and mirrors, these drinkers are the calm eye of the storm, quietly worshipping at the most important slab of wood in cocktail history. Their order is invariable: a Direct (aka Naked) or In-and-Out Dry Martini, often served with Nottingham Forest’s own I.gin.0. For the more daring, don’t miss Dario’s Mondrian Martini, a molecular tribute to De Stijl art, featuring a clear dry martini base housing spherified liquid capsules, which hold red Campari, yellow saffron vodka, green absinthe, and dark Pimm’s.

shane eaton 12/3/25 shane eaton 12/3/25

Le pizze migliori di Milano (Dicembre 2025)

Ecco la mia lista di pizze preferite a Milano.

Gennaro Rapido A' Rot e Carrett Milano

Pizza fritta completa ai cicioli: cicioli, provola dei Monti, ricotta di bufala, pomodoro pelato bio, pepe nero, basilico

Pizzaiolo Gennaro Rapido

MODUS

Primavera Cilentana: pomodoro giallo, fiori di zucca, mozzarella nella mortella, alici di Menaica, zest di limone, basilico

Pizzaiolo Paolo De Simone

Confine

Zucchine alla Capece: crema di zucchine, provola affumicata, fiordizucca a crudo, maionese alla menta, aceto balsamico invecchiato 18 anni, zucchine fritte, pepe nero macinato, olio extravergine di oliva monocultivar rotondella

Pizzaiolo Francesco Capece

DRY

Provola e Pepe: Pomodoro pelato, provola affumicata, basilico fresco, pepe nero di Sarawak e Pecorino Romano DOP

Pizzaiolo Lorenzo Sirabella

Giolina

Caterina: crema di melanzane violette cotte nel forno a legna, fior di latte, zucchine alla scapece, peperoni arrostiti, melanzane a funghetto, origano, basilico fresco

Pizzaiolo Danilo Brunetti