I’ve had the pleasure of living in Milano for the past 15 years, and over that time, I’ve discovered some truly enchanting places to drink, eat and live well. My palate has evolved considerably since the early transitional years in Milano. Way back in 2011, you could find me drinking Long Island iced teas, but today, you’re more likely to see me sipping a Boulevardier or Martini cocktail. Pre-Expo, I admit that I knew very little about Italian food. I ate pizza that had the consistency of a grissino and had a serious lack of knowledge of Milanese, let alone other regional specialties.
But I hung in there, trying to my best to go out every night to discover the beauty of this city and country. Food, wine and beer festivals. Travels around Lombardy and beyond. After a few years of pushing as hard as I could to immerse myself in the culture and cuisine, I finally felt like I fit in. Fast forward to today, and my friends often comment that I am more Milanese than them.
It brings me great pleasure to show those I care for about the beauty of Milano through eating, drinking, and living. And so, I share with you here the best of my Milano.
Coffee
Orsonero
Although you will find me around town drinking mediocre coffee at many random “bar sport” and even cocktail bars to power me through the day, Orsonero is my favorite option if I want a relaxing pourover of quality coffee. It also helps that I can speak “Canadian” with the founder Brent Jopson.
Cocktails
1930, although not easy to access, offers the best speakeasy atmosphere in Milano, coupled with imaginative cocktails and well-executed classics. Make sure to meet the manager Benjamin Cavagna, one of the friendliest and most cultured people in the city.
Bella is a must visit anytime I’m in Porta Romana thanks to Umberto Oliva’s innovative signature cocktails. If you’re looking to challenge your tastebuds with something new, this is your best option in Milano. Other attractions at Bella are the delicious polpette (meat balls) and Matilda’s espresso martini.
Biffi is my go-to pastry shop if I’m looking for the true milanese Martini cocktail experience. At aperitivo time from 5PM to 7PM you will find the best of Milano devouring barista Paolo’s in-and-out Tanqueray martinis before they have to return home to their sciure (fancy milanese wives). If you’re up for a stronger “direct Martini”, check out the nearby Pasticceria San Carlo.
Bulgari hotel is my favorite hotel bar in Milano, thanks to the charming bar manager Patrick Greco and his friendly and beautiful bar team. Expect well-executed signatures, tasty aperitivo food, and always-interesting clientele at the bar counter.
Camparino is our mecca for the aperitivo, where you’ll find a beautiful mix of young and old, locals and foreigners. There’s no better place in the world to drink a Campari seltz, shakerato or Americano. The experience is even more special when Gianni is working at the historic “Bar di Passo” on the ground floor. For a more sophisticated experience, ask about “Spirtello” one floor up.
Moebius is a gorgeous restaurant and bar with delicious tapas-style food to compliment an excellent drink list. If you’re looking for a more extravagant meal, there is also Enrico Croatti’s outstanding haute cuisine upstairs. Moebius is one of my favorite late night options, as the owner Lorenzo Querci seems to always have an exciting event going on.
MaG is where I first fell in love with cocktails in Milano, back in 2012. Thank you Flavio, Marco, Dracos, Pischello, Teo, Pippo, Elena, Cosimo, Mirko, Marianna, Ema, Federica, Nico, Bonazzi, Nish, Benji and the many other great people who’ve always made me feel at home.
Nottingham Forest. Dario Comini of Nottingham Forest was the first to bring innovative kitchen and science techniques to drink making and has an ever-evolving menu of eye-catching and delectable liquid creations. Expect a slightly younger crowd these days thanks to the power of social media, but you’ll always find the loyal customers at the bar counter, drinking anything from a Mondrian to a Naked martini.
Rita/Rita Tiki. You are guaranteed to have a great time at Rita and Rita Tiki thanks to the welcoming staff, well-mixed drinks and eclectic and lively clientele. If I am in the mood to discover a little known classic, Massimo and Edo at Rita are two of my reference points in Milano. And if I am seeking a meditation-style after-dinner rum or Ti’ Punch, I will happily pull up a bar stool in front of Alessandro at Rita Tiki.
Rumore is the most exciting opening in Milano in the past months and features the incredible one-two combination of Sossio Del Prete and Christian Teducci, two of the best bartending talents in the country.
The Spirit boasts the most beautiful bar counter in Milano, The Spirit is a fantastic after dinner choice for a stirred down boozy concoction. The classics are meticulously crafted thanks to the leadership of bar manager Ivan Filippelli.
Wine
Cantine Isola has the largest selection of wines in Milano, even if most of them are secured by lock and key and only accessible by the owner Luca Sarais. Cantine Isola is always busy, crammed in the tight space inside, but also outside on Via Paolo Sarpi. Across the street, don’t miss the vegetarian crepes at Ravioleria Sarpi. Thanks to Matt Rooney for helping me discover the magic of this place.
Concorrenza is a must when visiting Milano. Enricomaria Porta together with partners chef Diego Rossi and entrepreneur Josef Khattabi have created an Osteria with an authentic old-school vibe, a rarity for Milano. Expect outstanding wines together with exquisite small dishes designed for sharing. Concorrenza is one of the hardest tickets in town, so book a week in advance.
Salumeria Mazzone if your best choice if you would like salumi and cheeses coupled with superb wines. Located in the Via Washington district in West Milano, Mazzone is well worth the trek for its second to none food and wine.
Beer
Birrificio Lambrate aka the Skunky is a brewpub in Via Aldechi near Lambrate station that opened over 20 years ago. Frequented by a decidedly stoner/metalhead crowd, Birri is an institution in Milano for beer lovers. Although the crowd is a bit rough, the dive bar ambiance is awesome. My favorite beers at BL are Robb de Matt (IPA), Gaina (IPA), Porpora (Dunkel bock) and Ghisa (smoked stout). For a larger food selection with a tamer crowd, try their newer location in Via Golgi near Politecnico di Milano.
Lambiczoon is home to the best sour beers and hamburgers in Milano. Now owned by Adriana and Manuel, Lambiczoon continues to be my favorite pub in town. I am eternally grateful to Lambiczoon for getting me into the exciting gueuze beer category.
Whisky
Harp Pub Guinness. From Angelo Corbetta and sons, Harp Pub Guinness, the first place to call itself a pub in Milano, has nearly 50 years of tradition in East Milano. Open from lunch until after dinner, you can find tasty but casual eats during the day and well-made cocktails from Riccardo in the evening. If you’re lucky to meet Angelo, ask about trying one of the fine whiskies or bourbons from his impressive collection.
Mulligan’s. From brothers Beppe e Alviero Bertoni, Mulligan’s is a true Irish pub, offering authentic Irish food, quality draft beers and outstanding whisk(e)y and rum. Mulligan’s together with Harp Pub Guinness carry on the strong Milanese whisky tradition first introduced by Giorgio D’Ámbrosio of Bar Metro.
Pizza
Giolina. The best pizza talent in Milano, Danilo Brunetti is a genius when it comes to innovative dough recipes. Taking inspiration from haut cuisine, Danilo brilliantly combines unique ingredients on his signature pizzas. Do not miss the “Quattro pomodori”" marinara and "Cinque formaggi” masterpieces. I put Giolina together with 50 Kalo’ Naples as my favorite pizzerie in Italy.
dining
Trippa. An elegant vitello tonnato, a fried to perfection tripe and an umami bomb pasta in bianco. If these aren’t reasons enough to visit, rest assured that the menu changes regularly at Diego Rossi’s Trippa, where you can find elevated quinto quarto cuisine that puts most Michelin star eateries to shame. But for Diego, Trattoria Trippa was always about feeding his food-loving guests with the best possible Italian dishes at a reasonable price, without worrying about the stress of winning international awards. .
Torre is my favorite restaurant bar in Milano thanks to the innovative Italian cuisine by chef Lorenzo Lunghi, who collaborates closely with bar manager Pietro De Feudis and bartenders Niccolò Avanzi and Francesco Amoruso to formulate the signature cocktails at Torre. A smaller food menu is available at the bar, which includes an extraordinary toast (grilled ham and cheese sandwich). The signatures, some of the best in Milano, feature complex profiles that are sure to excite your senses.
L’Alchimia Ristorante & Lounge Bar is an elegant yet easygoing restaurant and cocktail bar by Alberto Tasinato, bar manager Valerio Trentani and chef Giuseppe Postorini in in Viale Premuda, a three-minute walk from 1930 cocktail bar (sorry, the address is a secret shhhh). Chef Giuseppe Postorini has developed an outstanding menu of improved renditions of traditional dishes from Piedmont and Lombardy. A must are the Risotto Milanese Style with marrowbone royale, foie gras and black truffle and the Costoletta alla Milanese with crunchy Salanova salad and yuzu citronette. The wine cellar is packed the brim with stars from Piedmont and beyond, such as the phenomenal Barolos from Cordero di Montezemolo.
Contraste. I first discovered Matias Perdomo's cuisine when he was at Pont de Ferr, a restaurant in Ripa di Porta Ticinese that I visited many times in my first years in Milano. Pont de Ferr was a casual trattoria with a refined but playful cuisine thanks to the creativity of Perdomo. Despite its laid back atmosphere, Pont de Ferr defied all odds, winning a Michelin star in 2011. But chef Perdomo was aiming for an even more ambitious venture: Contraste, which he opened in 2015 together with two other stars from the Pont de Ferr team, sommelier Thomas Piras and sous chef Simon Press. Unlike Pont de Ferr, Contraste's atmosphere is elegant and chic. The bright room has white walls, red chandeliers and six round tables. The menu "riflesso" reflected with a mirror on the cover makes it clear that the diner is at the center of the experience. The staff asks you about your preferences and studies you discreetly during dinner, so that they can design a "tailor made" itinerary, also for your future visits. One highlight for me was
“Spaghetti alle vongole” with ravioli filled with the sauce left from cooking spaghetti with clams.
