When in Italy’s fashion capital, eat in style. Aaron Peasley shows you where to go
In comparison to the southern cities of Rome and Florence, both of which overflow with art treasures and culinary spoils, Italy’s northern powerhouse of Milan can feel like a bit of a riddle, particularly to the solo traveller. But with a little local knowledge, Milan can offer the visitor an action-packed moveable feast, from noteworthy eateries established by big fashion money to century-old dining rooms shrouded in civilised warmth.
Northern Italy’s cuisine is world class and constantly evolving, blending beloved daily rituals with innovative global influences. As a seat of industrial and financial power, it’s a city that caters equally well to business and pleasure. In this spirit, a lunch by the Duomo can serve as a much-deserved pit stop for the solo business traveller and an up-close introduction to one of the country’s finest cultural treasures.
The Milanese do not need many excuses to find an occasion to enjoy fine food and wine. Morning rituals include first-rate coffee and pastries consumed at the barcone; fast-paced yet friendly business lunches over shared plates of risotto Milanese; and convivial family-style dinners that can stretch late into the night. And America may have invented cocktail hour, but Milan has transformed it into art. Aperitivo, the city’s pre-dinner ritual, which customarily begins at 6 each evening, is perhaps the best introduction to the city’s culture and a perfect experience for solo travellers. You’ve just got to know where to look.
10 Corso Como
A Milanese stalwart for decades, gallery owner and publisher Carlo Sozzani’s sprawling complex includes a guesthouse, cutting-edge retail spaces and fine-art gallery.
The café in the courtyard, a plant-filled monochrome dining area is pure theatre, bringing together the
city’s two biggest passions: food
and fashion.
For solo travellers who don’t mind the odd whiff of cigarette smoke, the lush courtyard offers the best seating when the sun is out. The kitchen focuses on healthy Milanese cooking, which takes advantage of organic produce sourced from local farmers markets. The raw artichoke salad, paired with lemon juice and Parmesan justifies Lombardy’s reputation as provider of some of the best ingredients on the planet. Another essential item to try is vitello tonnato, a classic dish reinvented with rare, slightly seared veal and a light tuna mayonnaise sauce.
It’s certainly clear that 10 Corso Como knows its customers: a mix of fashionable women who must fit into next season’s Alaïa or those of us simply looking for clean seasonal flavours after too many servings of the city’s famed risotto Milanese.
Where: 10 Corso Como
tel +39 2 29013581
www.10corsocomo.com
Il Bar and Giardino, Bulgari Hotel
Fashion brands have invaded Milan’s culinary scene, ushering in some spectacular spaces that, in most cases, dispense surprisingly decent food. Fine jewellery company Bulgari’s hotel foray, opened in a former monastery in 2004, feels like an urban surprise, with its beautiful garden a stone’s throw from the city’s retail core.
A tip? Don’t come here for dinner, even though the hotel’s restaurant is one of Milan’s best. Arrive early for a seat in the outdoor garden during aperitivo, where the classic ritual is elevated to stratospheric levels. Order a drink (the sbagliato, a mix of Prosecco, sweet vermouth and Campari, is recommended) and sit back as the handsome waiters deliver a succession of small, exquisitely composed dishes; anything from raw vegetables accompanied by a truffle-infused olive oil, to a tiny faro salad accompanied by mozzarella di bufala, to sumptuous tiny parcels of prawn ravioli.
The best part, even though the drinks are pricey, the exquisite dishes come gratis and you’re encouraged to linger as long as you wish. Belissimo!
Where: Via Privata Fratelli Gabba, 7/b
tel +39 2 8058051
www.bulgarihotels.com
Maio Restaurant
As a rule, breathtaking panoramas don’t always equate to fine food. An exception can be found on the 7th floor of the recently renovated Rinascente department store, home to a superb epicurean paradise with unparalleled views of the Duomo, the largest and perhaps most exquisite cathedral in all of Italy.
One can experience almost anything here, from an afternoon espresso to
a full dinner followed by cocktails and live music.
For up-close vistas of the Duomo, request a table on the terrace, which serves a full menu. A celebratory note is struck with the daily selection of oysters, which come paired with Perrier-Jouët Champagne. Heartier appetites gravitate towards the creamy riso venere (black rice) or the kitchen’s twist on squid ink ravioli. When you’ve completed your meal, drop by the department store’s sensational food section, packed with gastronomic gifts like first press olive oil and fresh black truffles.
Where: 7th floor, La Rinascente Milano Piazza Duomo
tel +39 2 8852471
www.maiorestaurant.com
Villa Necchi Campiglio
Culture and cuisine have always made a formidable match in Milan. This 1932 Piero Portaluppi-designed home, recently used in the Tilda Swinton film, I am Love, is a wonderful insight into the city’s modernist design heritage.
If you have time, be sure to take in one of the guided tours of the house, with its incredible collection of art treasures and furniture. Otherwise, repair to the light-filled restaurant, which overlooks the villa’s pool, gardens and tennis court. Casual and convivial, the dining room can get crowded, but has small tables ideally suited to solo travellers.
This is not your typical sandwich-serving cafeteria thoughtlessly attached to a museum, but a culinary experience in its own right, with carefully thought out appetisers like silky smooth prosciutto paired with fresh peppers and summer melon. This being Italy, the handmade pastas are also superb with standouts like linguine with duck ragu. A well-edited selection of local wines seals the deal.
Where: 14 Via Mozart
tel +39 2 76340121
www.casemuseomilano.it
Acanto Restaurant
Housed on the ground floor of the spectacularly restored Hotel Principe Di Savoia, perhaps the city’s finest place to stay, this fine-dining institution hews closely with Italy’s obsession with slow food and seasonal cuisine.
During winter and fall, you won’t find a better risotto Milanese or osso buco in the city. But that’s not to say the restaurant is mired in tradition. Chef Fabrizio Cadei has developed a reputation for blending Lombardy’s traditions with those of the Mediterranean and Asia. In this spirit, a traditional tagliolini is accompanied by a sublime lemon ragu and langoustines, and a shoulder of suckling pig riffs on Asian flavours, served with a seductive Szechuan pepper sauce.
With its starched white tablecloths and gregarious English-speaking waiters, you’ll feel the benefit of the five-star hotel experience. Those with a sweet tooth be warned: the restaurant serves exceptional desserts, including highlights like iced pineapple soufflé and tiramisu with savoiardo (Ladyfingers) biscuit.
Where: Hotel Principe di Savoia Piazza della Repubblica, 17
tel +39 2 62301
www.hotelprincipedisavoia.com/hotel-milan
