Milan may be the design capital of the world but this title has not quite extended to the food on offer. However this is still Italy so generally you can't go wrong. If you are really looking for a place with fashion credentials visit Da Giacomo or La Terrazza in Via Manzoni.
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SPECIALITY MILANESE FOOD
Panzerotti, savoury turnover made with pizza dough and stuffed with
tomatoes, garlic and mozzarella is a specialty here. Tourist menus are
almost unheard of in Milan as this is an untouristy city. Some restaurants
offer a taster menu or menu degustazione which may be a good way to try
different things.
RESTAURANTS
The Piazza San Marco area has numerous trendy restaurants.
Super Pizza in Porta Romano on Viale Sabotino 4 (take trams 9, 30) has thin Roman-style pizzas. It’s a busy place though so you eat standing and are not encouraged to linger. Tel. 02 5832 0410. It is closed in August.
In San Babila try Pizza Ok (Via Lambro 15) and Pizzeria 40 (Via P Castaldi). Pizza Ok (Metro Porta Venezia/tram 5, 29, 30) serves thin pizzas, Pizzeria 40 (Metro Porta Venezia/tram 9, 29, 30) has deep-pan pizza (pizza al trancio) with big slices.
If money is not a consideration then try the chic restaurant 10 Corso Como Caffe in Sforzesco. This haunt of theatre and night club goers is set around the courtyard of a former car repair workshop. Cuisine includes Mediterranean and Japanese. Take Metro Garibaldi or tram 11, 30, 33. Meals are served after 8pm.
Tintero is a slightly cheaper option on Via Q Sella 2 (take Metro Carioli or Lanza/tram 3, 4, 12, 20. It is closed in August and over the Dec-Jan new year period.
CAFFES
Cafes are numerous in Milan as they are in most cities in Italy. They are also not places for lingering, especially in this work-oriented city where coffee drinking is usually a 2 minute process.
Some of the recommended cafes are in the areas surrounding Piazza San Marco. To the north of the city Caffe Letteraro is a good place for a cup of tea, Bar Brera is popular and the Pottery Café has coffee, cake and juices. East of the centre are the elegant cafes such as Cova and Sant’Ambroeus.
FAST FOOD
Crepes are particularly good in Milan.
Try the Creperia on Corso Italia.
SUPERMARKETS
Along Corso Italia are numerous shopping centres and small fruit and vegetable shops.
Esselunga, Viale Papiniano 27 stocks major food brands and organic produce, there’s also a deli and takeaways. Get there by Metro Sant’Agostino, bus 50 or trams 20, 29 or 30. It’s open 9am-10pm Mondays and 8am-9pm Tuesday-Saturday.
BARS
Mercato Comunale Piazza Wagner, West is a covered food market with stalls for plants, dairy, groceries, dry goods etc. To get there take the Metro Wagner, bus 67 or tram 24. Open 8.30am-1pm Monday, 8.30am-1pm and 4-7.30pm Tuesday-Saturday.
Papiniano Viale Papiniano, West is an open-air market with food, plants, clothing, shoes, housewares and textiles. Bewary of pickpockets here. Take Metro Sant’Agostino or trams 20, 29, 30. Open dawn-1pm Tuesday, dawn-5pm Saturday.
The San Donato Flea Market This is at Metro San Donato and is open 8am-1pm on Sundays. There’s plenty of food and all kinds of gadgets and other items.
