Milan

Help.

No one I know who gives a crap about food has visited.

Any recommendations? Looking for places that will be memorably great.

I have heard good things about Osteria L’Intrepido

David,

We went into some dumpy place (name unknown) that had the best lasagna we’ve ever eaten. Oh wait, we had the best lasagna at a dumpy place in Venice (twice). Forget fancy. Down and dirty is the way to go.

il luogo di aimo e nadia is an institution. also had a nice meal at berton.

Da Sponti for a great deep pizza experience. Not refined. We had a baby with us last trip so not much more advice to give.

Milan is a city where I normally go fancier (saving the more rustic for Rome, Naples, Bologna, etc).

Trussardi alla Scala http://www.trussardiallascala.com/
a’Riccione http://www.ristoranteariccione.net/

Trussardi is quite luxe, I was there in November based on a board members recommendation (who has dined there multiple times).

a’Riccione is fantastic for seafood. Was there in November 2015 and October 2012.

For shopping, Peck’s is an amazing store. The Italian equivalent of Fauchon (so amazing quality at a commensurate cost). I’ve heard there restaurant is stellar.

I’d love to hear a report about Cracco (two michelin stars, formerly Peck-Cracco).

This is very helpful. I’ve found the food in Italy to be painfully bad in the past, so I’m hoping that I can turn it around in Piedmont and Milan. Already have a couple of great meals lined up in Piedmont.

berton used to be chef of trussardi when it was 2 stars.

RISTORANTE TRATTORIA DELLA POSTA

info@trattoriadellaposta.it

We have had a lot of fantastic meals in Italy. But apart from a hole-in-the-wall pizza place near our hotel (which really was great), we were very disappointed in our restaurant meals in Milan. Maybe we went to the wrong places (Trussardi being one).

Piedmont, on the other hand, was probably my favorite 5 days of eating in my life.

I would spend $1.99 and get Elizabeth Minchilli’s Eat Italy (Milan) app.
The Rome and Venice versions well worth the price.

If you want to try something different and more modern, Langosteria 10 is really quite good:

The wine list is very well matched to the seafood, with some fantastic Friulian and other white selections

If you want something COMPLETELY off the beaten path Osteria I Valtellina is quite good if you happen to be to the east side of the city near the IT part of town. Truly authentic Valtellina food, with a great wine list of wines like Ar Pe Pe

All I remember from my weekend in Milano while studying abroad in college is that the bars take over the streets at night and asking locals for recommendations at those bars leads to great hidden places.

Osteria dei Binari I loved this place. Fabulous atmosphere too. It has been a few years however.
Great wine list if you like Valtellina wines. Not high end however like several suggested above.

We were in Milan for a few days in September on the way to our first Biennale in Venice. We ate a much better than expected creative/modernist dinner at Vun (Michelin*) in the Park Hyatt. Our dinner was comped by the hotel, but I would have liked it just as much had I paid for it. We also ate at Osteria del Binari, mentioned by Don, above. Maybe our 20th dinner there; we go every time we visit Milan. Located in a garden oasis across the tracks from the Porto Genova station. Our last dinner was at Al Pont de Ferr (Michelin*) on the canal. Meh… The great Naples pizzeria, Sorbillo, recently opened in Milan. Terrific and true to the original, if you like Neapolitan pizza. My favorite gelateria, Ciacco is next to Peck. We didn’t eat at Cracco this trip, but has been reliably excellent in the past.

Caprese Sweet and Salty at Vun:
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Andrea Aprea on his caprese: “Mainly, I wanted to reconstruct the spherical shape of buffalo mozzarella cheese using isomalt sugar,” says Aprea, “a similar technique to blowing Murano glass. On the plate there is a tomato coulis, basil pesto emulsion, anchovies, croutons, buffalo mozzarella and mozzarella snow; the ball is filled with a buffalo mozzarella foam and on top basil cress.” Great dish.


“Antica Margheritta” at Sorbillo:
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If you are a fan of Napolitano style pizza (thinnish crust but soft) then Sorbrillo is the place. Right near the Duomo.

Alas, I loathe Neopolitan pizza.

I’m surprised there isn’t more consensus as to what the great restaurants are. Is Milan just not a great food city?

It’s ok; I’m not a fan of NYC pizza. Milan is like New York was in the good old days. The Milanese don’t give a shit whether you like Milan or not. We use Milan as an entry or exit point in Italy and like to spend a few days there. It isn’t a fine dining destination, but there is plenty of good food there provided you aren’t expecting Arpege.

That’s why I am excited to visit! I like that kind of attitude (as you might expect). Not looking for Arpege, more like . . . just really well-executed food at classy restaurants.

There is no consensus on any restaurant, even Arpege.