Italian dining in Milan

Milan is where modern Italian haute cuisine has its starting point: in 1985 Gualtiero Marchesi became the first chef in Italy to receive three Michelin stars here. To this day the city’s best kitchens combine Lombard tradition with international precision. The menus feature classics such as risotto alla milanese with saffron, the cotoletta, a breaded veal chop on the bone, and ossobuco, braised veal shank.

The city’s restaurants are spread across Milan: grand hotels and long-established houses around the centre and Brera, creative kitchens in the Tortona district and along the Navigli, contemporary trattorias in Porta Romana. Anyone going out for dinner likes to begin with the aperitivo, an early-evening drink with small bites that is almost a ritual in Milan. Many top restaurants are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Tip: During the Salone del Mobile in April and the fashion weeks the well-known restaurants are in high demand, so book especially early. In August many restaurants close for the summer break.