Akademy/2019/A brief guide to Milan's Gastronomy
What should I eat?
Must-eat from Milan:
- Cotoletta alla milanese - in good places: check out orecchio di elefante
- Risotto alla milanese (with ossobuco or without)
- Luganega, esp. luganega di Monza (like a salame)
- Taleggio
- Gorgonzola
- Cheeses and salumi from Brianza (the countryside between Milan and Como Lake)
- Wine grapes/Terroirs: Nebbiolo (sometimes called Chiavennasca) is a typical lombard grape (esp. Valtellina), the terroir of the oltrepò pavese is also quite rich and full of experimentation with natural fermentation (key grapes: Bonarda, Lambrusco, Barbera), Franciacorta is also not far away.
Where?
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Suggestions. All three very typical, top quality you can find in Milan in terms of food (if you don't want to go * or ** Michelin stars). Prices are 20-50 EUR per person, you can check the menu and most likely get a deal for a fixed one for many participants.
Premiata Trattoria Arlati dal 1936
Via Alberto Nota, 47, 20126 Milano MI +39 02 643 3327
Trattoria Arlati is an ancient Trattoria (1936) from way back when that part of town was mostly countryside. Closer to the venue, a little chic but still very authentic, average price (30-40pp), incredible food
Da Martino
Via Carlo Farini, 8, 20154 Milano MI +39 02 655 4974
Likely my best suggestion, is small and informal but with care to details, definitely cheaper and the food quality is beyond amazing. I am not sure if they host 30, but you can try. Cozy. Booking mandatory. Price range would be ~20-25 pp
Ratanà
Via Gaetano de Castillia, 28, 20124 Milano MI +39 02 8712 8855
The fanciest of the three but still somewhat hipster and with a chilled mood, they grow their own food in a garden in one of the fancy/hipster districts of Milan. The building used to be a train station (a very small one)
More places to check:
Un posto a Milano Anche bar
Pizzeria =
Marghe (pizza) Briscola (pizza)
After dinner / aperitivo
What should I NOT eat?
Italy is famous for its varied gastronomic scene, and it is sometimes hard to know which dish belongs to which area of production. Due its long complicated history, full of political and geographical divisions, gastronomical culture is similarly fragmented. While it's possible to find specialties in restaurants managed by expats, this is a list of famous italian food not typical of Milan.
Google Maps map
You can find these places (and more) on this map: https://maps.app.goo .gl/AMdY6FjxHcNtv87F7