The Best Local Restaurants in Milan

A neighbourhood trattoria in Milan’s Affori neighbourhood specialising in wild porcini dishes. In addition to house-made pasta and fresh porcini risotto, you might luck out and find the bruschetta con casserecio salsiccia fresca Toscana aka raw Tuscan “sausage” (more like a pork tartare, really) on the menu.

Solid, flavorful, contemporary food yet very rooted in tradition. A relaxed ambience in the most contemporary area of Milan is the perfect location for Cesare Battisti to express his beautiful cuisine. Very solid, flavorful, contemporary yet very rooted in tradition.

Simplicity at its bestSimple, seasonal and delicious dishes with many vegetarian options. A ultra cosy płace focused on sustainability and natural wine.

A single product restaurant, completely dedicated to pasta opened by Mathias Perdomo and Simon Press late 2020. The third spot opened by creative chef Mathias Perdomo and his strong partner Simon Press, at the end of 2020 completely dedicated to pasta and its declinations throughout Italy.Pasta is approached as an ingredient not only as a course within a menu. The techniques, the handwork of making every single cappelletto or raviolo, the different seasoning according to the market, and the study of every single Italian region is incredible. Young Arianna Consiglio, a Sicilian soul and still not even in her 30s is doing a great job combining rich taste, elegance in the final results and a good variety of hyper local and innovative recipes. Arianna has a true passion for Exit Pastificio, devoted to the process of educating people in eating pasta in a different and not standardized way. Unmissable plin with sugo arrosto, fusilloni and tarte tatin.The combination of three or five dishes offers a wide spectrum of the menu and for this tasting approach, the bar suggests a possible cocktail pairing with low abv recipes, fermented drinks and Italian and international spirits.

Old school trattoria with all the classics on the menu, served by senior, slightly grumpy staff. Finding an old school trattoria in central Milan is not easy. The best ones have either closed or become a bit too polished or hip. Trattoria Milanese is not too touristy, with all the classics on the menu, senior, slightly grumpy staff and 90 % local (male) customers. The long menu features vitello tonnato, a smooth minced veal battuta, a nice saffron perfumed risotto with osso buco. Ask for the daily veggies - the raw sliced carciofi are delicious. Tiramisu for dessert. Drink pitchers of cheap house wine.

Hand roasted coffee close to Eataly in Via Solferino. Sweet bites and very good croissants.A Brazilian guy opened this café with selected hand roasted coffee close to Eataly in Via Solferino. They have specialty coffees and some sweet bites. They also serve very good croissants they buy from another friend of his.

Traditional Italian dishes with particular attention to Campania.Stadera offers a menu that is divided between the offer 'from gastronomy' (where you can also take away) and 'from the kitchen', traditional Italian dishes (such as meatballs, parmigiana, veal tuna) with particular attention to the Campania region where the chef Aldo Ritrovato comes from (buffalo mozzarella is really good, delicious both the friggitelli and the spaghettoni alla Nerano).A genuine, tasty cuisine that brings the memory back to our childhood (the parmigiana is like the one that my grandmother used to prepare) but that also aims to add a bit of inspiration and novelty (as in the tartare alla puttanesca or in the reinterpretation of the classic babà with cream and red fruits).Very nice and pleasant environment and fun background music, strictly Italian songs from the 60s to nowadays, which leads you to imagine living a moment suspended in time for a while.1. Spaghettone alla Nerano2. Interior3. Vitello Tonnato4. Gastronomy corner5. Friggitelli6. Parmesan 7. Tartare alla puttanesca (tomato, capers, olives, oregano and chilli)8. Baba with cream and red fruits

My favorite place for coffee.The coffee in this tiny coffee bar is fantastic. Brent Jopson is the Canadian guy who opened this café near the Milano Centrale serving espresso, pour over and aeropress. It's my favorite place for coffee.

Just great pistachio gelato made with good ingredients.A little gelateria with a few flavors of ice cream, but everything is freshly made with good ingredients. My favorite flavor here is pistachio. I love pistachio and when you find a good pistachio gelato it just tastes of - pistachio.

Old style italian Osteria with homemade dishes to share and natural wines in Milan.A ‘Osteria’ like those of the past, Osteria alla Concorrenza in Milano, where you can drink (natural) wines happily with friends and taste various dishes to share in a nice, informal and welcoming atmosphere.The plates to order on the blackboard are united by the mouth watering just reading them, such as the platter of cold cuts, Recco focaccia with mortadella, pickled vegetables (good!) radicchio and Morbier, bean soup and hen in saor.For wine, it is better to ask for advice to the host who will surely find the bottle that best meets the tastes of the diners: in my case an interesting Nebbiolo that cleaned up the palate between one bite and another.Beautiful floor ‘old Milan style’ and the pictures on the walls, I would have taken a thousand other photos.

The best fine dining seafood experience in the center of Milan.Viviana Varese has brought the best fine dining seafood experience to the city of Milan. Located very close to the centre, Viva is a certainty for those who like to eat fresh fish in a contemporary way.

Contemporary Milanese cuisine in family owned trattoria.Trattoria del Nuovo Macello serves good Milanese cuisine revisited in a contemporary way. Opened 60 years ago by the same family owning it now, the trattoria is located in the eastern Calvairate district.

New opening! A nice journey between Nordic techniques, Asian flavors and Italian products in a 5-step tasting menu. A young yet experienced brigade that practices innovative techniques aiming to ferment, preserve and transform the ingredients in a no-waste and sustainable perspective. Friendly and super kind service.

Some of the best Roman food in Milan, perfect for a midweek supper.When I lived in Milan this used to be my go-to when I fancied a really delicious plate of pasta. As the name suggests, it's a Roman restaurant and the namesake dish, carbonara, etc. are all spot on. Skip the secondi and go straight for dessert, which was always very good I remember.

The new wave of Milanese naturally leavened breadIf you want to stay in Milan and have never tried the new wave of Milanese naturally leavened bread, the place to start is one of Davide Longoni's shops (he has a few and the offer varies, from market-style to bakery-with-vegetarian restaurant). The reason is simple: he was the first to kick the Milanese out of their bad-bread-induced stupor, doing serious work on heirloom wheat with a legit entrepreneurial vision. If however, you have time to rent a car and head 45' outside of Milan, towards Bergamo, you can't miss Tilde Forno Artigiano where Peruvian artist Marisol Malatesta and Italian baker Simone Conti (both dear friends of mine) have built a beautiful space reflecting their impeccable taste and flavor-driven, conscientious philosophy (they use some of Italy's best heirloom wheat flours combined with freshly milled einkorn and rye). If I didn't make my own bread, I'd buy it here. 1. photo: Alessandra Magister2.-4. photos: Francesca d'Amico

A great pastry shop and gelateria – this one's perfect.Marlà is a café and pastry shop similar to Pavé. I can tell when I see a place that is well made and this one's perfect. The owner is our customer and they sometimes bring us ice cream and it’s fantastic every time. Great pastry and they change the ice cream flavors often.

Feeling like at home but with an amazing chef.Crazy and theatrical, you won’t miss a single step of the preps, chef and the team is dancing around the kitchen just in front of you cooking, serving and explaining their food.

Truly Italian place. Dont let my bad pictures discourage you not coming here. This is a simple restaurant with a truly italian family vibe. I have a soft heart for classical italian places. They are known for their traditional Italian cuisine, particularly their pasta dishes. Make a reservation