3 Design World Insiders Name Their Favorite Restaurants in Milan
All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
While Milan may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about sublime culinary experiences in Italy—unlike, say, Bologna or Naples—the Milanese can be a picky bunch. And the population’s high standards have created a food scene that holds its own not just within Italy but globally, too, with buzzy restaurants and cafés regularly opening just in time for the city’s fashion weeks (like the Wes Anderson–designed Bar Luce in the brand-new Fondazione Prada). But it’s also the tried-and-true—the classics—that are often just as compelling (and aesthetically pleasing, if in a more traditional way). Read on for some favorites, chosen by a few of the city’s design and style world insiders.
1/3Scott Fellows
American furniture designer and co-founder of the Milan design shop BassamFellows
Da Giacomo (shown)“This is the ultimate classic Milanese restaurant, with interiors by [Renzo] Mongiardino,” says Fellows, referring to the late Italian architect and interior designer. The room is meant to evoke the atmosphere of the early 20th century, with intricately embossed wallpaper and graniglia-tiled floors. Although the restaurant is known for its supremely fresh seafood, “I actually love the pizza with capers they serve even before the appetizers arrive,” Fellows says. Via Pasquale Sottocorno, angolo via Cellini, 6; giacomoristorante.com
Trattoria Torre di PisaFellows is drawn primarily to the city’s classic restaurants. “I’m actually wary of anything with too much design,” he says. “Often it’s all style and no substance!” One of his favorites is this old-school spot opened in Brera in 1951, where service is given just as much attention as the food (the Florentine steak is a specialty). “The decor hasn’t changed from the ’60s, but the Tuscan menu is always fresh and delicious,” says Fellows. Via Fiori Chiari, 21/5; trattoriatorredipisa.it
Al Girarrosto da Cesarina“Simple black-and-white interiors with simple, classic food,” is how Fellows describes this Brera restaurant, where waiters in white jackets serve classic dishes such as perfectly made risotto Milanese and osso buco. Although it’s close to many of Milan’s luxury hotels and just a few minutes’ walk from the city center, the atmosphere is decidedly local. Corso Venezia, 31; algirarrosto.com
chico de luigi2/3J.J. Martin
Founder of Milan-based online vintage and jewelry shop LaDoubleJ.com
Carlo e Camilla in Segheria (Shown)
A relative newcomer to the Milan dining scene, the restaurant is striking "for its soaring, raw sawmill space," Martin says, referring to its former industrial life. The atmosphere is almost reminiscent of a vast art gallery, and the food, such as a smoked sardine– and snail-filled tortellini entrée and salads mixed with edible flowers, is inventive. The elaborate—and beautifully made—cocktails are just as popular. Via Giuseppe Meda, 24; carloecamillainsegheria.itThe SmallMartin loves the "cozy, homey style" of this charming restaurant, whose interiors bring to mind a vintage shop—an eclectic mix of colorful objets d'art, antique furniture, and Pop Art. The unique design is part of what draws Milan’s art and fashion crowds, but there’s also the food, including specialties such as tagliolini ai funghi porcini [mushroom pasta] and an incredible tiramisu. Via Paganini Niccolo 3, angolo Piazza Argentina; thesmall.it
3/3Arthur Arbesser
Milan-based Austrian fashion designer, founder of eponymous label, creative director of fashion house Iceberg
A Santa Lucia (shown)Just a five-minute walk from the boutiques that line the city’s most famous shopping street, via Montenapoleone, the picture-frame–lined restaurant is popular with well-heeled locals as a lunch stop, as well as in-the-know visitors. “This is a Milanese institution,” says Arbesser. “It’s a few steps from the Duomo but doesn’t feel touristy at all. It’s elegant and great for all things Milanese, like saffron risotto or fresh artichoke salad with Grana shavings.” Via San Pietro all’Orto, 3; asantalucia.it
Trattoria Madonnina“This place is low-key but still extremely beautiful in its understated simplicity,” says Arbesser of the long-established, no-frills eatery with red-checkered tablecloths, an excellent wine list, and impromptu accordion performances by staffers. “It’s a slow-food restaurant that serves typically Milanese cuisine—all very pure, fresh, and simple. The cotoletta alla milanese [breaded veal cutlet] is wonderful.” Via Gentilino, 6; +39-02-8940-9089
La Terza Carbonaia“It’s a real Milanese classic with a huge, very busy winter garden in the back,” says Arbesser. There’s no menu here. Instead, you’re brought a series of simple Northern Italian dishes (like fried zucchini blossoms) in a cozy, unpretentious setting. “The tagliata [sliced steak] is excellent, and as a side, the tiny, warm Toscanelli beans with fresh olive oil are perfect.” Via Degli Scipioni, 3; terzacarbonaia.it
