Milan Food Culture

A roundup of Milan's best restaurants, tastiest classic dishes and must-visit cultural spots

“Milan is a skyscraper metropolis, a city half avant-garde, half provincial, a mixture of risotto and steel.” Alberto Lattuada, Italian Filmmaker
This quote captures the cultural and food scene in Milan so perfectly that Elizabeth De Filippo-Jones used the quote as inspiration for the name of her Milan and Lombardia region boutique travel advisory specializing in culinary and natural wine travel, Risotto and Steel.
Elizabeth says "Risotto & Steel took root in 2017, between Milan’s skyscrapers and urban farmhouses with a mission to share exciting and diverse food & drink experiences in Northern Italy with visitors from around the world. Today, they aim to celebrate the stories of Italian artisans while embracing nature, fitness, family and slow travel with a hint of old-world luxury."
Elizabeth shared her knowledge and insight into the Milanese and Lombardia food scene with me, including some of the best places to visit and eat, and must-try foods. If you plan to visit Milan, send a WhatsApp message to Elizabeth for one of her tours or with help planning your trip +39-339-217-6067. Find Elizabeth on her website or Instagram.

The classic delicious foods (and drink) Milan is famous for

You can't dig into Milan's food without first mentioning some of "Italy’s most iconic aperitifs that originated in northern Italy, along with signature mixed drinks, such as Negroni Sbagliato, Zucca Lavorato Secco, and Gin Rosa. Among these classic concoctions, the Mi-To (or Milano-Torino) was dreamed up around 1870, pairing Campari bitter made in Milan with Cinzano vermouth made in Turin." says Saveur magazine. Fernet-Branca is one:

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Some of the very best wine comes from northern Italy. One Milan-based vineyard was originally cultivated by Leonardo da Vinci, and a few years ago it was brought back to life. You can buy some of this vineyard's wine and visit the vineyard when you are in Milan.

Milanese food and recipes...
The Spruce Eats covers the list of the very best classic Milanese food, plus some recipes:
"Risotto alla Milanese - One of the symbols of Milan: a delicious, creamy golden risotto made with saffron. [see risotto recipes and photo below]
Pan-Fried Milanese Risotto - A quick and simple way to cook leftover Milanese-Style Risotto.
Milanese-Style Veal Cutlets (La cotoletta alla milanese) - A breaded veal cutlet is simple but can reach great heights.
A Milanese dish made with veal cutlets (or scaloppini) & prosciutto in a zesty lemon-parsley sauce.
Ossobuco, Stewed Veal Shanks in Meat Sauce - A classic dish traditionally served with creamy polenta. [see recipe and photo below]
Artusi's Cotoletta alla Milanese - A tasty variation on the classic Milanese-style veal cutlet, from Pellegrino Artusi.
Chilled Veal in Tuna-Caper Sauce (Vitello tonnato) - A classic summer dish, and an indispensable part of the August 15 Assumption Day feast in Milan.
Pappardelle Pasta in Wild Mushroom Sauce (Pappardelle alla boscaiola) - Thick ribbons of fresh pasta noodles in a rich, satisfying wild mushroom sauce.
Milanese-Style Minestrone - A refreshing spring minestrone with green peas, zucchini, and many other vegetables.
Meat-Filled Milanese Ravioli - Simple Milanese ravioli with a meat-based filling.
Cassoeula - A rich, satisfying Milanese pork and cabbage stew.
Milanese Tripe Soup: Busecca - Don't knock it until you've tried it; this rich, bean-filled soup is winter comfort food at its finest.
Panettone - Milan's classic Christmas Cake" [see recipe and photo below]

More on risotto...

Risotto is quintessentially Milanese and there are lots of recipes for it. It's one of my favorites, and I make it with all kinds of ingredients like seafood or pumpkin and Gorgonzola.

My delicious recipe for Ossobuco:

Panettone is the joy of the holiday season and although it's complicated, I love to make it at home and give as gifts. Here's the recipe. It also makes for delicious French toast!

Some musts when you visit Milan

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The Brera Neighborhood

Here's an excerpt from what Elizabeth De Filippo-Jones writes about Brera on her website. "

“Once a fishing village […], today it is considered the most bourgeois neighborhood in Milan.”
Enter the charming neighborhood of Brera and you’ll soon forget all thoughts of the drab, industrialist Milan. Bohemian grit began to fill the cracks between the uneven cobblestone streets here after WWII, and by the 1960s, the local cafes and galleries brimmed with neorealist filmmakers and designers vying for the Compasso d’Oro award. Due north from Milan’s tourist-filled Duomo and past the storied La Scala, austere, modern palazzos make way for colorful residential buildings, their balconies overflowing with succulents, wisteria and honeysuckle. The name Brera comes from the Lombard word ‘Braida’ which means ‘green space.’ Once a fishing village where boats arrived on canals into Milan from the Northern lakes, today it is considered the most bourgeois neighbourhood in Milan. 
To experience a hint of old-world Brera is to shop at the weekly outdoor mercato on Via San Marco, notable for its colorful, overflowing bouquets, ample fresh fish selection, multiple produce stands and Italian fashion staples such as leather gloves and cashmere sweaters. On the winding pedestrian streets, worthwhile boutiques and vintage shops are mixed with tourist-hungry restaurants (to be avoided – I recommend the old-school trattoria tucked away nearby). Brera freshly exhibits a new generation of designers and concept boutiques, and admiration of the supermodel-esque locals.

Experience Milan's historic canals

In Lombardia says: “The history of Milan's canals (known as navigli) began in the 12th century with the construction of the first navigable canal.
At the time, Milan was a city crossed by rivers and canals regulated by ingenious technical devices. Towards the end of the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci devised an innovative system of locks that would later be implemented by master engineers.
In fact, the canals of Milan originated as navigable artificial canals used for the transportation of people and goods and for irrigation. During the 20th century, with the spread of the trams and trains as a means of transport, almost all of them were completely covered.
This feature of Milan's history can be revived by taking a walk in the Navigli District, in the romantic Vicolo dei Lavandai and passing over the ancient bridges of the Naviglio Grande.
When we speak of the Navigli District in Milan we are referring to the area of the Darsena, the port of Milan next to Piazza XXIV Maggio, and the streets that run along the Naviglio Grande, which linked Milan to Switzerland, and the Naviglio Pavese, which connected the city to Pavia.
Today this area...is considered one of the most beautiful residential areas of the city. Ancient views of romantic Milan can be glimpsed along the banks of the Naviglio: "case di ringhiera" (typical houses built around a central courtyard), workshops, ancient wash houses covered by wooden beam roofs.
The Navigli District is highly popular. During the day you can visit art galleries, go shopping in the shops of artisans and wander through the antique market held on the last Sunday of each month. In the evening, this is a perfect destination for enjoying drinks and dining in the many places that make it one of the most entertaining and attractive districts of the city.”

The Milan Cathedral & neighboring Galleria

I was just a middle schooler when I first visited Milan: it was my very first Italian experience. I was gob-smacked by the beauty of the Cathedral, and I've been in love with it ever since. Whether you visit the city for a day or a week don't miss it!

Another gorgeous spot just two minutes away from the Cathedral is the Galleria. It's got everything: beauty, fabulous shops, vibrant Milanese lifestyle, places to grab a quick cocktail and do some people watching. Let's not forget: Milan is also one of the world's fashion capitals, so what better place to people watch than the breathtaking Galleria?

Gorgonzola, the cheese and town - it's on the Milan metro line!

In Lombardia says "Gorgonzola is a soft cheese with a white straw colour, curdled at 28-32° with veal rennet. About one hundred litres of milk go into making a 12 Kg wheel of cheese. The cheese is prepared by layering cooled curds.
After a few days the cheese is dry-salted for several days at a temperature of 18-20 °. The aging process, which lasts from two to three months, is carried out in a humid environment at 2-4 °. During maturation, the cheese is pierced several times to encourage the development of various strains of pennicillum, characteristic of gorgonzola and the element responsible for the cheese's green / blue colour (marbling)
While it is not known exactly when this cheese was originally made, its earliest historic traces date back to the 15th century, in the town of Gorgonzola, near Milan, from which it takes its name. There are many legends surrounding its origins. Some people attribute its creation to a young dairyman who, in love with the daughter of his master and distracted by the thought of his darling, mistakenly blended two different curds together to form this strange cheese."

Milan Restaurants

The list is never-ending and Elizabeth De Filippo-Jones will get reservation set up for you anywhere that's on your bucket list.
My friend, fellow food aficionado and Milan native, Marco Cervone, has a list of he and his wife Jana's favorites that he shared with me – each and every one is great:
Seafood: la Trattoria del Pescatore, for the best lobster alla catalana ever!
Meat: L'Uccellina, for an amazing fiorentina steak
Moroccan: Maison Touareg
Sushi: Zero OR Hana
Italian refined cuisine: Da Vic
Seafood in a romantic setting: l'Angolo Nascosto, in the garden
Outstanding location: Cavoli a Merenda, on the terrace
For a not-to-be missed experience: Erba Brusca
Chic: Il luogo di Aimo e Nadia
Raw seafood “spettacolare”: Acqua Pazza, OR A' Riccione Bistrot

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