Milan Food & Drink Recommendations

Get our experts' recommendations in your pocket! We've created a Google Map list so you can access the best eateries, cafés, and bars in Lisbon—anytime, anywhere.

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Once simple wine bars, osterias have grown into beloved eateries where locals savor Milanese dishes crafted from fresh, local ingredients. Trattorias have always focused on food, offering hearty, rustic meals in a warm and unpretentious setting. Their menus shift with the seasons, reflecting the best of what nearby farmers and markets provide.

Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone | Menu | Location

The Salumaio di Montenapoleone has been a cherished part of Milan’s history since 1957 and is famed for its exquisite Italian cuisine.

Trattoria del Nuovo Macello | Menu | Location

Rooted in tradition, the Trattoria del Nuovo Macello has been a family-run Milanese institution since 1959.

Antica Trattoria del Gallo | Menu | Location

Traditional Lombard dishes with the coolest interior design. You can’t skip the risotto al salto.

Trattoria Trippa | Menu | Location

This retro-style restaurant serves top-quality Italian dishes, including Milanese risotto, vitello tonnato, and its signature tripe, making it one of Italy's finest trattorias.

Premiata Trattoria Arlati dal 1936 | Menu | Location

Tucked away from Milan’s bustling center, this elegant, family-owned restaurant is well worth the journey.

Al Matarel | Menu | Location

Take a step into 1980 and visit this traditional Milanese restaurant. Excellent cotoletta.

In Milan, cafés serve as vibrant social hubs where Milanese savor expertly crafted espresso and cappuccinos alongside a selection of pastries and sweets. From rich, creamy cappuccini and smooth macchiatos to delicate pastries like cannoncini and panettone, the emphasis is on quality, ambiance, and the art of the perfect coffee break.

Marchesi 1824  | Menu | Location
One of the most beautiful cafes of the city. If you want to bring back home a taste of the old fashioned Milanese flair, buy yourself a box of marron glacé with candied violets, or during the holiday season, an amazing panettone.

Pavé | Menu | Location

Here you will find a vast assortment of puff pastries and croissants. Our favorites include mother dough butter croissants filled with jam and Madagascar vanilla cream, pain au chocolat, kipfel, savory croissants, plum cakes, sweet focaccias… Oye, we could go on.

Bar Luce | Website | Location

Located within Fondazione Prada – one of our favorite Milanese galleries – Bar Luce is a mid-century style cafe designed by movie director Wes Anderson.

Orsonero Coffee | Instagram | Location

The perfect haven for lovers of third-wave coffee, scandi style caffès and Italy.

Fòla | Menu | Location

This coffee shop and bakery is located in the artistic neighborhood of Isola. We’re big fans of their dreamy croissants and iced lattes.

From fried pizza to Korean home cooking, this list highlights Milan locals’ appreciation for both traditional and global flavors. 

Smoking hot panzerotto – a personal pizza folded in half and fried – with a view of the Duomo, what else?

It's like stepping into a Korean's home kitchen. The food is amazing, the flavors are authentic and not "watered down" to fit the Italian palate. Delicious.

Bentoteca | Menu | Location

Massimo Bottura – the former chef at fine dining restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena – came to Milan and opened this more relaxed Japanese eatery.

Sidewalk Kitchens | Current Kitchens | Location

Five different permanent food kiosks with covered outdoor seating. You can order from any or all of the kiosks, offering something for everyone.

MARGHE | Menu | Location

One of the best places in Milan to grab a Neapolitan-style pizza.

Milan is renowned for its high-end dining scene, offering a range of Michelin-starred restaurants and upscale eateries. Fine dining in Milan often emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients, exceptional wine pairings, and elegant, contemporary settings, reflecting the city’s cosmopolitan flair.

Reminder: many fine dining restaurants book out far in advance. We recommend making a reservation as soon as possible if you’d like to experience fine dining in Milan.

Seta | Menu + Reservations | Location

Led by acclaimed chef Antonio Guida, Seta is a two Michelin-starred restaurant, renowned for its innovative take on Italian cuisine in a beautifully designed setting with striking glass windows.

Cracco | Menu + Reservations | Location

This restaurant showcases a refined menu that includes unexpected dishes alongside traditional favorites.

Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia | Menu + Reservations | Location

With history dating back more than 60 years to a trattoria on Via Montecuccoli, this spot has grown to become a Michelin Star restaurant.

On a night out in Milan, you'll step into dimly lit spaces with sleek decor, where the hum of lively conversation sets a tone of effortless sophistication. From classic Negronis to inventive craft cocktails, each bar offers a seamless blend of style, flavor, and Milanese elegance.

Visit the neighborhood in the late afternoon and enjoy the sunset along the canal before going inside to enjoy amazing cocktails and snacks you won’t be able to put down.

Another spot to get amazing cocktails on the Naviglio Grande canal, with antique furniture donated by an old Argentinian pharmacy.

If you strike up a conversation with the right people at MAG Cafè, you may eventually track down the key to finding this hidden social club, inspired by the prohibition-era American speakeasy.

Located on the rooftop of the Excelsior Hotel Gallia, this restaurant and bar offers unique views over Milan.

Highly popular, but well worth squeezing in to enjoy one of their unique and iconic cocktails.

Rooted in the late 18th century, this beloved social tradition combines light snacks with pre-dinner drinks – like the Negroni or Spritz – offering a perfect way to unwind after a busy day.

The birthplace of the Negroni sbagliato – a twist on the classic Negroni cocktail – and one of the best places in Milan for aperitivo.

One of Milan's most famous bars and, according to legend, where the concept of Aperitivo with food was invented.

A relaxed aperitivo spot in Parco Sempione. It used to be a dairy farm, giving you the feeling of being in the countryside, while in the heart of the city.

Cozy neighborhood bar in Risorgimento with small plates, beer and good wine. Good atmosphere for aperitivo.

Located in a touristy area, but is enjoyed by locals thanks to its impressive views of both the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Piazza Duomo.