Story: Truong Anh Ngoc
Photos: Shutterstock
Beyond its fashion and finance, Milan is a city best discovered one memorable meal at a time.
Milan is not only Italy’s capital of fashion and commerce, but also seduces travelers with its cuisine. From golden saffron-scented risotto and veal sandwiches to warm, sweet cups of barbajada, the city is more than capable of winning over even the most demanding palate.
There’s more to Milan than fashion
A friend once told me that Milan is not Italy’s culinary capital. Fashion, certainly. Commerce, of course. But cuisine and scenery, compared with Rome, Venice, or Florence?
No, my friend. The capital of Lombardy is also a remarkable culinary hub. And it’s not just Milan itself, but its surroundings as well. The region about 100 kilometers from the city offers plenty to delight food lovers.
Golden saffron in Brera
I was sitting in a small restaurant in Brera, happily savoring one of Milan’s most exceptional dishes: risotto alla Milanese. Before me lay a deep white plate holding a composition of beautiful colors, steaming gently and fragrant with cheese and saffron. There was the golden hue of Italian rice, the milky white of finely shaved Parmesan, dark specks of black pepper, and the green of chopped parsley. This is one of the dishes I seek out whenever I return to Milan, the birthplace of this rich and deeply flavorful rice dish.
Few people realize that risotto alla Milanese can also be made with beef marrow, which makes it even richer and more intensely flavorful. Naturally, many variations have emerged over time to make it more accessible to modern diners. Yet the traditional version with saffron, said to date back to the 16th century, remains Milan’s most distinctive.
In Brera, the experience takes on a particular charm. This is a quieter neighborhood, with historic mansions, cobbled streets, museums, and courtyards full of artistic spirit. Brera offers a very different sense of Milan: contemplative, slow-paced, and poetic. From somewhere in the distance, music poured from a small café. There was a clatter of cutlery at lunchtime, and the lively chatter of high school students just out of class.
In Milan, there are many small restaurants like the one where I ate. Once inside, the waiter will hand you a menu filled with page after page of risotto options. All you have to do is choose – or, if the selection overwhelms you, ask the waiter for guidance.
Lunch and stops along the way
A plate of risotto, a mixed salad, and a light glass of white wine form my standard lunch whenever I am in Milan. The energy the dish provides is wonderful. But what if, after a long walk, you need something more substantial?
In that case, Milan offers another excellent answer through its street food. This is a city that knows how to reward pauses taken along the way. I remember once stopping at a small place on Via Laghetto, just a few steps from the Duomo. It offered a heavenly Milanese veal sandwich.
Thin slices of veal were drizzled with lemon juice, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried until golden, before being tucked into focaccia – the traditional flat Italian bread with its crisp golden crust. The vendor might add cheese, mayonnaise, red lettuce, a few thin slices of raw tomato, and rocket leaves, making the sandwich – already large and thick – even more difficult to hold. Believe me, it was one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten.
A cup of barbajada for an active afternoon
If you think a sandwich after lunch might be too much, Milan has something else to help you unwind: barbajada. This delicious drink is usually made with coffee, milk, whipped chocolate, and a layer of fresh cream on top.
Barbajada is perfect if you enjoy the sweetness of cream and chocolate but want a caffeine boost to stay alert. And do you know the best way to enjoy it in winter, especially in the weeks leading up to Christmas? Break off pieces of panettone – the large sweet bread that is closely associated with Milan – and dip them into your barbajada.
Dinner in a city full of flavors
On my most recent trip to Milan, I had an unforgettable experience at Beef Club Milano on Via Giovanni Boccaccio. As the name suggests, this restaurant is devoted to meat, especially beef and steak. Excellent cuts from Argentina, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and elsewhere are all on offer, waiting for diners to choose.
I sat before a plate of rare Bavarian beef fillet, fragrant and perfectly cooked, and happily imagined savoring it one bite at a time. There is no shortage of restaurants like this in Italy, and they leave diners amazed. How can there be so many different kinds of steak, all so delicious?
Beef Club Milano is not large. From the outside, it looks more like an upscale boutique than a steakhouse. But inside, it is always full, with a warm, carefully composed modern atmosphere. In a city with a palate as discerning as Milan’s, a place like this will make any meat lover eager to come back for more.
Staying for more than one dinner
There are, of course, many more flavors to discover in Milan, and much depends on your personal tastes. Every city in Italy takes pride in its finest contributions to the country’s cuisine – and to the world’s.
Milan has plenty to satisfy even the most demanding gourmets. The areas beyond the city, with their romantic lakes, waterside towns, and lyrical scenery, can turn even the driest soul into a poet.
Milan is waiting for you.
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