Legendary dishes and restaurants on the food map of Milan, Italy

Trippa alla milanese (busecca). Photo from https://www.facebook.com/lapesatrattoria1902

To put it simply, trippa alla milanese, or busecca, is Lombard-style tripe and beans. The wholesome stew, enriched by adding a variety of local vegetables, herbs, and tomato purée, used to be a favorite countryside staple around Milan. And if you have read any of our dish guides before, you can easily guess the reason for its popularity – availability of ingredients – the driving force that inspires people to create many culinary stars, such as pizza, gumbo, casserole, cornbread, etc. You won’t often find trippa at gourmet institutions (which, in our view, is a pity). But in winter, cozy traditional trattorias always include the humble hearty busecca in the list of their daily specials.

The best place to sample busecca in Milan is one of the oldest restaurants in the city called Trattoria La Pesa dal 1902. As the name suggests, it is a family-run establishment serving the community for over 120 years near the San Siro stadium. Like its signboard, the gastronomic offering has remained unchanged for many decades and stays faithful to the historic Milanese tradition. However, the decor has had a recent facelift to give the premises a more homey, modern, and comforting vibe. The interiors are simple and welcoming, featuring olive green walls, sea blue chairs, dark wood paneled flooring, and hanging wicker baskets along with house potted plants and pans.

The Sassi family’s 3rd generation now manages the trattoria and serves delicious authentic Lombardy cuisine. You can indulge in classic dishes, such as tripe with white beans, veal ossobuco with saffron risotto, sautéed veal kidney with potato purée, pork shank with baked potatoes, braised beef cheeks placed on a bed of mashed potatoes, and sliced sirloin with buttered spinach. Do not miss dessert items like lemon sorbet, tiramisu, and berry cheesecake.

Average bill – $44

Risotto alla milanese. Photo from https://www.facebook.com/Pellico3

Without any fear of coming off as trivial, we present to you risotto alla milanese. On one hand, every piece on the subject of Italian staples will feature the specialty, but on the other hand, you can’t simply walk into Milan and avoid this mouthwatering delight. Turns out, the Renaissance period has blessed us not only with the greatest artists of all time, including Michelangelo Buonarotti, Leonardo da Vinci, and Sandro Botticelli but also with a unique kind of saffron-infused rice dish.

For risotto to reach its iconic creaminess, experienced chefs use Arborio or Carnaroli grains known for their high starch content. Plus, let’s not forget about the magic of butter (yes, this le roi ingredient is not limited to French cuisine). The combination of home-cooked chicken stock, black pepper, grated Parmesan, white wine, and parsley creates an irresistible symphony that will tantalize your taste buds.

Enjoy a contemporary version of the classic Milanese risotto inside the luxurious Park Hyatt at Pellico 3 situated just a few meters from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. It is a gourmet restaurant helmed by Executive Chef Guido Paternollo, who has polished his culinary skills by working with the likes of Enrico Bartolini, Alain Ducasse, and Yannick Alléno.

The establishment’s premises have been designed by Flaviano Capriotti Architetti, who transformed the space into an environment where haute cuisine and craftsmanship coexist. The ambiance is inspired by the Mediterranean culture and utilizes natural local elements like lime, olive green lacquered panels covering the walls, Douglas fir wood, woven wicker, green serpentine, and works signed by talented artists: Paolo Canevari, Davide Balliano, and Claudio Verna.

The kitchen team creates a seasonal tasting menu and an à la carte offering of modern Italian food. Some of the scrumptious dishes you can sample here are saffron risotto with smoked eel, charred asparagus with salmon roe, langoustine sweetbread in curry, spaghetti with sea urchin in smoked anchovy butter, and poached blue lobster with olive tapenade. Pair your meal with their extensive wine list featuring French, Sicilian, and Tuscan labels.

Tasting menu – $130

Panettone. Photo from https://www.facebook.com/panettonevergani

Germans refer to it as Stollen and add rum-soaked dry fruits to the dough kneaded for the winter celebrations, Russians savor the festive Easter sweet bread in spring. In Italy, the beloved sugary Christmas treat has a more melodic name – panettone.

The tall, dome-shaped cake was invented in Milan in the 15th century by a cook called Toni for Duke Ludovico Sforza. He immediately fell in love with this tender dessert dubbing it pan di Toni, which has later on transformed into panettone. The authentic recipe is prepared using flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and yeast. Loaded with raisins and candied fruits, the specialty is best enjoyed with a steaming hot cup of coffee or cocoa.

Vergani is the oldest family-run Milanese artisanal bakery that produces panettone on an industrial scale. Started as a small pastry shop in 1944, it is today a workplace that specializes in delicious goods and sweets for unique celebrations. For over 80 years, the family has preserved the traditional recipe and creation process of the original dessert.

They have also added many newer items to their productions, such as Colomba Pasquale, chiacchiere, croissants, and Veneziana. The bakery manufactures over 600,000 loaves of panettone every year, with some for export to countries like France, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the USA. But their flagship establishment is also a café, where visitors can relish delightful breakfast dishes, including croissant sandwiches with ham and cheese, toasted bread with prosciutto, salted speck with Gouda, apple-stuffed pies, and toasted brioche bun with mortadella and shaved Parmesan. Vergani also offers hot and cold beverage selections like coffees, teas, Aperol spritz, Negroni, limoncello, and prosecco to accompany your meal.

Average bill – $33

Torta paradiso. Photo from https://www.facebook.com/IginioMassari

While torta paradiso originated in Pavia back in the 19th century as a piece of heaven pioneered by Chef Enrico Vigoni, it became a countrywide success after winning the gold medal at the Milan International Exhibition in 1906. The symbol of Lombardy desserts, this indulgence is renowned for its fluffy, tender texture, achieved by strictly maintaining the same room temperature during the entire preparation process. Arguably, the best thing about torta paradiso is that it’s easy to bake. You’ll need only a few ingredients, such as flour, unsalted butter, egg yolks, potato starch, and sugar. As far as the imagination goes, pastry chefs keep experimenting with the filling, adding custard, fruits, or chocolate. We suggest you try various interpretations and don’t forget to share in the comments, which one won over your heart.

If you are craving a slice of literal heaven in Milan, then we recommend visiting Galleria Iginio Massari located in Via Marconi near the Duomo. It is the confectionery shop of the best pâtissier in Italy. The famous food and wine magazine, Gambero Rosso, recently awarded Maestro Massari his ninth consecutive Tre Torte score of 95 points out of 100, which is the highest in the country.

As you enter the premises, it feels like an open laboratory where skilled bakers are preparing decadent desserts and pastries. The interiors are upscale and luxurious, characterized by bright colors of gold and white, coupled with smart display lights designed by Buzzi & Buzzi – an Italian high-end illumination provider.

Besides torte paradiso, guests can find an amazing assortment of classic creations such as Sacher cake, tiramisù, cream puffs, praline, biscotti frollini, biscotti Danesi, bussolà, panettone, gelatine de frutta, la colomba, and ciambella di nonna Rachele. There is no seating available inside the bakery, so we advise taking your food along with a coffee to-go and picking one of the open public benches outside.

Average bill – $29

Il Milanese. Photo from https://www.facebook.com/hotelRosaGrand

Before you finish this mini-course on local cuisine, here is a quick one for the road – Il Milanese – the signature drink of the Rosa Grand Milano Hotel. For those of you who expected to see the name of Negroni sbagliato, this cocktail might turn out to become a pleasant juniper discovery. Experience fresh botanicals of Saffron Gin elevated by adding a splash of the herbal Antica Formula vermouth and a sugary note of simple syrup. While at its alma mater, Il Milanese is usually served with a breaded cutlet, we encourage you to have the amber, slightly bitter, and citrusy mix as a solo apéritif. And if you decide to do a little bartending and recreate the Italian staple at home, we recommend stirring the ingredients with ice by using a bar spoon instead of shaking them – it will help maintain the appealing crystal clear look of the liquid when you strain it into a whisky glass. Salute!

Head to the Grand Lounge & Bar at the Art Deco Rosa Grand Hotel in the heart of Milan for a nightcap accompanied by exquisite small plates of food. This fine-dining establishment is open to visitors till late in the evening and makes for a great place to relax at the end of a hectic travel day.

The lavish room is designed in an elegant manner, consisting of regal furnishings, gold detailing, large floor-to-ceiling mirrors, subtle table lamps, velvety soft armchairs, and wooden parquet flooring. The culinary team offers an extensive menu ranging from simple pizzas to royal lobster rolls. Patrons of the restaurant can indulge in gastronomic delights – Milanese cutlets with rosemary potatoes, baked salmon filet with seasonal vegetables, diavola pizza, beef tartare with summer truffle shavings, chicken tagliatelle in tomato chili pepper sauce, and roasted chicken leg with root vegetables in peppercorn sauce. Their drinks selection features a wide list of signature cocktails like Il Milanese, basil smash, Hugo, old fashioned, black Russian, and Negroni, as well as wines, beers, hot beverages, sweet liquors, and spirits.

Average bill – $77 (including drinks)

Milan is one of the cities that simply cannot be thoroughly explored in one go. For your impression not to be superficial and disconnected, we suggest focusing on a single major aspect: be it fashion milieu, historic architecture, artistic heritage, or culinary scene. To get a better understanding of all the perks the Italian metropolis has to offer, check out our insightful guides:

Most famous pasta dishes and where to try them in Milan, Italy
Things to do in Milan on a budget
When you wish upon a Michelin star in Milan, Italy
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