Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
€€
(Via San Marco, 24;
%
02-6597653; no
credit cards; Mon-Fri, closed Aug; Metro: Moscova)
was once dispensing milk and
eggs to a press of neighborhood shoppers, but now the emphasis is on serving the
La Brera neighborhood delicious, homemade fare in a room decorated with paint-
ings and photographs of roses. The minestrone and other vegetable soups are deli-
cious, as are the many variations of risotto, including the typical
riso al salto,
a
delicious dish of leftover
risotto alla milanese
that is fried with butter. The menu
changes daily, and the friendly staff, including owners Arturo and Maria, won't
mind explaining the different dishes. The place is tiny, doesn't take reservations,
and is immensely popular, so arrive right when it opens at 7:30pm—or wait until
9pm or later, when a few tables will free up as the early-dining tourist clientele
clears out and the locals take over.
Restaurants near Stazione Centrale & Corso Buenos Aires
€
The main business at
Latteria
55
If you're looking for an excellent, cheap, and quick meal near the train sta-
tion, head to the nearby branch of
Brek
(Via Lepetit, 20;
%
02-6705149; www.
brek.com; closed Sun lunch; Metro: Stazione Centrale),
one of the world's best
quick-casual food chains. Even when the Italians do something as low-concept as
a cafeteria, they can't help but make it fashionable and pour their hearts into the
quality of the food. At the various food-prep stations, the friendly and helpful
staff make pasta and risotto dishes on the spot, and roast pork, veal, and chicken
to order. The large selection of cheeses would put many a formal restaurant to
shame, and you can even get excellent wines in tiny bottles. Best of all: Almost
every dish goes for just
€
3 to
€
8. There's another branch at Via dell'Annunciata,
2
(
%
02-653619),
just off Piazza Cavour, a 5-minute walk from the Brera
museum, the shops of the Quadrilatero d'Oro, and the Giardini Pubblici park.
€€€€
Decidedly more upscale, and a few blocks from the southern end of
Corso Buenos Aires, is the worthy splurge of
Joia
55
(Via P. Castaldi, 18;
%
02-2049244; www.joia.it; Mon-Fri, closed Aug; Metro: Repubblica),
once
called by Michelin the best vegetarian restaurant in Europe. (Translation: Book
ahead, and bring your credit cards.) The innovative vegetarian creations of Swiss
chef Pietro Leemann—a welcome respite from Northern Italy's orientation to red
meat—incorporate the freshest vegetables and herbs in a seasonally changing
menu. You can even fiddle around with the traditional Italian menu, ordering first
courses as main courses, and many of the main courses can be served as appe-
tizers. The one drawback is the price:
€
17 or
€
18 for first courses—whew!
They've recently opened a
branch
at Corso di Porta Ticinese, 106
(
%
02-
89404134; closed Mon lunch and Sun),
in the hopping Navigli district.
Restaurants in the Navigli
You can't swing a salami without smacking some place in which to eat or drink
along the quays of Milan's defunct canal system. The former warehouses are now
packed with bars, pubs,
pizzerie, trattorie,
and restaurants. Here are a few of my
faves.
5
€
(Via Alzaia
Naviglio Grande, 2;
%
02-89400648; closed Tues lunch; tram: 3, 15, 29, 30, or
The most popular pizzeria in the Navigli,
Premiata Pizzeria
