The Milanese go there, those who live in the area (or work there) and so know the neighborhood and choose the best (after they have tried everything else). In the morning, for breakfast, you find busy ladies experiencing the cappuccino life at the bar like one of the events of the day (they meet friends, children, colleagues and talk, talk, talk), while at lunch, in downtown restaurants, there are the regulars who come alone and position themselves, for years, at the usual table; in the evening, for dinner, out of nostalgia or rebellion against the domination of sushi, they try the flavours of the past, perhaps revised by new generations.
MAROTIN
A small coffee shop with pastries, ideal for breakfast, but also for an afternoon tea. The pastel-colored walls and a small loft welcome customers, which are numerous especially in the morning; the place is small and therefore, in summer, they decided to equip the steps in front of the windows too with long tailored cushions and small tables that look like those of a dollhouse. There’s the choice
of many croissants (also to be filled at the moment), but the plain one is the cappuccino’s best friend. Via Archimede, 59, Telephone: +39 02 7395 7790.
TRATTORIA MILANESE
At lunch, you go to the city center. Those who work there, stay there; those who have to meet a client take them to a quiet corner to conclude a deal, with the complicity of a risotto. The Trattoria Milanese hasn’t changed for 50 years; it’s busy, visited by regulars (old men in loden, equipped with Corriere della Sera), but also financial managers (the Stock Exchange Lunch at Trattoria Milanese, in the heart of the city. is not far away). It can happen you sit so close together that it’s impossible not to “hear” the conversation (Italians speak with the body, so you can follow even if you do not know the language). The choice of menu (very dense) is varied, but the waiter can make recommendations; for lunch, a single course, like a risotto Milanese with ossobuco, is recommended. Rice is a classic, it is therefore always on the stove (they prepare it quickly); if you ask for wine, the glass is not one used for tasting, and accompanies every meal. Coffee comes with pleasant biscuits. Prices are not moderate, but traveling in time is never cheap. Via Santa Marta very much reflects old Milan. Walking, you can come across doors that let you see the courtyards and gardens of a heroic beauty, and some shops less overrated than those in the center (Funky Tables Trattoria Trippa and its owners. 19, casa and decor, and Wait And See, 14, fashion). Via Santa Marta, 11; tel. + 39 02 8645 1991.
TRIPPA
If you have to choose an area of the town for the evening, Porta Romana (the Roman gate) can offer many places for an aperitif and dinner. Recent, but tied to tradition, is Trattoria Trippa (Tripe restaurant). Simple surroundings like the cooking, with tasty food and - last but not least in the city - affordable prices. Among the proposals a la carte: vinegar, black pepper and silene (a herb used in common cooking) risotto; spaghetti with tuna, coffee and lemon, grass pea and nettle soup. The clientele is varied, from fashionistas to gourmand, because the chef (Diego Rossi) has had a lot of experience in star rated restaurants and this is his first own restaurant. Via Giorgio Vasari 3, Tel. + 39 02 36741134. Dinner
only!
