The Best Restaurants To Experience Italian Food In Milan

Milan is a city where culture is incredibly diversified. You can find people from all around the country and the truth is that basically all cuisines are represented. While you can easily locate various restaurants that offer different cuisines, you will find it a little difficult to find those that offer Italian cuisine.

Italian cuisine is all about various traditional dishes that come from every region in the country. With this in mind, let us consider some really interesting Milan restaurants that you will want to take into account in the event that you want something special. Keep in mind that some of the restaurants are included in the best food tours of Milan but the diversity of Italian cuisine is rarely properly represented through such a tour. You will want to look for the specialties you want to try.

Piedmontese Cuisine

1. Trattoria Aurora
This restaurant is located right in the middle of Milan, close to Navigli. It is a small and quite familiar restaurant for locals, offering the best of Piedmontese cuisine. Pasta and bread here are always handmade and the Bagna Cauda needs to be considered. It is served as a fondue and is really tasty.

2. Trattoria Masuelli S. Marco
You cannot miss this location. It offers traditional Piedmontese cuisine with a special Milanese touch. The restaurant was opened an impressive 90 years ago. The style is old-fashioned, classic and guests always love the experience.

Ligurian Cuisine

1. Pizeria Del Ponte
If you want to experience traditional Genoese focaccia at a Milan restaurant, this is the one to consider. You can easily try the Recco traditional focaccia and pizza that is made with special ingredients that come directly from Liguria. The really impressive thing here is the atmosphere. It is simply cozy and highly welcoming.

2. U Barba This is a trendy and informal restaurant. Enjoy a classic Genoese lunch and shop for some handmade pasta. Make sure that you try the trofie here. It is served with pesto sauce.

3. Osteria Via Pre The old-fashioned atmosphere is always reality here. You will feel like in an ancient restaurant. Based on traditional Genoese customs, the cuisine is 100% genuine. Try the pansotti once you are there. It is served with vegetable soup and tomato sauce.

Lombardian Cuisine

1. Al Garghet
The atmosphere here is intimate and the soft lights are welcoming. The restaurant is really comfortable and the vegetable soups are really delicious. All desserts are hand made with the use of genuine ingredients. You will also appreciate the fact that the menu is written in Milanese dialect.

2. Antica Trattoria Della Pesa
Many locals see this as the best restaurant in the city. You can taste some really great Lombardy dishes. It was opened in the year 1880 so we can say that we are looking at a historical restaurant. You can easily try a Milanese risotto with ossobuco. The atmosphere makes you feel as you are living in the past and. Just remember the fact that this restaurant is a little expensive. However, you can experience some authentic Milanese flavors that are not available anywhere else.

Veneto Cuisine

When referring to Veneto cuisine, you will want to consider La Tana Del Lupo. It has a very cozy atmosphere and you can taste the really typical polenta, which is cornmeal that is boiled into a porridge, eating baked or directly grilled or fried. You will love the fireplace as it makes the entire atmosphere more intimate and familiar.

Emilia Romagna Cuisine

1. Tigella’s
This is a fancy restaurant but the atmosphere is still cozy. Here you can try various specialties from Modena like tigelle, which go perfectly with ham and salami and is a traditional Emilia Romagna bread made with the use of flour.

2. Ristorante Da Giordano Il Bolognese
The restaurant is renowned for the delicious, genuine handmade pasta that it offers. It is a perfect location in Milan if you want some tortellini or lasagna. The traditional and familiar atmosphere is practically a place that you can easily fall in love with. Mix up the pasta with some fruits to replenish your Vitamin D doses and then go for a walk or travel to another restaurant.

Tuscany Cuisine

1. La Tavernetta Da Elio
In a very familiar and simple atmosphere you can experience traditional dishes like papa al pomodoro, which is a Tuscan soup that is usually made with bread, basil, garlic, olive oil and tomatoes. Try some trippa and make sure that you consider the restaurant if you want to taste a part of Tuscany cuisine.

2. Ristorante Alle Colline Senesi
This is a restaurant that you have to always consider in the event that the weather is a little cold and you want something that is traditionally Tuscan. Taste their Ribollita and pici with sausages. If this is not enough, consider the Florentine steak and the spelt soup.

Lazio Cuisine

1. Nonna Maria Osteria Romana
The restaurant is quite small but you will feel comfortable. You will enjoy the lunch there if you want something that is truly genuine. If you consider a visit, the carbonara pasta has to be tried.

2. Cacio E Pepe
This is something different, offering quite a typical Roman experience, helping you to enjoy delicious artichokes, among many others. The design style is contemporary. That is interesting since most of the dishes in the menu come from Roman cuisine.

Abruzzo Cuisine

If you are looking for Abruzzo cuisine in Milan, Il Capestrano should be visited. It is interestingly arranged in 4 rooms, each dedicated to one Abruzzo region. You will find the very best arrosticini in the city. To make everything even more attractive, the dishes and the decorations are reinterpreted, becoming more modern.

Campania Cuisine

1. Friienno Magnammo
All the ingredients utilized here are fresh and genuine, according to Campania traditional cuisine. In addition, here you can shop for Campania specialties after you enjoy the traditional dishes.

2. Nisida
In the event that you are looking for one of the best pizzas in Milan, visit Nisidia. Every dish is prepared with fresh ingredients, including mozzarella di bufala or paccheri cooked with fresh tomatoes.

Keep in mind that these are just some of the Italian cuisines that are covered in Milan. Many others exist with dozens of other restaurants. Learn all that you can about the cuisines that are available so that you can enjoy something that is truly special. According to Travel Tipsor, Milan is the perfect city in Italy to experience all the cuisine that Italy has to offer. It is actually better than Rome. This is surprising to say the least. If you know other great restaurants in Milan that offer a traditional experience and that you see as being great, make sure that you comment and make a recommendation.

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Guest Post: Buon appetito!

Fed up with microwave Bolognese or the same old choices from the pizza menu? Try sampling the food in Tuscany and Sicily, two of Italy’s most famous regions for foodies.

If you had to name one European region that had food and wine at its very essence, it would be hard not to choose Tuscany in the north-west of Italy. Tuscany holidays are all about spectacular rolling countryside dappled in sunlight and glasses of chilled Chianti, but they are also about fantastically authentic Italian food.

The gateway to discovering this wonderful gastronomic heritage is the city of Florence, home of the Renaissance and a destination that will spark a rebirth in your interest in great food, no matter how tired your palate. Forget molecular cuisine and gourmet meals, the key here is simplicity, and there’s nothing like filling a basket from a small deli with schiacciata bread, marzolino cheese and some Tuscan salami. Find a spot in one of the beautiful city gardens and soak up the flavours in the afternoon sun.

In the surrounding countryside, the famed wine regions of Chianti and Montalcino await. Most of the experiences here centre around the vineyards, and instead of the bargain bin at the supermarket, you can taste superbly-made Montepulciano and Chianti the way they were meant to be drunk – surrounded by the beauty of Tuscany. There are hidden Michelin-starred restaurants dotted around the region, but perhaps best of all are the family-run trattorias, where the most flavourful of dishes are served up in simple, honest surroundings.

You can choose from a host of UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a backdrop to your foodie adventure, from the cathedral and square in Pisa to the historic centres of San Gimignano and Pienza. The outstanding beauty of the region comes though in all of its best-loved dishes, from wild boar pappardelle to white truffles and Florentine steaks. With so much visual and culinary distraction around, it’s amazing that the famous artists of the region got any work done at all.

Good food and drink spans Italy, of course, and you can travel the whole length of the country discovering exciting specialities, even all the way down to the glorious Mediterranean island of Sicily. (If you look at a map, it’s the ‘ball’ being kicked by the Italian mainland.) Holidays in Sicily are just as appealing as those in Tuscany for foodies. Its very different landscape and culture offers uniquely interesting items to the menu. The warm Mediterranean climate means that fresh citrus fruits, olives and all manner of herbs and spices are readily available, and the diverse cultures that have influenced the island – Arabic, Spanish and Greek among others – have all left their mark on the food.

Wander around any of the markets in places such as Palermo, Ragusa or Catania, and you can pick up delicacies such as arancine (rice balls) or sfincione, which is a regional pizza with the distinction of being made without cheese. Many of the recipes go back hundreds of years as Sicily is one of Italy’s most historic regions. There’s even a strong argument that Italy’s most famous dish – spaghetti – was invented here.

Given the abundance of fruits, it’s no surprise that the desserts in Sicily are nothing short of spectacular. The soft texture of gelato ice cream is known across the globe, and here you can sample some of the most authentic flavours, from pistachio to floral favourites such as jasmine. Another diet-challenging sweet is cannoli, the long tubular pastry usually served with ricotta cheese and – in the best places – small chunks of candied fruit.

Again, there are historic attractions to explore and work off a few calories. Among them are the UNESCO-recognised Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and the mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale.

All of this adds to the sheer pleasure of eating Italian food the way it was meant to be eaten, surrounded by culture, sunshine and the odd carafe of wine. Buon appetito!

About the Author: Paul Oswell is a freelance travel writer based in the UK. Over the years he has visited and written about many European destinations. His favourite Italian food is Spaghetti alle vongole.

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Magic Italy–Fine Italian Dining, Palolem Beach, South Goa

If you are holidaying at Palolem in South Goa and wish to indulge in some fine Italian dining, then look no further than Magic Italy. This Italian restaurant is situated on the beach road of Palolem’s main market.


The place is not easily noticeable, but if you ask any local, they will correctly point you to the restaurant. The place has a decent ambience, but nothing extraordinary. But, when it comes to the food, they are truly magnificent.


Their specialities are ravioli and pizzas. Even their fettuccini and pasta are quite popular. And to add to this they carry a great range of vino (Wines). The menu card says that all herbs, condiments, cheese and olive oil have been imported from Italy. Well, that statement must be true as this place is always bustling with customers, especially foreign nationals. And all this fine dining experience comes at a very reasonable price. They are nearly the same price as the beach facing restaurants at Palolem. I had dinner a couple of times here and came back very pleased and satisfied on both occasions. I would recommend you try this place out if you happen to be at Palolem in South Goa.

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Nirvana – A Great Lounge and Restaurant at Hyderabad

If you happen to be in Hyderabad and wish to taste some authentic local cuisine and soak in a great lounge like atmosphere, then do visit the Nirvana Restaurant. This tastefully done up lounge-restaurant is located on the 4th floor of Lumbini Mall on Road No.2, Banjara Hills.

This place has an amazing bar and an excellent kitchen. My friends swear by the Nizami Murgh Biryani here. Me being a vegetarian, I can only vouch for their vegetarian fare.

The service is excellent and the dimly-lit paths surrounded by waterways, fountains and rose-petals is certainly very soothing. These guys have an exhaustive menu dealing in Indian, Hyderabadi, Italian and Mediterranean dishes. The food is fairly priced. For such an ambience and taste, the cost is very much within reach. 

I like this place so much that I tend to plonk myself for at least a couple of hours during my every single visit to Hyderabad.

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