37 Best Restaurants in Milan, Italy

The Zàini family opened its chocolate factory here in 1913, on a side street off Corso Como. Today, its black-and-white marble-tile-floored and chandelier-lit café is a stop for coffee paired with a Zàini classic like Emilia (dark chocolate named after the family's nanny) or Boero (cherry cordial); or dozens of cakes and other sweets. There's a second location at Viale Piave 17, in Porta Venezia.

Zibo used to wander Milan, serving up unconventional Italian street food but the demand for Giulio Potestà and Alessandro Cattaneo's carbonara ravioli (ravioli filled with black pepper and pecorino Romano fondue and topped with crispy guanciale [beef cheek]), primo sale (fresh Sicilian cheese) croquettes with onion jam, and pastrami sandwiches led Zibo to put down roots. On a side street off Via Caminadella, its "Base Camp" has a takeaway window (convenient for grabbing a bite between sightseeing) as a remnant of this van life. Locals pack into the dozen tables at the narrow restaurant with paper placemats and yellow and sea green accents as if in a cozy home kitchen—reservations are essential on weekends. Along with its street food standbys, seasonally-changing risotto and mains of grilled fish or satisfying grilled or roasted vegetables are paired with a small wine list. For a relaxing finish, pick from 16 digestives based on tasting notes and serving temperatures and a handful of homemade desserts such as the Zibo classic robiola Catalan cream with coffee and licorice reduction topped with almond crisp.

Open since 1907, Bar Magenta maintains its old-school charm with its vintage Campari and Moretti beer posters and its quintessential Milanese clientele. Beyond coffee at all hours, lunch (known especially for lasagna), and beer, the real attraction is its mix of old and new, working-class, trendy, and aristocratic.

Although this establishment in the heart of Brera calls itself nothing more than a birreria con cucina (beer cellar with kitchen), locals come here for excellent evening meals in relaxed surroundings, and the traditional dishes vary with the season. A soft current of jazz and sylvan decor soothe the ripple of conversation. Plates could include involtini di spada gratinati (swordfish rolls with breadcrumb), zuppa di arselle e fregola (couscous soup with clams), and pizza selvatica con pesto e pinoli tosta (rustic pizza with pesto and roasted pine nuts).

Simple but savory fare and a menu that varies weekly characterize this osteria run by two brothers, Paolo and Roberto. Specialties include truffle tagliolini, and stuffed pasta, such as Gorgonzola-filled ravioli with walnut sauce, or pear and parmigiano tortelli with a saffron butter sauce. The extensive, meat-rich second-course dishes are paired with creamy polenta taragna (made with cornmeal and buckwheat flour) or hand-cut fried potatoes. The dessert menu changes daily, with in-house cakes, sorbetto, and tiramisù reflecting traditional tastes and seasonal availability.

This neighborhood restaurant is hidden behind Via Montenapoleone and thus handy to the restaurant-scarce Quadrilatero. What the menu lacks in originality it makes up for with reliable consistency in dishes like pizza and cotoletta. Clients include families from this well-heeled area, professionals, football players, and television stars. Like any Italian restaurant, it's not child-friendly in an American sense—no high chairs or children's menu—but children will find food they like.

This Milan institution opened its doors in 1847, before Italy's Unification, and is the official pastry shop of this traditionally wealthy neighborhood. Have a coffee or a rich hot chocolate in its paneled rooms before facing the crowds in Corso Vercelli.