In front of the Duomo di Milano — one of the world’s largest cathedrals, built over nearly six centuries and crowned with more than 130 spires.
The Taste of Milan — Eating Our Way Through Lombardy’s Capital
Milan is often described as Italy’s business and fashion capital — but it is also a city that eats exceptionally well. We spent a few days exploring Milan through its food, seeking out tipici restaurants away from the tourist crowds, where Milanese classics still rule the menu: ossobuco, risotto alla Milanese, cotoletta, pizza and pasta, done properly.
In neighborhoods like Brera and streets such as Via Fiori Chiari and Via Brera, the city buzzes with life — the smells, the noise, the constant movement. Milan may not call itself a cheese city, but it sits at the heart of Lombardy’s rich dairy tradition: gorgonzola, mascarpone, Grana Padano and Taleggio appear everywhere, quietly shaping the local cuisine.
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Street food plays its part too, from Roman-style pizza by the slice to deep-fried pizza half-moons at Zia Esterina Sorbillo, where the line never seems to end. At traditional trattorias like Osteria Dal Verme, filled almost entirely with locals, we were reminded that the best meals are often the simplest — generous, honest, and deeply rooted in place.
Milan’s food culture is inseparable from its history. Panettone was born here, and remains a symbol of celebration far beyond the city. Even an evening at La Scala — dramatic, excessive, and unforgettable — felt like part of the same story. Milan doesn’t whisper. It performs. At the table, on the street, and on the stage.
Street food plays its part too, from Roman-style pizza by the slice to deep-fried pizza half-moons at Zia Esterina Sorbillo, where the line never seems to end.Ossobuco with risotto Milanese — made with saffron, parmesan, cream and chicken stock — utterly incredible.At Osteria Dal Verme, the room was full of Italians — always a reassuring sign. Authentic, generous food at prices lower than the city center, and a perfect cotoletta alla Milanese, Milan’s answer to Wiener schnitzel.Panettone is inseparable from Milan, with roots reaching back to the Middle Ages. This light, airy holiday bread, made with butter, eggs and dried fruit, was originally baked for Christmas and New Year celebrations and quickly became a symbol of prosperity and togetherness. Today panettone is enjoyed all over Italy and far beyond — but its Milanese origin still lives on in its flavor, texture and tradition.All over the city, small shops sell Roman-style pizza by the slice and by weight — thicker and crispier than Neapolitan pizza.Prosciutto is Italian dry-cured ham made from pork leg, salted and aged for many months. It is served in paper-thin slices as part of antipasti or with bread and cheese. Photo taken at La Prosciutteria.Strozzapreti with artichokes, guanciale and pecorino at Da Fortunata — very good, and fun to watch the pasta being made by hand on the spot. There’s always a queue, though, and the social-media fame may have taken a little of the magic away.Penne with walnuts in a creamy gorgonzola sauce — gorgonzola was originally developed in the town of Gorgonzola, right here in the Lombardy region.Neapolitan pizza is always a good choice — this one is quattro formaggi, with four perfectly balanced cheeses.Albert and Bergþór at the legendary La Scala. The most magnificent opera house I’ve ever visited — a place everyone should experience at least once, even if opera isn’t usually their thing.Anna took us — along with a small group — on a food walk through Milan. Food tours are always a pleasure.
