During Fashion Week, Milan is a city of rapid changes—a showroom appointment here, a front-row seat there, a late-night after-party that starts long after the last look has walked the runway. The places that matter this season aren’t just about the food: they’re about design, atmosphere, and the kind of setting that feels right for the crowd you’re hanging out with.
Risorgimento Street
Mezè (19 Pasquale Sottocorno Street) is embracing craftsmanship this season with the Kebbeh Melyè, a Lebanese classic reimagined by chef Maradona Youssef. It’s a small act of resistance disguised as a dish: in an age obsessed with artificial intelligence, Mezè is placing the emphasis squarely on the human hand—the shaping, the folding, and the muscle memory passed down through generations. Open daily, 12:00–3:00 p.m. and 7:00–11:30 p.m. (02 5280 9202, info@meze-milano.it).
A few doors down, Ricci Osteria (Via Pasquale Sottocorno, 27) brings the spirit of Puglia to Milan with a menu that reads like a love letter to Southern Italy, courtesy of chefs Antonella Ricci, Vinod Sookar, and Francesco Bordone. The orecchiette with broccoli, confit tomatoes, and anchovy breadcrumbs made the New York Times’ list of Italy’s 25 best dishes—reason enough to book ahead (ricciosteria.it, 02 49705612).
Cathedral
Just steps from the cathedral’s spires, Sfizio Bistrot, located inside the Rosa Grand Milano (Starhotels Collezione), offers all-day dining from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with Chef Bruno Cefalà sourcing over 70% of his ingredients from Lombardy and Piedmont. Expect a saffron-infused Risotto alla Milanese and a Piedmontese burger that has become something of a cult favorite. Next door on Piazza Beccaria, Roses Pizza & More serves up high-hydration, DOP-certified pizzas on a terrace perfect for people-watching (02 8831881, rosagrandmilano.com).
Brera
Linfa has quite literally entered the world of design this season, setting up shop inside Visionnaire’s Piazza Cavour showroom—one of the most influential names in high-end interiors. The space is immersive and sculptural, centered around an 18-meter bar that keeps the room alive from lunch through late-night cocktails. It’s a venue that feels almost like a natural extension of the fashion calendar itself: central, photogenic, unmistakably Milan. The kitchen offers an entirely plant-based and gluten-free menu, ranging from reimagined Italian classics to vegetable sushi, while the bar features a dedicated “No&Low” drink list alongside its signature cocktails (+39 340 581 3312).
Just off the Pinacoteca, Il Lughino (Via Solferino, 12) features an entirely plant-based, organic kitchen with no freezer and no stand mixer in sight—everything is made fresh, hour by hour. The lasagna, the signature dish of chef and owner Paolo Sanvito, comes in more than 50 different versions throughout the year (02 659 8972, milano@lughino.it).
Porta Romana / Porta Venezia
Cocciuto, with locations on Via Melzo and Via Gian Carlo Passeroni, remains the easy, no-fuss spot to stop by between appointments—contemporary, wheel-shaped pizza, a solid Italian menu, and a cocktail list perfect for both aperitivo and last call (Via Melzo 02 367511178, Via Passeroni 02 36521500).
Pagano – De Angeli
Ba Restaurant (Via Raffaello Sanzio, 22), led by Marco Liu, offers an immersive journey into authentic Chinese cuisine, with interiors steeped in Eastern symbolism centered around an open kitchen. This season’s menu celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with hand-pulled lobster lamian, razor clams with fermented black beans, and traditional mooncakes served with oolong tea. Through September 30, don’t miss the caramelized peach tartare dessert, created in collaboration with Milan’s three-cone, Gambero Rosso-awarded gelato lab Ciacco (ba-restaurant.com, 02 469 3206).
Island
Speciale Osteria (Via Pastrengo, 11) builds its identity on nostalgia done right—seasonal, carefully sourced dishes that feel like a reimagined family meal, from vitello tonnato to a saffron-scented risotto alla milanese (02 392 5182).
For something with a bit more punch, Sberla is opening three locations across the city—on Via Pietro Borsieri, Via Festa del Perdono, and Via Vigevano—all dedicated to the smash burger, from the classic Cheese Sberla to the smokier Bacon Smoke, accompanied by a menu of fries that goes well beyond the basics (sberlaburger.it).
Porta Venezia
Sato Sushi Experience (Via Lazzaro Palazzi, 6), founded by Zhu Leonardo and led by Roberto Liu, stands out in Milan’s crowded all-you-can-eat scene thanks to genuinely elegant interiors by Nick Maltese Studio and a menu that balances tradition with creative touches—the Wagyu ravioli, in particular, is worth the trip. The all-you-can-eat dinner costs €41 (satosushi.it, 02 9144 8060).
Off the beaten fashion path, in the Gorla district, MANNA (Piazzale del Governo Provvisorio, 6) is for anyone tired of plating food just for social media. Two tasting menus—“Sedici” and “L’Altro”—showcase chef Matteo Fronduti’s unpretentious cuisine (02 2680 9153).
Certosa District
Nomad (Via Varesina, 184) occupies over 1,500 square meters of a former 1980s factory; its “Industrial Jungle” concept contrasts raw concrete and stone with lush greenery. It’s a restaurant, cocktail bar, and event space all in one—start with Francesco Guarino’s contemporary Italian menu, then let the night take a different turn at Marcos Néia’s bar (+39 375 857 1600).
Beyond the City: Seregno
For those willing to trade an hour of runway time for a proper day trip, Seregno offers four distinct dining options: the alpine charm of La Baita Valtellinese (+39 0362 070044), the thin, long-fermented crusts at Fine Pizza (+39 0362 070017), the fresh Mediterranean seafood at Sant’Andrea – Sapore di Mare (+39 328 7686 917), and the hearty Emilia-Romagna classics at Emilia Trattoria Bolognese (+39 351 6155 699).
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