Filippo Mattia Ginanni
Filippo Mattia Ginanni
Here is the long and the short of it. This is a substantially updated version of various posts I did on one other board
*DRINKING*
Peck - Via Spadari
It has 3 sections in the main (Via Spadari) shop. Wine is in the basement. The best bit is the Imperial showcase (mainly Bordeaux with some Yquem). All the wines in there is at least 20% more expensive than in any other wine shop in Italy. Plus the best bottles are not shown and only the most commonly found widely available name are to be found, i.e. Rousseau Yes and Ponsot No or Gaja Yes and Brovia/Giacosa Red Label No. It's good fun but surely not worth it (though I saw a bottle of Grivot CdV 1999 at EUR 99 the last time around)
The interesting bit is the ground floor which is a grocery store that makes Harrods food hall look like a New York deli. They stock simply the best and they are by far and large the best grocery in Italy and probably in the world. They have just the best: meat, charcuterie, cheese, bread, fresh pasta and they have the rotisserie section as well which as in every part of Italy does not limit itself only to roasted stuff. For what I have seen in Continental Europe and in the US, I still have to find something better. True, italian specialties are so regional and so different from one another even if produced few kms away from each other that it is virtually impossible to stock them all but Peck is a good source of most of them
The third bit, upstairs, is the Tea Room with patisserie. Strongly recommended. Then you have Cracco Peck, a two star Michelin restaurant, with a very nice wine list (no wonder). I would go for the kitchen table where usually Carlo Cracco, great guy aside from being a great chef, serves you There is also a Peck Bar around the corner but not really worth it
N'Ombra De Vin - Piazza San Marco
Here is a place for aperitivo, used to extremely good (the chef left) now its good with v simple dishes but the interesting bit is downstairs in the basement of the nearby monastery where they stock about 1000 labels mostly italians and a superb collection of Bordeaux which dates way back. They still have plenty of 2000, cheap compared to 2005 They have a Champagne selection with very interesting names, about 20/30 RM, which is a much wider selection with respect to any wine shop in the UK (If I am wrong please email me the shop and I shall be grateful for the years to come). They are conveniently located in the heart of the Brera district, hugely popular in the summer because of the lack of cars.
Enoteca Ronchi - Via San Vincenzo
One of the greatest places in Milan. They have a lot of old stuff which has been sitting in they warehouses for long enough. Some Giacosa Collina Rionda 1993 for around EUR 80, some Osso San Grato Gattinara for EUR 38. Antonella, the current owner, has a deep knowledge of the South of Italy and when she took over they had around 100,000 (not a typo) of old Bordeaux which they have partially sold to a Swiss broker. The Champagne selection is decent. Forgot to metion they have by far the best Brunello selection in town.
LIsola Via Paolo Sarpi
My favourite place by a long shot. The only place in Milan that both in quality and quantity can be associated to the best places in Paris. The selection of Italians is v v v good with good presence of all the regions. Luca, the owner, could easily post on this board. They also serve aperitivo, a bit of old style, and they close at 2130 (v early for a bar but v late for a wine shop that opens at 10). They also stock the extra virgin olive oil of Valentini and from Selvapiana. Will be there this Saturday Almost forgot: excellent selction of Riesling, Burgs (old stuff as well) and RM Champagne
Apertivo
It is the THING in Milan. Its a supercharge Happy Hours in which you usually drink cocktails (City favourite is Negroni Sbagliato: 1/3 Prosecco, 1/3 Campari, 1/3 Martini rosso) and eat finger food. Usually lasts from 7pm to 9pm but I saw places going form 6pm to 10pm (dinner time on Thu/Fri/Sat in Milan). Aperitivo comes in all shapes and forms from super posh (the Bulgari Hotel) to very high street (anything around the Colonne di San Lorenzo). I would suggest the following places:
Diana at the Sheraton Hotel, beautiful garden a bit upscale
Living at Arco della Pace, alternative crowd, in front of park, very nice
N'Ombra de Vin, see above, expensive but now v trendy
Milano in Via Procaccini, so Milan in style, this is basically a furniture shop turned into a Bar
*EAT*
Cappuccino/Breakfast
Bastianello in Piazza San Babila recently voted the best in Italy. You can have breakfast in any of the Pasticcerie below as well but its not quite up to speed
Pasticcerie
On top of Bastianello, try Marchesi (though a bit out of hand) and Cova in Via Montenapoleone. Do not like Cucchi: bad location, so so croissant. Also Sant'Ambroeus but a bit stiffy in the wrong way (good way to be stiffy charming ancienne is Cova). Taveggia is also popular but not as good as any of the above.
Ice Cream
Two places in Milan: GROM near the Scala and Rivareno on the South of town (Still no more than 20 mins walking from the Duomo)
DE SANTIS - Corso Magenta
Tiny, tiny shop that makes Hot Panini (nobody would eat a cold sandwich in Italy) with the finest ingredients: such as Culatello, Langoustine, the Best Parma Ham. Near the Universita' Cattolica so get there before lunchtime (i.e. 1 pm). It is currently owned by the son of the Inter Milan Football Club owner. Paninis ranging from EUR 6 to EUR 12 each. Forgot to tell they have around 150 different paninis. Closed Sundays open till 1am daily (yes they serve till 1 am). DO NOT have coffee in there, it sucks. Just walk to the nearby Pasticceria Marchesi.
BAR DELLA CROCETTA - Largo Crocetta
This is the Supersize version of DE SANTIS. Paninis are twice the size of De Santis and they fetch some exotic charcuterie like wild boar or deer ham. The selection is also huge topping 200 different types. Funny enough not all the ingredients that actually gets in the sandwich are listed on the menu. They also serve a cuba libre and most aperitivos in the traditional pint glass. It is always open even on Sundays till 2 am. Paninis up to EUR 12 each. Decent beer selection. Try the Ice Cream Chocolate Truffle...
ROSSI & GRASSI - Via Ponte Vetero
One of the elite rotisserie where you can grab a bite at lunchtime. It is a sort of smaller scale Peck. They have a hot/cold section. As far as rotisserie itself they are at least at the same level of Peck if not slightly higher. It's a shop and the owner is serving, you get the feeling. It is on the edge of the Brera district and close to The Milanese City hence beware of bankers at lunch. Closed at night and on Sunday.
ARMANDOLA - Via della Spiga
In the heart of the Fashion Quadrangle (Via Montenapoleone/Via Della Spiga/Via Manzoni/Corso Venezia) this store is equal to Rossi & Grassi but slightly more expensive as a rotisserie. What's very good and somewhat cheap is the lunch (which you will have to eat standing as in Rossi & Grassi). It's just a great rotisserie and it's in the heart of the fashion district. Wines on display fetch silly prices like EUR 150+ for Sassicaia
DA GINO - Corso Vercelli
A little less pretentious eatery, serves a very decent pizza plus all sort of different foods like arancini, focaccia bread. Very popular with students. Love this when I shop in Vercelli (the area where locals do their shopping)
CAMPAGNOLI - Corso Vercelli
The Rossi & Grassi of Corso Vercelli. Very good.
DA SPONTINI - Via Spontini
This is the best Deep Pan pizza in Milan. PERIOD. NO QUESTIONS. NO IFS NO BUTTS. The place has a terrible dcor with tables and chairs still from the 50s (and we were no rich country back then). They cook ONLY ONE PIZZA: Margherita. It comes in 2 sizes: MEDIUM and LARGE. Of course its wood oven cooked. They have a decent selection of beers. Stunningly cheap at EUR 4/5 per slice. INSIDER TIP: next door there is a Neapoletan Bar that serves all different sort of coffees (nutella, hazelnut)
PICCOLA ISCHIA - Viale Umbria and Via Broggi
Looks like an Italian Version of PizzaMetro/Made In Italy/Luna Rossa/Napul'e'/Santa Lucia and it is actually the only place in Milan in which pizza comes somewhat close (i.e. 2 miles away) to Napoli. It is just slightly better than London though. Funny enough it is VERY hard to find decent pizza north of Napoli Do order the Regina Margherita which features the real mozzarella (much more watery than what you are normally used to).
Other pizzeria worth mentioning are DA RINO VECCHIA NAPOLI, LA SIBILLA. To avoid: FRATELLI LA BUFALA, PIZZERIA TRADIZIONALE, LA FABBRICA, PREMIATA PIZZERIA all sort of fake/wannabes.
Funny enough the, arguably, two best restaurants in Milan both have an orrible modern decor. AIMO E NADIA has a somewhat mid 80s dining room that's pretty similar to a museum with pictures hanging from the wall in a very algid setting. CRACCO PECK's dining room is underground. This is unconceivable in Italy. Plus the decor is post modern and quite ugly. But the table in the kitchen is WONDERFUL and often you get served by Carlo Cracco himself who is a superlaid back guy and may engage in locker room talk upon request...
Both CRACCO and AIMO are at the forefront of Italian cusine. Both of them are superskilled and revisit tradition but they do it in slightly different ways. AIMO is a little better in sourcing the best ingredients for supertraditional dishes whilst CRACCO has given tradition a modern twist leaning towards modernism a la' new Spanish Cusine. CRACCO in his late 30s is still learning, AIMO in his early 70s has completed the path towards creation of a modern Italian cusine. I reviewed them both at the same time because most of the other eateries will be mostly regional. The only exception which I recommend is TANO PASSAMI L'OLIO ("Tano, please hand over the oil") a tiny (5 tables) restaurant in Corso Genova who is a well kept
The best Milanese in Milan is OSTERIA DELLA CAGNOLA, a tiny place that serve the best Risotto alla Milanese, an incredible Cotoletta alla Milanese (WienerSchnitzel) or an Ossobuco to die for. A legend
Moving to Piedmont I still remember the last time I went to TRATTORIA MASUELLI, an amazing Bagna Caoda, incredible Carne al Coltello and all sort of Bolliti Misti.
Moving just further down to Liguria I would mention SAN FRUTTUOSO DI CAMOGLI, truly delicious focaccia di Recco, sardines and marvellous oil.
Most of the restaurants in Milan have been historically setup from Tuscans. These are the majority in the city and often food from Tuscany where my Dad comes from is mistaken by typically Milanese. I shall mention two favorites despite being attended by soccer players (none of them is even remotely glamourous though): LA NUOVA ARENA a newcomer (I think he's been around for 30+ years), food is mainly from Florence or Lucca although I have to say I tend to like food from the Southern Part of Tuscany (Livorno, Grosseto and Siena) a little better these days. I would also second IL GIARDINO DEI SEGRETI for the great great meat and fries (its v v v hard to get a reservation at the Giardino but if you pop in late, say 2200, you have a good chance)...
Moving down to Rome and the Lazio I would go to GIULIO PANE E OJO now very popular and maybe a little overcrowed/overrated it is a good diversion from usual food.
Around the corner if you wanna try hand made pasta, all sorts of spicy charcuterie from Calabria, I would NOT miss DONGIO'', a true undiscovered gem in the city. This gotta be my favourite small restaurant in the whole town for quality price ratio. Parental advisory: strong flavours and relly spicy foods.
I would also consider looking at reviews on Altissimo Ceto (google it) pretty nice blog with good reviews on restaurants in Northern Italy (mostly you can filter easily thorugh restaurant in Milan)
New/Up and Coming
I have never been but Nicola Cavallaro (see website) is supposed to be excellent. Its on my to do list Also I would suggest FIORAIO BIANCHI, a restaurant AND flower shop (very Milan) If you are interior design lover you should hit PANE e ACQUA (also on google), food is very fine but the wine list has lots of orange stuff the last time around I was there (not too long ago) (I may go this Sat myself)
Feel free to shoot me any other questions
*DRINKING*
Peck - Via Spadari
It has 3 sections in the main (Via Spadari) shop. Wine is in the basement. The best bit is the Imperial showcase (mainly Bordeaux with some Yquem). All the wines in there is at least 20% more expensive than in any other wine shop in Italy. Plus the best bottles are not shown and only the most commonly found widely available name are to be found, i.e. Rousseau Yes and Ponsot No or Gaja Yes and Brovia/Giacosa Red Label No. It's good fun but surely not worth it (though I saw a bottle of Grivot CdV 1999 at EUR 99 the last time around)
The interesting bit is the ground floor which is a grocery store that makes Harrods food hall look like a New York deli. They stock simply the best and they are by far and large the best grocery in Italy and probably in the world. They have just the best: meat, charcuterie, cheese, bread, fresh pasta and they have the rotisserie section as well which as in every part of Italy does not limit itself only to roasted stuff. For what I have seen in Continental Europe and in the US, I still have to find something better. True, italian specialties are so regional and so different from one another even if produced few kms away from each other that it is virtually impossible to stock them all but Peck is a good source of most of them
The third bit, upstairs, is the Tea Room with patisserie. Strongly recommended. Then you have Cracco Peck, a two star Michelin restaurant, with a very nice wine list (no wonder). I would go for the kitchen table where usually Carlo Cracco, great guy aside from being a great chef, serves you There is also a Peck Bar around the corner but not really worth it
N'Ombra De Vin - Piazza San Marco
Here is a place for aperitivo, used to extremely good (the chef left) now its good with v simple dishes but the interesting bit is downstairs in the basement of the nearby monastery where they stock about 1000 labels mostly italians and a superb collection of Bordeaux which dates way back. They still have plenty of 2000, cheap compared to 2005 They have a Champagne selection with very interesting names, about 20/30 RM, which is a much wider selection with respect to any wine shop in the UK (If I am wrong please email me the shop and I shall be grateful for the years to come). They are conveniently located in the heart of the Brera district, hugely popular in the summer because of the lack of cars.
Enoteca Ronchi - Via San Vincenzo
One of the greatest places in Milan. They have a lot of old stuff which has been sitting in they warehouses for long enough. Some Giacosa Collina Rionda 1993 for around EUR 80, some Osso San Grato Gattinara for EUR 38. Antonella, the current owner, has a deep knowledge of the South of Italy and when she took over they had around 100,000 (not a typo) of old Bordeaux which they have partially sold to a Swiss broker. The Champagne selection is decent. Forgot to metion they have by far the best Brunello selection in town.
LIsola Via Paolo Sarpi
My favourite place by a long shot. The only place in Milan that both in quality and quantity can be associated to the best places in Paris. The selection of Italians is v v v good with good presence of all the regions. Luca, the owner, could easily post on this board. They also serve aperitivo, a bit of old style, and they close at 2130 (v early for a bar but v late for a wine shop that opens at 10). They also stock the extra virgin olive oil of Valentini and from Selvapiana. Will be there this Saturday Almost forgot: excellent selction of Riesling, Burgs (old stuff as well) and RM Champagne
Apertivo
It is the THING in Milan. Its a supercharge Happy Hours in which you usually drink cocktails (City favourite is Negroni Sbagliato: 1/3 Prosecco, 1/3 Campari, 1/3 Martini rosso) and eat finger food. Usually lasts from 7pm to 9pm but I saw places going form 6pm to 10pm (dinner time on Thu/Fri/Sat in Milan). Aperitivo comes in all shapes and forms from super posh (the Bulgari Hotel) to very high street (anything around the Colonne di San Lorenzo). I would suggest the following places:
Diana at the Sheraton Hotel, beautiful garden a bit upscale
Living at Arco della Pace, alternative crowd, in front of park, very nice
N'Ombra de Vin, see above, expensive but now v trendy
Milano in Via Procaccini, so Milan in style, this is basically a furniture shop turned into a Bar
*EAT*
Cappuccino/Breakfast
Bastianello in Piazza San Babila recently voted the best in Italy. You can have breakfast in any of the Pasticcerie below as well but its not quite up to speed
Pasticcerie
On top of Bastianello, try Marchesi (though a bit out of hand) and Cova in Via Montenapoleone. Do not like Cucchi: bad location, so so croissant. Also Sant'Ambroeus but a bit stiffy in the wrong way (good way to be stiffy charming ancienne is Cova). Taveggia is also popular but not as good as any of the above.
Ice Cream
Two places in Milan: GROM near the Scala and Rivareno on the South of town (Still no more than 20 mins walking from the Duomo)
DE SANTIS - Corso Magenta
Tiny, tiny shop that makes Hot Panini (nobody would eat a cold sandwich in Italy) with the finest ingredients: such as Culatello, Langoustine, the Best Parma Ham. Near the Universita' Cattolica so get there before lunchtime (i.e. 1 pm). It is currently owned by the son of the Inter Milan Football Club owner. Paninis ranging from EUR 6 to EUR 12 each. Forgot to tell they have around 150 different paninis. Closed Sundays open till 1am daily (yes they serve till 1 am). DO NOT have coffee in there, it sucks. Just walk to the nearby Pasticceria Marchesi.
BAR DELLA CROCETTA - Largo Crocetta
This is the Supersize version of DE SANTIS. Paninis are twice the size of De Santis and they fetch some exotic charcuterie like wild boar or deer ham. The selection is also huge topping 200 different types. Funny enough not all the ingredients that actually gets in the sandwich are listed on the menu. They also serve a cuba libre and most aperitivos in the traditional pint glass. It is always open even on Sundays till 2 am. Paninis up to EUR 12 each. Decent beer selection. Try the Ice Cream Chocolate Truffle...
ROSSI & GRASSI - Via Ponte Vetero
One of the elite rotisserie where you can grab a bite at lunchtime. It is a sort of smaller scale Peck. They have a hot/cold section. As far as rotisserie itself they are at least at the same level of Peck if not slightly higher. It's a shop and the owner is serving, you get the feeling. It is on the edge of the Brera district and close to The Milanese City hence beware of bankers at lunch. Closed at night and on Sunday.
ARMANDOLA - Via della Spiga
In the heart of the Fashion Quadrangle (Via Montenapoleone/Via Della Spiga/Via Manzoni/Corso Venezia) this store is equal to Rossi & Grassi but slightly more expensive as a rotisserie. What's very good and somewhat cheap is the lunch (which you will have to eat standing as in Rossi & Grassi). It's just a great rotisserie and it's in the heart of the fashion district. Wines on display fetch silly prices like EUR 150+ for Sassicaia
DA GINO - Corso Vercelli
A little less pretentious eatery, serves a very decent pizza plus all sort of different foods like arancini, focaccia bread. Very popular with students. Love this when I shop in Vercelli (the area where locals do their shopping)
CAMPAGNOLI - Corso Vercelli
The Rossi & Grassi of Corso Vercelli. Very good.
DA SPONTINI - Via Spontini
This is the best Deep Pan pizza in Milan. PERIOD. NO QUESTIONS. NO IFS NO BUTTS. The place has a terrible dcor with tables and chairs still from the 50s (and we were no rich country back then). They cook ONLY ONE PIZZA: Margherita. It comes in 2 sizes: MEDIUM and LARGE. Of course its wood oven cooked. They have a decent selection of beers. Stunningly cheap at EUR 4/5 per slice. INSIDER TIP: next door there is a Neapoletan Bar that serves all different sort of coffees (nutella, hazelnut)
PICCOLA ISCHIA - Viale Umbria and Via Broggi
Looks like an Italian Version of PizzaMetro/Made In Italy/Luna Rossa/Napul'e'/Santa Lucia and it is actually the only place in Milan in which pizza comes somewhat close (i.e. 2 miles away) to Napoli. It is just slightly better than London though. Funny enough it is VERY hard to find decent pizza north of Napoli Do order the Regina Margherita which features the real mozzarella (much more watery than what you are normally used to).
Other pizzeria worth mentioning are DA RINO VECCHIA NAPOLI, LA SIBILLA. To avoid: FRATELLI LA BUFALA, PIZZERIA TRADIZIONALE, LA FABBRICA, PREMIATA PIZZERIA all sort of fake/wannabes.
Funny enough the, arguably, two best restaurants in Milan both have an orrible modern decor. AIMO E NADIA has a somewhat mid 80s dining room that's pretty similar to a museum with pictures hanging from the wall in a very algid setting. CRACCO PECK's dining room is underground. This is unconceivable in Italy. Plus the decor is post modern and quite ugly. But the table in the kitchen is WONDERFUL and often you get served by Carlo Cracco himself who is a superlaid back guy and may engage in locker room talk upon request...
Both CRACCO and AIMO are at the forefront of Italian cusine. Both of them are superskilled and revisit tradition but they do it in slightly different ways. AIMO is a little better in sourcing the best ingredients for supertraditional dishes whilst CRACCO has given tradition a modern twist leaning towards modernism a la' new Spanish Cusine. CRACCO in his late 30s is still learning, AIMO in his early 70s has completed the path towards creation of a modern Italian cusine. I reviewed them both at the same time because most of the other eateries will be mostly regional. The only exception which I recommend is TANO PASSAMI L'OLIO ("Tano, please hand over the oil") a tiny (5 tables) restaurant in Corso Genova who is a well kept
The best Milanese in Milan is OSTERIA DELLA CAGNOLA, a tiny place that serve the best Risotto alla Milanese, an incredible Cotoletta alla Milanese (WienerSchnitzel) or an Ossobuco to die for. A legend
Moving to Piedmont I still remember the last time I went to TRATTORIA MASUELLI, an amazing Bagna Caoda, incredible Carne al Coltello and all sort of Bolliti Misti.
Moving just further down to Liguria I would mention SAN FRUTTUOSO DI CAMOGLI, truly delicious focaccia di Recco, sardines and marvellous oil.
Most of the restaurants in Milan have been historically setup from Tuscans. These are the majority in the city and often food from Tuscany where my Dad comes from is mistaken by typically Milanese. I shall mention two favorites despite being attended by soccer players (none of them is even remotely glamourous though): LA NUOVA ARENA a newcomer (I think he's been around for 30+ years), food is mainly from Florence or Lucca although I have to say I tend to like food from the Southern Part of Tuscany (Livorno, Grosseto and Siena) a little better these days. I would also second IL GIARDINO DEI SEGRETI for the great great meat and fries (its v v v hard to get a reservation at the Giardino but if you pop in late, say 2200, you have a good chance)...
Moving down to Rome and the Lazio I would go to GIULIO PANE E OJO now very popular and maybe a little overcrowed/overrated it is a good diversion from usual food.
Around the corner if you wanna try hand made pasta, all sorts of spicy charcuterie from Calabria, I would NOT miss DONGIO'', a true undiscovered gem in the city. This gotta be my favourite small restaurant in the whole town for quality price ratio. Parental advisory: strong flavours and relly spicy foods.
I would also consider looking at reviews on Altissimo Ceto (google it) pretty nice blog with good reviews on restaurants in Northern Italy (mostly you can filter easily thorugh restaurant in Milan)
New/Up and Coming
I have never been but Nicola Cavallaro (see website) is supposed to be excellent. Its on my to do list Also I would suggest FIORAIO BIANCHI, a restaurant AND flower shop (very Milan) If you are interior design lover you should hit PANE e ACQUA (also on google), food is very fine but the wine list has lots of orange stuff the last time around I was there (not too long ago) (I may go this Sat myself)
Feel free to shoot me any other questions
