5 PLACES I LOVE IN MILAN
Lùbar
At 16 Via Palestro, you will find this delightful garden restaurant set in an exceptional location: the Villa Reale in Palestro. The name LùBar, derives from the Sicilian dialect and means 'the bar', but the concept of the restaurant, born in 2014 from the entrepreneurial minds of three brothers, aims to elevate the Mediterranean tradition, especially the Sicilian one, to the modern tones of contemporary Milan.
The place is perfect not only for a romantic dinner, but also for a hearty breakfast. In the morning, you can have brioches, homemade traditional Sicilian pastries, fruit salads and avocado toasts, all accompanied by coffee and centrifuges (ample choice also gluten free, vegetarian and vegan). The place is cosy and bright, surrounded by plants and tall marble columns and has three locations for eating, depending on the season: the 18th-century greenhouse, the courtyard greenhouse and the garden. Moreover, its excellent location, between Montenapoleone and Porta Venezia, makes it a lively and well frequented place!
Via Palestro 16 - 20121 Milano (MI)
02 8352 7769
HOUSE OF RONIN
House of Ronin is a four-storey building where you get lost amidst mirrors and neon lights, cultural suggestions from Japan.
It is located in Via Vittorio Alfieri, Chinatown area, and is a veritable vortex of experiences, emotions and flavours that makes you fly over four levels in one evening. That's right, four levels: on the ground floor we find Piccolo Ronin's Izakaya, a less informal restaurant designed for sharing and tasting dishes inspired by Japanese street food (bao, gyoza, ramen and yakitori), some in a revisited key. The drinks are perfectly balanced, and behind each one is a name with a story and a study. And the music... well, here the music is just right, and it is no coincidence that Il Piccolo Ronin, from the very beginning, was conceived as a listening bar, a concept born in Japan but completely new for Milan, where the cult of vinyl is respected and enhanced. Here, in fact, you dine surrounded by jazz, jazz funk, world music, Japanese, African and Brazilian sounds.
On the second floor we go up a level, with the gastronomic proposal of the Robatayaki restaurant. The concept of the dishes revolves around the Japanese-style barbecue, based on the cooking technique involving the use of a glowing griddle called, precisely, robata. Everything is guided by the skilful hands of chef Luigi Nastri. Compared to Piccolo Ronin, the ambience here is more refined, with soft lighting and red walls. It feels like being catapulted into a location from the film Blade Runner.
The menu here is also more refined: tuna bellies, beef cuts and the chef's workhorse, the risotto with robata lacquered eel and mandarin. Essentially, the menu aims to reinterpret a type of dining experience strongly rooted in Asian culture with a contemporary point of view and a Western flavour.
On the third floor the real fun begins: Karaoke and Omakasé. The latter, recently opened, is a limited number experience: ten covers arranged around a wooden counter in a small room to savour the authenticity of traditional Japanese cuisine, thanks to the skill of the great master Katsu Nakaji. But in keeping with pure Japanese tradition, how could karaoke be missing in a place like this? Four private rooms are available, with big screens and microphones for karaoke, walls of mirrors and multi-coloured neon lights. The rooms are rented privately for a couple of hours, making it an exceptional temple for sacred entertainment.
Finally, on the top floor is the Arcade, the exclusive members-only club. Access is by invitation only, unless you have a membership card. Private events of various kinds, live concerts, theatre performances, book presentations and talks take place here. The location is so exclusive and secret that no photos can be taken inside.
Ronin, the new venue in Milan's Chinatown, is a whirlwind of emotions and flavours that soars four levels in an evening.
Via Vittorio Alfieri, 17, 20154 Milano MI
02 8936 7101
THE BAR AT RALPH LAUREN
The Bar at Ralph Lauren is ‘a place to gather and enjoy a morning coffee or an evening aperitif in the intimacy of a romantic courtyard’ (Ralph Lauren, fashion designer)
Located on Via della Spiga in a historic Milanese building with several floors connected by a central staircase, the boutique, the bar and the inner courtyard, this magnificent place covers five floors and almost 1,500 square metres. Here, the country chic world of Ralph Lauren is perfectly combined with the charm of Italian style and craftsmanship: the interiors are made of traditional materials of stone and terracotta and the wooden floors are combined with oak panels with bronze, brass and wrought iron details. The décor focuses on vintage objects, works of art and antique furniture.
But let's talk about the bar: The Bar at Ralph Lauren offers the best of American cuisine, combined with a touch of Italian flair. The place recalls the style of early 20th century America, furnished with wicker and iron chairs. Here you can enjoy classic American style burgers and iconic mini lobster rolls, with a selection of vintage wines and signature cocktails. The place is also a warm and intimate space that opens up to the back garden side, ideal for meeting over coffee or an aperitif in a courtyard with a more romantic atmosphere. The Bar is open all day and offers coffee and small pastries in the morning and light dishes and aperitifs throughout the day.
Via della Spiga 5, 20121 Milano
+39 02 3056 9060
LANGOSTERIA CAFFÈ
Just a stone's throw from the Duomo, in a location with soft lighting and an international atmosphere, Enrico Buonocore, patron and CEO of Langosteria, has chosen the elegant setting of Galleria del Corso as the location for his café: a refined lounge where one can enjoy the high quality of seafood and an excellent mixology bar. The Langosteria Café Milano blends a cosmopolitan style with a taste for retro elegance.
A fluid concept where you can meet for lunch or dinner, an ideal setting for any occasion, with the aim of bringing the sea to Milan. The fish cuisine, from raw dishes to pasta, is simply sublime and not at all predictable.
A special mention goes to the delightful open kitchen, a sort of heart of the restaurant, which dominates the two splendid terraces, made of crystal. The location itself is characterised by furnishings with sinuous and elegant design lines. The bar area, where you can enjoy a cocktail seated at the travertine and brass bar counter, is the backdrop for a stylish aperitif or after-dinner drink, illuminated by a splendid column of light and the reflections of the ebony bottle rack.
GALLERIA DEL CORSO 4, MILANO
02 7601 8167
CORTILE FLORA
In the Moscova district of Milan, inside the first urban market in Italy dedicated to exclusive private sales events, is a bistro perfect for a light and romantic break.
Cortile Flora, located in the Market's inner courtyard, was born from the collaboration between presenter and food blogger Michela Coppa and Chef Daniele Bellandi. Together, they have created a culinary partnership based on delicious and aesthetic recipes, perfect for a light lunch, a Sunday brunch or a more romantic aperitif. On the menu we find, in fact, centrifuges, cakes and salads but also avocado toast, vegan burgers and many fish main courses such as sea bass in a crust and grilled fillet.
The location is truly beautiful and evocative: an outdoor courtyard for the warmer months and several interior rooms characterised by an 'urban jungle' style that mixes contemporary and cosmopolitan trends ranging from deco to bohemian.
Always open, Tuesday to Sunday, from 10.30 am to 10.30 pm, Cortile Flora is perfect for business lunches and sweet breaks with friends.
Cortile Flora
Via Alessandro Volta 7A
20121 Milano
Tel. +39 338 9238330
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