Traditional Milanese food is full of surprises. In fact, Milan is an interesting culinary destination in its own right, thanks to its ingredients, combined with Milan’s long-standing tradition of artisanal food production. The result are rich and hearty dishes that you can enjoy in restaurants that serve authentic Milanese cuisine.
I have selected two for you: one in the fascinating Navigli district, and the other one in the countryside right outside Milan (but very easy to reach from the city centre).
Ristorante El Brellin
Nestled in one of the most charming corners of Milan, in a lovely little street that overlooks the Naviglio Grande and recalls the atmosphere of “old Milan”, you can find this beautiful restaurant.
The name of the little street where the restaurant is located (“Vicolo dei Lavandai”) means “alley of the laundresses”, and the name “brellin” indicates the small wooden chest where laundresses used to sit whilst washing clothes.
The spacious dining rooms of the restaurant are on two different floors, in a picturesque house that dates back to the 1700s with coffered ceilings and a cosy fireplace.
In the summer months, lunch is served in the restaurant’s garden or in the “Sala dell’Oca” ‒ the dining room on the ground floor.
The dishes
If you want to taste authentic Milanese cuisine, you can’t miss “Cotoletta alla Milanese”, rigorously bone-in breaded veal cutlet, cooked in clarified butter. Or “Risotto classico alla Milanese” which is traditional-style risotto with saffron and beef bone marrow sauce, or “Ossobuco in gremolada” ‒ braised veal shank that melts in the mouth, with tasty bone marrow at the centre of the bone. The meat is seasoned with “gremolada”: finely chopped parsley and garlic, with grated lemon zest. The taste is absolutely heavenly.
Ristorante El Brellin
Vicolo dei Lavandai / Alzaia Naviglio Grande 14, Milan
Tel. +39 (0)2 58101351
Open:
Lunch: Saturday and Sunday 12:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Dinner: Monday – Sunday 7:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Cocktail bar: every day 6:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
www.brellin.com
Booking: https://brellin.com/en/contacts/#booking
Ristorante Al Garghet
If you want to immerse yourself in a fairytale atmosphere, in an unspoilt part of the countryside around Milan, this restaurant is for you. The name “garghet”, in Milanese dialect, refers to the croaking of frogs, a sound that can still be heard in the summer evenings whilst dining here.
The restaurant is in the south of Milan, 20 minutes from the city centre, inside a charming building dating back to the 13th century, surrounded by a lovely garden full of flowers and plants.
Al Garghet offers the very best of the Milanese culinary tradition in a friendly and welcoming setting.
The dishes
One of the restaurant’s dishes is “cassoeula”: a warming pork, cabbage and sausage stew that is particularly appreciated in the winter months. Nearly every part of the pork is utilised in this recipe, as this is a traditionally rural dish dating back many centuries, when food was not abundant and nothing was wasted.
But the most representative specialty here is the Milanese cutlet: aside from the more typical variant (breaded veal cutlet cooked in butter), you can also try the “Cotoletta del Garghet”, also known as elephant-eared cutlet (because it’s very large and very thin): pork loin, egg and bread crumbs. The latter recipe used to be very popular after World War II, when food and money were scarce: that’s why pork replaced veal (less expensive, but very tasty) and meat was pounded flat in order to appear more abundant.
Even though meat has a key role in Milanese cuisine, Al Garghet also provides dishes specially prepared for vegetarians (for example, quinoa balls and pumpkin cream soup) and for people who are gluten intolerant.
Ristorante Al Garghet
Via Selvanesco 36, Milan
Tel. + 39 (0)2 534698
Dinner: Tuesday – Sunday 7:00 p.m. – 00:00 a.m. (the kitchen closes at 10:00)
Lunch: Saturday and Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. (the kitchen closes at 2:00)
www.algarghet.it
Booking: https://algarghet.superbexperience.com/
This post was all about traditional Milanese food and 2 of the best restaurants for authentic Milanese cuisine.