MILAN In association with


Touristy thing to do again


I suggest going to one of Milan’s best known museums to see one specific work rather than trying to see it all. One of my favourites is the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in the charming neighborhood of Brera. You should go there to see Caravaggio’s Basket of Fruit, one of the first still life paintings in history. They also have works by Titian, Botticelli and Raffaello.


The new place only the locals know


Destination dinner


Carlo e Camilla: Decadent dining The Yard Hotel: Bohemian luxury Largo Isarco: By Rem Koolhaas


Largo Isarco, where the new Prada Foundation is situated, is not to be missed. It’s an ex-industrial area of the city that is slowly being reclaimed and will be a very dynamic place in coming years. Fondazione Prada, which was renovated by Rem Koolhaas, was originally an ice factory. The way the industrial architecture plays with contemporary design is fascinating. You could spend a day here. New shows are opening all the time but there is a permanent installation by the American artist Robert Gober whose work I adore. And if you visit you must have a sandwich or even just a coffee at Bar Luce there, which was designed in the style of a late 1950s Milanese café by the film director Wes Anderson.


12 COMPANION


The food scene has never been better in Milan than it is right now. Chefs such as Andrea Berton, Davide Oldani, and Viviana Varese are really changing the city with not only fine dining options but more casual offerings that are pushing the classic idea of ‘trattoria’ to new heights. I am always up for staying a couple of extra hours in Milan just to have a good meal. You can have distinctly different versions of risotto alla Milanese (with saffron) at either Andre Berton’s fine dining restaurant or at D’O by Davide Oldani - which is a 15 minute drive out of town but worth the trip to taste his personal take on Italian cuisine. The recently renovated restaurant is elegant but still very casual and is a great escape from all the city hustle and bustle. Carlo Cracco has a fine dining


restaurant named after him in the most elegant part of Milan but it will be undergoing renovation soon, so perhaps visit his more casual, chic, and international restaurant in a former wood shop, Carlo e Camilla in Segheria. And there’s this great restaurant called Contraste run by a really young Michelin starred chef called Matias Perdomo who creates cutting edge food in a beautiful setting.


One more night


The Yard Hotel, just out of the centre of Milan in the Navigli district, is really


worth a visit. It’s got this really cool vibe with very eclectic, retro furniture and nice rugs. The hotel bar and lounge is very cosy and has books everywhere with lots of leather chairs. It’s very stylish and a little bit bohemian.


After dark


Elita Bar on Via Corsico is my favourite place for drinks, music and simple late night eating. Some of the best bartenders in town work in this place, which is owned by actor Alioscia Bisceglia and plays an impressive selection of music. Meanwhile, MAG Café on Ripa di Porta Ticinese feels like the smallest bar in the world. In this bar you can have your own seat with the barman, just you and him in a tiny confessional-style room.


Local lingo


Saint Ambrosio is the patron saint of Milan and you will see the word ‘Ambroeus’ everywhere. It’s the Milanese dialect version of Ambrosio that you may not have heard. Meanwhile, the expression “O mia bela Madunina” refers to the golden Madonna on top of the Duomo, a symbol of the city. It’s also a song from the 1930s by Giovanni D’Anzi.


Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef is published by Phaidon


SPRING 2017


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