Best Restaurants in Milan 2026
Milan combines Italy's finest regional tradition with cosmopolitan culinary ambition. Here are the best restaurants in Milan for 2026.
Best Traditional Milanese Cuisine
Trattoria Masuelli San Marco on Viale Umbria (Porta Romana district) is Milan's most beloved traditional Milanese trattoria — the ossobuco alla Milanese (braised veal shank with gremolata over saffron risotto), cotoletta alla Milanese (breaded veal cutlet, the dish that later became Wiener Schnitzel), and cassoeula (braised pork rib and savoy cabbage) are the essential orders at a place that has been serving this cooking essentially unchanged since 1921. Trattoria del Nuovo Macello (Viale Cesare Lombroso, near the abattoir district) is Milan's finest nose-to-tail traditional restaurant — the buseca (tripe and white bean soup) and the trippa alla Milanese are extraordinary. Al Mercante in Piazza Mercanti (near the Duomo) is the finest piazza-setting traditional Milanese restaurant in the city centre.
Best Risotto
Risotto alla Milanese (Milanese saffron risotto, finished with beef bone marrow and Parmigiano-Reggiano) is one of the world's great rice dishes — and every serious Milanese restaurant serves a version. Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia in the Bande Nere district is Milan's most acclaimed fine dining restaurant and its risotto alla Milanese is considered the finest version in the city. Ratanà on Via Gaetano de Castillia (near the Porta Nuova skyscraper district) is a modern Milanese trattoria with an extraordinary risotto programme and an excellent natural wine list.
Best Aperitivo Culture
Milan's aperitivo (6pm-9pm) tradition is one of the world's great after-work rituals: order a Campari Spritz, Negroni, or Aperol Spritz and receive a complimentary spread of cicchetti, tramezzini, and snacks that in many bars constitutes a full light meal. The Brera neighbourhood, the Navigli canal district, and the Isola neighbourhood are the centres of aperitivo culture. Bar Basso on Via Plinio (near Porta Venezia) invented the Negroni Sbagliato (Negroni made with prosecco instead of gin) and remains Milan's most famous cocktail bar.
Practical Dining Tips for Milan
Milanese trattorie often close on Sundays, Monday lunches, and in August (the city's traditional holiday shutdown — many restaurants close for all of August). Restaurant prices in Milan are among the highest in Italy but significantly lower than equivalent quality restaurants in London, Paris, or Tokyo. The Mercato Metropolitano food hall near the Duomo is an excellent option for affordable quality eating in the city centre. Reservations for Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia and other fine dining restaurants must be made weeks in advance. Milanese tap water is of good quality and safe to drink.
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