Boeucc Bistrot

Thanks to its patriotic host, Osteria del Boeucc shows a strong tie with the historical Revolution known as the Five Days of Milan. At the time, the osteria, founded in 1696, was located at the corner of Via Durini and Via Borgogna. Its long history led it to move in 1939 to the elegant Palazzo Belgioioso, designed by Piermarini, just a stone’s throw from Teatro alla Scala.

Over the centuries, it has become a culinary reference point for Milanese tradition, appreciated by finance moguls, industrialists, and famous personalities. Piovene was a regular, Giuseppe Verdi was a customer, Toscanini dined with half a bottle of Champagne, Maestro Maazel was so entranced by the flavours that he arrived late to conduct a Falstaff performance, and Eduardo de Filippo (Neapolitan actor and playwright) declared that the best spaghetti with tomato and basil, outside of Naples, was served here.

Ristorante Giannino dal 1899

Ristorante Giannino began its journey 124 years ago as a simple Tuscan fiaschetteria (wine shop) that also housed a kitchen. At that time, Milan wasn’t the metropolis it is today, and the international jet-set was still a distant dream. Over a century, Giannino’s reputation and popularity grew steadily, attracting Milan’s elite and, eventually, famous figures such as Gregory Peck, Maria Callas, Grace Kelly, and Ian Fleming. Their frequent visits helped elevate Giannino to its status as a gastronomic icon of Milan, a fact affirmed by the many portraits adorning its walls.

El Brellin

Located at the corner between the Naviglio Grande and Vicolo dei Lavandai, this restaurant encapsulates a bit of old Milan’s history. Born in a 1700s house with original fireplaces and coffered ceilings, El Brellin is the perfect spot to savour Milanese flavours.

Divided into a restaurant and café, the menu offers traditional Milanese and Lombard dishes, some with DeCA – Denomination of Ambrosian Cuisine, proving their authenticity. Originally, El Brellin’s premises were used as a grocery store, with a nearby washhouse (still present today) where laundresses used to go. This gives El Brellin its name: in Milanese dialect, a brellin is a wooden tub filled with straw on which the laundresses would kneel to wash clothes.