Discovering the Top Eateries and Bars Recommended by Milan's Designers
Designers' Favourite Eateries and Watering Holes in Milan
Milan, a city known for its fashion, design, and culinary delights, is home to a vibrant food and drink scene that caters to the discerning palates of local designers and the design community. During events like Salone del Mobile, these cultural hubs become even more lively, offering an eclectic mix of dining experiences.
In the Brera District
Bar Jamaica, a historic bar since the 1920s, is a favourite among artists and intellectuals. Renowned for its vintage atmosphere, excellent cocktails, and traditional Italian aperitivo snacks, it provides a bohemian setting for socialising [1]. Caffè Fernanda, nestled within the Pinacoteca di Brera museum, offers a refined coffee experience that blends minimalist contemporary design with classical art surroundings. It is praised for exceptional espresso and artisanal pastries [2].
Luxury and Design District near Via Montenapoleone
While specific bars or cafés are not explicitly listed here, this area hosts design offices (e.g., SLD · Andrea Bonini) and is known for high-end establishments where exclusive VIP dinners take place during events like Salone del Mobile, such as Casa Cipriani Milano [3].
Fuorisalone Food and Drink Scene
Beyond formal restaurants, the Fuorisalone event activates many neighbourhoods (Brera, Tortona, Isola, Porta Venezia, Lambrate, Alcova) with food trucks, pop-up bars, and mobile kitchens offering a diverse, high-quality culinary scene. These venues provide an informal space for tastings, show cooking, and collaboration with designers and chefs, making lunch and aperitivo moments very special and experimental [4].
Other Recommended Spots
Rita's Tiki Room, located at Ripa di Porta Ticinese, 69, is a popular spot for aperitivos with impressive cocktails and friendly staff [1]. Studiopepe, an architecture and design studio founded by Arianna Lelli Mami in 2006, recommends Trattoria Masuelli San Marco for its timeless and chic takes on Milanese classics, located at Viale Umbria, 80 [1]. I Capatosta, located at Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 56, serves mouth-watering Neapolitan dishes, including pizza, and is a favourite casual lunch spot for Atelier Biagetti [1].
La Belle Aurore, located at Via Privata Giuseppe Abamonti, 1, is a nostalgic restaurant that serves home-style cooking and is a favourite casual lunch spot for Cristina Celestino [1]. Polpo Semplicemente Pesce, located at Via Melzo, 9, is a seafood restaurant that Cristina Celestino loves for its marine atmosphere, azure colors, and tapas menu [1]. Osteria Grand Hotel, located at Via Ascanio Sforza, 75, is an authentic restaurant in Milan that serves traditional Italian cuisine and has a long-standing history dating back to the early 1900s [1].
Kanpai, located at Via Melzo, 12, offers great cocktails and delicious saucers to share for an aperitivo, according to Studiopepe [1]. Giacomo Bistrot, a French-style bistro with an English feel located at Via Pasquale Sottocorno, 6, is a recommended casual lunch spot by Palomba Serafini Associati [1]. Røst, located at Via Melzo, 3, offers sophisticated, tasty fish dishes and has a metropolitan, easy and refined atmosphere, as recommended by Studiopepe [1].
Cristina Celestino, an architect and designer who founded the furniture brand Attico Design in 2011, recommends Pasticceria Gelsomina for a leisurely second espresso, located at Via Carlo Tenca, 5 [1]. Mag Cafe, located at Ripa di Porta Ticinese, 43, is a favourite morning espresso spot for Atelier Biagetti, offering excellent coffee and a stunning view of the Navigli canal [1]. Casa Capitano, a small coffee bar located on Via Castel Morrone, 35, is a favourite morning espresso spot for Older [1].
Terroir, located at Via Macedonio Melloni, 33, offers a fabulous selection of natural wines and is a preferred spot for an aperitivo for Older [1]. Bolo'bolo Bar, located at Via Maurizio Quadrio, 25, is a bar tucked away on a side street inaccessible to cars, with a beautiful central counter serving delicious cocktails [1].
Trattoria Torre di Pisa in Brera is a recommended place for a good riso al salto by Studiopepe [1]. Pasticceria Caravaggio, a traditional pastry shop located at Via Giuseppe Meda, 14, is a go-to for morning espressos for Palomba Serafini Associati [1].
Design Studios' Recommendations
Atelier Biagetti, a design studio known for its tongue-in-cheek installations, objects, and performances, was founded by architect and designer Alberto Biagetti and artist Laura Baldassari in 2003 [1]. Frederik De Wachter and Alberto Artesani of DWA Design Studio recommend Pasticceria Alvin's for great coffee and a sweet treat, located at Via Melchiorre Gioia, 141 [1]. Older, a design studio specialising in sustainable, utilitarian uniforms and object design, was founded by Letizia Caramia and Morten Thuesen in 2013 [1].
While comprehensive lists of recommended restaurants by specific local designers during Salone del Mobile are less documented explicitly in the search results, Brera stands out as a key cultural and gastronomic hub, merging café culture, historic bars, and artistic ambiance favoured by Milanese creatives and designers [2]. The Fuorisalone also offers an evolving street food and bar experience that complements the formal design events with vibrant social interaction and culinary innovation [4].
For upscale dining or exclusive design-related gatherings, places near Via Montenapoleone like Casa Cipriani Milano serve as elegant sites for VIP dinners during the design week [3]. If you want, I can help by recommending specific restaurant names or bars commonly frequented by Milanese designers beyond these highlights, though they are not explicitly listed in the recent search results.
[1]: Based on the bullet points provided [2]: Inferred from the information provided [3]: Inferred from the information provided [4]: Inferred from the information provided
- Milan's Brera District, a favorite amongst local designers, houses Caffè Fernanda, a contemporary cafe that offers exceptional espresso and artisanal pastries, and Bar Jamaica, a historic bar popular for its vintage atmosphere and traditional Italian aperitivo snacks.
- During the Fuorisalone event, several neighborhoods, including Brera, offer a diverse culinary scene, creating an informal space for tastings, show cooking, and collaboration between designers and chefs, making lunch and aperitivo moments unique and experimental.
