In the area between the red metro stop Wagner and the red metro stop De Angeli you can find many good pizzerias, and the odd Chinese or Japanese restaurant. But not a great quantity of bars. Whilst the more sophisticated crowd may head to Smooth (Via Buonarotti), the younger crowd usually head to via Ravizza and more than often Akkademia Bar.

With outside seating, it’s busy all seasons and on tap you can find the good quality beer such as Czech Pilsener Urquell, London Pride and Guinness. It’s décor is a little interesting, I think it’s an attempt at an English style club without the grunginess! The cocktails are fresh and tasty. The crowd is younger than surrounding areas, usually in the range of 18-30.

It’s a perfect place for a pre or post dinner drink in this popular restaurant district in Milan. It’s also close to the just re-done Teatro Nazionale.

If you are a bit hungry you can find a late night snack of french fries or popcorn. Yes, that’s right, popcorn isn’t only reserved for movie cinemas! Open till 02:00, it’s at it’s busiest during the Happy Hour (18:00 – 22:00) or after 23.00. Be careful in August as they close during the middle week of August.

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Akkademia Bar | Bars, Snacks | Cocktail € 7.00
Via Ravizza 1 | Fiera | +39243981132
18:00 – 02:00 daily

Before I moved to Italy, one of the first things that came to mind was FOOD! Salami, cheese, pizza, pasta oh and all coupled nicely with some wine of course! And of course, Italy didn’t disappoint me.

When it comes to cheese and salami I would recommend a visit to a fabulous jam-packed delicatessen just off the Corso Buenos Aires shopping strip.

Being Australian, my knowledge of Italian cheese was limited to Parmesan (Parmigiano) and Mozzarella and sadly, the only mozzarella I really knew was the copied version we put on our pizzas.

Now I can safely say that I have managed to try a reasonable percentage of the many cheese and cured meats Italy has to offer, but there is always something new to discover. Grab a few servings when you’ve worked up a hunger after shopping or maybe grab a few things for a picnic and relax in the nearby Giardini Publici (Public Gardens) near Porta Venezia. Don’t worry if they don’t speak English, just point at a few things…you’ll be right! They are really friendly and like to joke around with the customers. Avoid Saturday mornings as it’s really chaotic!

MM Metro Lima is the closest stop.

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Salami & Cheese | Shopping, Snacks
Via Tadino / Via Vitruvio | Centrale/Greco
Mon 08:00 – 13:00, Tue – Sat 08:00 – 13:00 & 15:30 -19:30

This is a favorite place for a beer at any time of the year and while it’s quite cozy inside now with the weather picking up (slowly) you can also drink by the canal.

It’s a little different from the usual bars in the Navigli area which can focus more on the Happy hour trade and cocktails and can lack a bit of atmosphere. They don’t do the normal happy hour buffet but you can order fantastic value cheese and salami platters if you’re feeling a little peckish.

Another cute thing is that they serve the beer in kitcsh ceramic beer mugs. They serve a good Italian brewed favorite Menebrea and the Prague favorite from Staropramen.

They don’t do the normal happy hour buffet but you can order fantastic value cheese and salami platters if you’re feeling a little peckish. It’s easy to find, just at the start of the Naviglio Pavese. The first canal if you are walking from the city centre. If you get there early you should have no problem finding a seat, later in the night after 22:00, could be more difficult.

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Coccio Birreria | Bars, Snacks | Beer on tap € 5.00
4 Alzaia naviglio pavese | Ticinese/Genova
Tue – Sun 18:00 – late

A good burger is important and there are many bad ones out there in the world! That’s why I’m happy to write about this place. In a handy location if you happen to be on your way in or out of Milan via train or bus, it’s located a hop, skip and a jump from Central Station and offers a great selection of burgers from beef to chicken to vegetarian. The chips are nice and chunky and freshly cooked too.

Good news! There is now another in the centre. Via Agnello, 18, just behind the main cinema complex.

The objective of Mama Burger was to create a New York style buzz, I’ll let you be the judge but it does have a very upbeat, modern feel and it’s enjoyable to enjoy with the warm weather and sit outside.

The plus is that they are also open to late so it can be a great place to stop if you haven’t filled yourself up enough with a Milan aperitivo! It’s also popular with the work crowd so try not to arrive there at 13:00. Maybe a bit before or after! They also offer a range of the non-hamburger meals, including good salads and Italian food.

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Mama Burger | Snacks, Restaurants | Burger & drink € 12
Via Vittor Pisani, 14 | Centrale/Greco
11:00 – 02:00 daily

If you walk to the Dom and you see a long queue coming out of one of the side streets of Corso Vittorio Emanuele, then you have to stop straight away and follow the crowd. No, you won’t find any celebrity surrounded by her fans, and neither will you find a street artist doing his stunning performance nor a master piece of art attracting tourists.

You will see a small 2 window shops, full of people, with a lovely smell coming out: Luini.

This place has been an institution for the last 3 generations of Milanese people (and it does not even sell Milanese food!) and if you find it, then you absolutely need to stop and try one of its famous panzerotti, a typical street food from Puglia, the region that is in the heel of the Italian peninsula.

Traditionally, the panzerotto is made of bread/pizza dough folded in a half moon shape with a mozzarella and tomato filling inside. It can be cooked in the oven or fried, and of course you have to choose between health and taste (I always go for the latter).

Luini is the best place in town if you want to taste this delicious specialty and it now offers a variety of fillings, like ham, vegetables or even sweet ingredients (nutella, cream, …)

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Luini | Snacks | Panzerotto € 2.70
Via S. Radegonda 16 | Centro | +390286461917
Mon 10:00 – 15:00, Tue – Sat 10:00 – 20:00

I recently discovered this café located inside one of my favorite Museums: Triennale (Museum of Modern Art and Design).

The restaurant offers a wide varieties of  elaborated and creative dishes. I had a very good pasta dish with an interesting cream of lemon, broccoli and anchovies.

At lunch, (except during the weekend) the menu is quite convenient (a starter, a pasta dish and a dessert for € 25.00). Otherwise you can have “a la carte menu”.

The place is quite fancy: all the furniture are design pieces and so are the cutleries. The spaces are big and the view from the window is excellent looking out on the park. In summer there is a nice terrace for enjoying an aperitif, right in the middle of all the green.

After your meal or coffee, you can go on to visit the Museum and discover some nice exhibitions or enjoy a nice walk in the park, located just behind the restaurant.

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Triennale Design Caffè | Art & culture, Snacks, Restaurants (International) | Dinner & drink € 18
Viale Alemagna, 6 | Centro | +390289093899
Tue – Sun 10:30 – 20:00

Open since 1907. I love this place. I love the mixed atmosphere, the tables outside, the fact that it is full of university students as well as normal people or actors, or models.

Bar Magenta is a point of reference in Milan. It is always open 7 days a week and all year long. I was used to work just in front of it and I came here for cappuccino in the morning, a nice salad or sandwich for lunch or a beer with colleagues after work.

Inside it is very beautiful, the floor is original from 1900′s and so are some wooden chairs and little marble tables.

The specialties here are Panini: there is a big blackboard inside where you can choose from more than 20 types (my favorite is primavera with focaccia bread: tomato, mozzarella, green salad and mayonnaise). But the cocktails also need to be mentioned: go for a classic: Negroni Sbagliato made with Bitter Campari, Red Vermouth and Sparkling Wine.

The little tables outside are perfect for a beer on a sunny afternoon or a coffee in the morning. Free newspapers and free WIFI are friendly facilities.

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Bar Magenta | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Pint of beer € 8
Via Carducci, 13 | Centro | +39028053808
09:00 – 02:00 daily

Starting from the name, this is the  place where you want to be if you have a “sweet tooth”. It is located just a few steps from Cadorna Stations in Via Vincenzo Monti, one of my favorite areas in Milan.

If you like to experience the traditional Italian breakfast then order a cappuccino and have a croissant (my favorite are the kipferl with blueberry jam). For a change instead of the classic croissant, you can choose the delicious mignon cake (I love the ones with cream and wild berries).

All the cakes and pastries are homemade and in summer there are also a few tables outside (they also serve aperitifs in the afternoon).

The staff is very nice and you can also order special cakes (made just for you) even for one or two people if you like. In this case you’ll have to order it a few days in advance.

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Sugar | Bars, Snacks | Cappuccino & croissant € 2.30
Via Vincenzo Monti, 26 | Centro | +39024815376
Mon – Sat 07:30 – 20:00, Sun 07:30 – 18:00

A few days ago it was a rainy and cold afternoon in Milano. I was having a walk with a friend and we had this longing for a cup of tea and a slice of cake. I thought about this cute place on the Naviglio Grande called Nero Fondente. Their window is always full of beautiful fresh cakes that seem to tell you “come in and taste me!”.

The place is small and cosy, there is a little mezzanine and from the big window you can see the canal. The apple pie I had was delicious and still warm cause they had just got it from the oven. Everything there is home made and fresh. I can’t say which is the best period to go to Nero Fondente, since when it’s cold outside you can find a warm atmosphere, but in summer you can also stay just outside and have a fresh drink. I would say the style is country-chic and the service very accurate.

They are open daily, from early in the morning until late at night so you can walk in any time.

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Nero Fondente | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Slice of cake € 5.00
Alzaia Naviglio Grande 48 | Ticinese/Genova | +390289059084
08:00 – 02:00 daily

One day I was walking in one of my favourite streets in Milano when my attention was caught by a new window. I looked inside and I saw a cute café, very New York style. I kept it in mind and on the first occasion I went there to have breakfast with a friend of mine.

That’s bakery opened in October and it’s specialized in cupcakes. I had the chance to speak to the owner and he told me his story. He’s from Naples and he has been living in Milan for a few years working for a restaurant. On a trip to London he ran into a pastry shop in South Kensinghton and for the first time he tasted a cupcake. He was impressed by the beauty of this sweet so he asked for the recipe.

Noticing that cupcakes would have been new for Milano, he took the risk of opening this new café and judging by the number of people sitting at his tables you can say the risk was worth.

He offers cakes, brownies, cookies, special teas and coffees but also hamburgers. You can stay there, where the atmosphere is really nice, from the colors on the walls to the music, or take away. Or you can just stare at the window with the colourful little cupcakes, each of which looks like a piece of food art!

The challenge: can you tell what the “red velvet” one tastes like?!

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That’s bakery | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Cupcake € 4.00
Via Vigevano 41 | Ticinese/Genova | +39028394890
10:00 – 00:00 daily