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

Il Trullo is a restaurant with cuisine from the southern Italian region of Puglia. Having never been to Puglia, I can’t pretend to be really “in the know” about the cuisine but over the years I’ve been familiar with a few dishes as many of my students like to tell me about their favourite dishes.

A type of pasta, orecchiette, which means “little ear” in Italian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orecchiette); is predominant on the menu and good to try in spring when “cime di rape” is in season, a leafy type of broccoli. I’ve also tried it with chick peas and mussels or tomato and ricotta and both are really delicious. Be warned however, the portions of the pasta dishes are huge!

Meat dishes include horse and fish. I’ve tried some of the fish and it was fresh and tasty. The restaurant is little and bookings are recommended on the weekend, it’s a place to enjoy with friends, not a quiet, romantic dinner. The price is honest, just like the wines and the average bill is around 30 euro which is good for Milan.

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Il Trullo | Restaurants (Italian/Pugliese) | Meal & wine € 30
via Maiocchi, 14 | Centrale/Greco | +390229513720
Tue – Sun from 19:00

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

When I discovered it, a couple of years ago, I thought this would be “another Chinese restaurant, but with a better interior designer”. Then I tried it and was so happy that I insisted that all my friends try it too. At a certain point, as I was always with them whenever they came here, I thought I could be accused of stalking, or suspected of obsessive syndrome.

The owner of the Leon D’Oro is a man from Hong Kong who has been traveling a lot, trying out all kinds of kitchens and developing his own sense of taste. Don’t ever compliment him about his fusion kitchen, he always says that his is a cross-over one: fusion has got far too small a portion!

The menu has got three lists: Chinese food, Japanese food and Leon D’Oro special dishes. This is the one you have to focus on: it’s got recipes that mix together different Asian traditions with excellent results. I confirm that the portions are really big, so don’t lose control of yourself when ordering. The few Malaise, Thai and Vietnamese dishes are also very good, same for the second dishes (for eg. the the salt-coated salmon in the picture!) though I don’t particularly like the cakes, too creamy and “standard” style for me. You are better off taking the mango, it’s delicious.

If you are fond of dim sum, then try the brunch; every Sunday morning.

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Ristorante Leon D’Oro | Restaurants (Asian) | Brunch € 20
Via Adda 3 | Centrale/Greco | +39026705355
Sun – Fri 12:00 – 14:30 & 18:30 – 23:00, Sat 18:30 – 23:00

It’s a little hard to translate the word “Osteria” in English but it’s interesting to know where it comes from. With a latin root, the word comes from the verb “to host” and immediately implies a place where you can be a guest, cause someone is taking care of you. Nowadays Osteria is used to define those kind of restaurants which still have and old touch, could it be the food, the place, the informal atmosphere.

Osteria dei vecchi sapori (literally Osteria of the old taste) is placed in one of the most interesting neighbourhoods of Milano, l’Isola. It used to be the craftsmen, factories and artists area, then a lot of them had to close their business and since some years the area has been rising again with new shops, bars and restaurants, and a lot of young people are hanging around day and night.

This Osteria is very nice, you can eat traditional Italian dishes, in large portions but at a less large price. You have a good choice of typical wines and desserts as well. The atmosphere is cozy and friendly and the staff is really nice. Now that fusion and ethnic cuisine is so popular in Milan, finding a place where you can still taste real Italian dishes is really a treasure.

Last time I had dinner there, I ate an exquisite polenta taragna with tomini and speck. Better to try than to explain!

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Osteria dei vecchi sapori | Restaurants (Italian) | Meal € 25.00
Via Jacopo dal Verme 14 | Centrale/Greco | +390266802223
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 15:00 & 19:30 – 22:30, Sat – Sun 19:30 – 22:30