Milan tips by locals | Spotted by Locals city guide » Hinterland

Seven – Fancy a steak? Some good wine?

Audrey Smith — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:31:31 +0000

Image by Audrey Smith

Saturday nights are good for sitting down with friends over a good glass of wine (or 2 or 3!) and when I feel like a change from Italian cuisine I find “Seven” is a nice alternative. The steak is good, and a friend ordered the chicken and couscous as pictured and was also happy.

The wine list is excellent and their special of the month is usually good value and good quality. They are well informed about wine and give good advice.

What I also like about this place is the atmosphere. The place is decorated in an interesting manner with a predominance of IKEA furnishings. Bright and colourful IKEA style, but nice and cosy too. Across the canal (not quite a Venetian canal, but a canal nevertheless) you can stop off for an after dinner drink or dance.

You can also find Seven restaurants more central on Corso Columbo, 11 and Viale Monte Nero, 29.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Seven | Restaurants (Intern.) | Meal & wine € 25.00
Via Bertelli, 4 | Hinterland | +39022615190
Mon – Sat 19:00 – 00:00

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Ragoo – For a drink or maybe a little boogie!

Audrey Smith — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:31:24 +0000

Image by Audrey Smith

While this place may seem a little far from the city centre it’s easily reachable by metro (take line 1 towards Sesto and get off at Gorla or Turro). This area has recently been experiencing some re-development and you can now find some nice restaurants and of course Ragoo, a great place for an after dinner drink or boogie.

It is what Italians call a “disco bar”, free to get in, a relaxed atmosphere and the opportunity to dance some moves in the small dance area. The music is usually a mix of latest hits, Italian pop and old retro classics. While I enjoy the dance floor from time to time, I also really like the big outside courtyard which is great to hang out in and enjoy your cocktail. It’s just starting to get warm enough now!

I recommend arriving around 21:00 – 22:00 if you want to get yourself somewhere to sit in the courtyard, although of course that’s not guaranteed! Sometimes there is a line-up to get in around 00:00.

Check out the blog for dj and live music acts.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Ragoo | Bars, Music | Cocktail € 8.00
Viale Monza 140 | Hinterland | +390226005157
18:00 – 02:00 daily

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Crono – Genuine eating house

Elena Berneschi — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:21:17 +0000

Image by E.B.

The first time I saw this eating house and read a note on the door saying “Mon – Fri: 10 Euros for a full meal” (i.e. first dish, second dish, side dish and ¼ of wine), I immediately thought that such a low cost must correspond to a work canteen quality.

Some days after I was invited to a lunch based on “bollito”: boiled meat with spices and fruit mustard, a dish I really enjoy during the winter, typical of the northern Italy kitchen traditions.

As soon as I arrived, I discovered that this was the restaurant we would go to.

I am glad I was invited to the bollito lunch, otherwise I would have never discovered Crono.

Crono offers a genuine home made kitchen. The dishes are really simple and traditional (soups, gnocchi, trippa, cotoletta, …) but they taste as if they were made with countryside products. I do not know how the cook does it, but he can really enhance the taste of every single ingredient, no matter how simple it is.

Owner and waiters seem to tease each other all the time, they shout to the kitchen or to each other and sometimes answer in a brusque way even to clients, but it is part of the play, so relax and enjoy it: at the end of the dinner you will become best friends.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Crono | Restaurants (Regional) | DInner & drinks € 10
Via Pascoli 6 | Hinterland | +390229400839
Mon – Fri 12:30 – 14:30, Daily 19:00 – 23:30

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Scaringi – One of the best cappuccinos in town

Elena Berneschi — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:07:51 +0000

Image by eb

When it comes to cappuccinos, I must admit I am quite demanding. I can accept queuing for ages at the post office, risking my life every time I ride my bike in the traffic, finding out there is a strike every time I try to catch the train on Friday afternoon, but if my morning cappuccino is not good my whole day is ruined.

Choosing the right place for my breakfast has therefore been a difficult task, one that has required a big investment of time and energy. My conclusion has been that Scaringi has one of the best cappuccinos and marocchinos in town. You surely know the cappuccino, but you might not be sure of what a marocchino is: it’s a coffee with a cloud of milk, milk foam and some chocolate powder on the top (as far as I know, it only exists in Milan). At Scaringi they do more: they serve it in a glass coated with Nutella which melts down with the hot milk and coffee.

Scaringi is a patisserie, therefore there is a good selection of croissants, cakes (take the nut filled donut with nut filling or the chocolate muffins with vanilla filling) and savories. If you stop by for an aperitivo, you are served a huge place full of small pizzas and puff pastry savories, olives, dried fruit and chips. The setting reminds an old Austrian café (a huge glass chandelier, the wooden paneling, the dim light), so take your time and enjoy it!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Scaringi | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Aperitivo € 8.50
Via Pacini 15 | Hinterland
Tue – Sun 07:00 – 20:00

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La Santeria – The multifunctional cafè

Elena Berneschi — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:54:22 +0000

Image by Elena Berneschi

La Santeria is hidden in the inside court of an anonymous street of Milan suburbs. You hardly notice it when you pass by, I personally discovered it by chance as I heard some music coming out and saw lot’s of people going down what seemed to be a garage path. When I ventured inside, I discovered a lovely courtyard covered with a wooden floor and decorated with a climbing path.

This place is great in the summer for the aperitivo: there are often dj performances, the atmosphere is lively and easygoing and there are lot’s of people in their 20-30ies that seem to be coming out of a creative agency. It’s not just an impression: on the first floor there is a job-sharing area where designers, web and graphic artists, free lancers rent a desk for some hours, days, weeks or even longer to carry out their projects.

During the day la Santeria is the ideal place to go to when you just want to relax: it’s plenty of newspapers, it’s quiet, the staff is really friendly and, if you want to stop by for lunch, the food is delicious! Take the dish of the day, or the tagliere (a cutting board full of different hams or cheeses or both), the hamburgers or the salads. Take at least one hour for your lunch, the service is not quick.

There’s also a shop (books, clothing, ..) and an exhibition area for art shows, movies, book presentations.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Santeria | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Intern.) | Aperitivo € 7
Via Paladino 8 | Hinterland | +390236685216
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 21:30, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 22:00