I'm sure you have this neighborhood joint that you passed by several times and every time you said to yourself that you've got to check it out but you always left it "on the back burner" (just because it is right next door). Well, Al Fresco is exactly this kind of place for me and that's why it took me a long time before I actually made it there. The place turned out to be a real gem!
Indoors it's very light with big windows, split into several interconnected spaces and somehow super cosy. There is the open kitchen where the Japanese chef (Kokichi Takahashi) spins seriously delicious Italian specialties (everything tastes so great that I'm afraid I'll be visiting way too often!). The menu changes frequently (different choices for lunch vs. dinner and weekday vs. weekend) and all products are local ('0 km' concept is taken very seriously here). Service is friendly and efficient, adding to the relaxed feel of the restaurant.
Now, I left the best for the end - in summer the place has an amazing garden, beautifully arranged for those long hot summer evenings, when chilling outside with great food and a couple of drinks & friends is pretty much enough to be happy :).
Tip - if you don't feel like taking advantage of the vast wine list, try the tasty artisan beer from a small local brewery and buy several bottles for home on your way out, at a discounted price.
Find your way with 185 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
During the 20th century, it became one of the most important shops in the city, specialising in selling branded clothes, above all famous Italian brands.
By
It was built in 334 a.c, in a period when Milan or Mediolanum, the Latin name of the city, was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
By
The first one was made in 1630, in place of the house of Gian Giacomo Mora, who was a barber, and it's still there today on the road that bears his name.
By
There are two types of people: those who take Aperol and those who take Campari. But what's the difference? Read to find out...
By
This restaurant is one of those which is resisting and still gives the possibility to have delicious traditional pizzas at affordable prices.
By
Mitú is a place I would enthusiastically recommend to a friend seeking a charming atmosphere, great cuisine and attentive and knowledgeable staff.
By
The Church of Sant'Ambrogio, built this church in the 5th century AD, is an important church because it was built by the patron of the city, Ambrogio.
By
One of the most interesting in the city, founded in 1576, it has the same structure as some Roman-Greek circular temples, "tholos" in ancient Greek.
By
It was built in the V century around a stone, which beneath it had the relics of four Christian martyrs who were brutally tortured and then killed...
By
Alda Merini was one of the most interesting people in the city and was always wandering around Navigli, so anybody could go and meet her in that district.
By
Though Pinocchio's statue is easy to overlook, it serves as a reminder of Milan’s deep connection to Italian culture, inviting us to see beyond the surface
By
185 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 185 Insider Tips