I tend to eat while I’m on the move in the Centro Storico so the reviews below are for fast food places; a patisserie, a bakery and a pizzeria. For proper sit down restaurants, please see my other posts about food in Porta Venezia (post here), Porta Garibaldi (post here) and Navigli (post here).
You’ll find everywhere on my map.
Pasticceria Marchesi 1824 (Elementary B+), 11/a Via Santa Maria alla Porta, www.pasticceriamarchesi.com
This historic pasticceria is where I had breakfast before I started my walk in the last post.
I had my usual capu and brioche, but added on a Torta di Riso, a sweet Bolognese rice cake, all of which were top notch.
Marchesi also have a unit in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II with a spectacular display window.
If you’re thinking of getting some of their highly-prized panettone in the run-up to Christmas, make sure you order several weeks in advance.
Luini Panzerotti (Elementary A), 16 Via Santa Radegonda, www.luini.it
This place down the side of Rinascente is perhaps the most famous bakery in Milan, since 1940, and is particularly known for panzerotti.
Panzerotti are different in different Italian regions but here they are pockets of deep fried pizza dough with different fillings, in my case invariably mozzarella, garlic and tomatoes.
A panzerotto costs about €3 and a coke €1.50. They also sell bread and other hand-made specialities.
Pizzeria di Gennaro (Intermediate B), 14 Via Santa Radegonda, next to Luini, www.di-gennaro.it
This is Milan’s oldest pizzeria, founded in 1934. There’s nothing particularly special about it but the service is friendly and efficient and the food is fine. I had a Margherita for €6 which was okay. It’s a good place to rest your feet after shopping in Rinascente.
Next we head slightly out of the centre for restaurants around Porta Garibaldi…