24 hours in Milan and where to eat

This was first written in 2015 and edited in 2025 

Over the years, I’ve heard contrasting grips and praises by Italians for Milan. From being the “grey” city to the epicenter for contemporary culture and fashion in Italy. I love a big city, as I come from one (Seattle!) and at that, one which also has a reputation for being grey and rainy. In case you are new to this blog, you should see how I feel about fashion on this throwback post in 2015 when Vogue came through Florence. Ironically enough and despite my nonchalant attitude towards fashion and refusal to wear high heels, I love Milan.

If you need more reasons to convince you to visit Milan, check out this post too.  

Or book Curious Appetite’s latest culinary adventure in Milan led by expert insiders!

Currently, I’m grappling with the Florence’s state of the dining art, and its eroded culinary scene. I adore many restaurants in Florence, and there are some earnest players here, but contemporary cuisine is more that 25 years behind the rest of Europe and to similar Italian cities like Rome and Milan. You can thank mass tourism and high rents pushing out locals.

Granted, not fair to compare Florence to big cities but I believe she has a lot of limelight to take pride in. It’s a shame how much more it could offer to diners and how much potential the food scene has. It’s home region of Tuscany (please stop saying you’re going into Tuscany when you’re in Florence) has fantastic agricultural biodiversity and heaps of specialty ingredients (EVOO, truffles, bottarga, saffron, etc) and a historically rich repertoire of recipes.

I only blame tourists to a point- being that hey you’re not at home, at least try to be open-minded to eat (and appreciate) the food of the place. Don’t get mad that this isn’t burger king. I think Florentine restauranteurs are stuck with trying to honor their traditions and trying to make money to stay in business. It’s a hard place to be in.

Florentines overall are responding to the demands brought on by overtourism by dumbing down their food, cutting corners on quality and cooking for tourists, not for locals. And I find this extremely tragic. I understand some foods might not be everyone’s jam but how about sticking to other foods? Like if you don’t like raw meat, maybe don’t order the steak?

This is why I love Milan’s food scene- it’s been forged for locals. Also, it’s a fun place for all genres of culture. It is pulsing with good energy, it’s bustling, you feel like you are actually in Europe, there are people filling the streets even outside of high tourist season months. There are promising craft cocktail lounges and speakeasies. And most of all, there is a dining scene which is a worthy contender in the European culinary arena. I share a lot of my Milan dining finds on TikTok. 

If you are a food lover, a cocktail enthusiast and culture junkie- Milan is worth a day trip from Florence. With a fast trains, you can get there in under 2 hours and be perusing the Navigli for a coffee then heading over to the latest trendy neighborhood of Isola to eat gourmet risotto at Cesare Battisti’s Ratana by lunch and sipping a negroni sbagliato at Camparino in front of the Duomo at aperitivo before heading back to Florence in the evening.

Without fail, on every occasion I go to Milan from Florence, I get a little hit of culture shock, from improved efficiency tp a visual shake of the architectural juxtapositions compared to the little Medieval/Renaissance village that is Firenze with its towers frozen in time.

In 24 hours in Milan from Florence, you can do the following:

Start out with a coffee at LuBar (or LuBarino if the weather permits) in the manicured, designer district of Brera then browse the boutiques off Via Mercato or traditional Milanese breakfast with local sweets at Pattini. Or if you have more proletariat tastes, chill at Jamaica Bar.

Pop over to Laboratorio Niko Romito on Via Solferino for a Michelin-star chef level pastry and confectionary boutique. Then enjoy all the cute shops and boutiques surrounding unless you’d prefer to explore the Pinacoteca.

For more coffee, these are my favorite classic very Milanese spots smack in the center: Marchesi 1824, Cova Montenapoleone, Sant Ambroeus, Bar Magenta (mostly for aperitivo but sure you can get a coffee) and Zaini Milano (which has some incredible chocolates).

More specialty coffee (which Milan could use some work on): Ditta Artigianale, S’Lab and Otto in Chinatown, Orsonero, Pan Milano (but these are all super inconvenient to get to for a 24hr jaunt)

Work off those carbs and head across town to either explore Chinatown and if you’re in town on a Saturday, head to the Fabbrica del Vapore. This is a contemporary events space and is where the Slow Food farmer’s market is held Saturdays. If you’re into panettone, bookmark this fair and competition Repanettone.

Jump on the super efficient Metro and head over to the Garibaldi area to check out the Boschi Verticali  and chill in the park with a book if a nice day. Hit up Cafe Gorille or nearby Zaini to get chocolate and caffeine refuel post perusing.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite yet again, wind up the day with a visit to the Navigli for a self-guided Aperitivo crawl. I suggest you dwell at Pinch during aperitivo hours. Or grab a drink from the covered market to chill watching the sunset along the Darsena (Mercato Coperto della Darsena)

Stumble over to Mag Cafe just a few doors down from Pinch for a second or post-aperitivo digestif. Mag Cafe has remained one of the most consistent drinking spots in the city, One of the owners is said to own the smallest bar in the world “1930”, a speakeasy where most of the 11 square meters belong to the WC.

Also, the Navigli have changed in the last ten years since I wrote this post. Lots of bad bars and it’s so obvious with the plastic platters of pizza and spritzes held up by pillsbury doughboy chefs. I honestly also like 1847 Milano at the end of the Navigli for an old school dive bar feel for a martini or negroni and a bite.

Wine Bars in Milan

Sommlady is here to name some names: Bar Paradiso, Bar Nico, Minerale, Flor and Enoteca Naturale (both also in the Navigli area), Levante (in Isola), Cantine Isola dal 1986 (Chinatown!) and N’Ombra de Vin (Brera!). Thirsty for more names? Offer me a coffee on VenMo or book a travel consult, food tour guests get personalized recs too.

Beer Lovers: If craft cocktails or aren’t your thing, there are some pretty promising drinking holes showcasing some of Italy’s best inventive brews. Lambic Zoon is prime for brews from key producers, also look up Birrificio La Ribalta and Birrificio Italiano who offer an impressive selection of both draft and bottled selections. Check out Birrificio di Lambrate who pours their own beer, often unfiltered.

Travel Tips: If you’re not falling over by then, wander over to the station and for an evening train back to Florence OR stay overnight at a hotel or apartment.

Areas I’d recommend staying in: Isola, Porta Venezia, Porta Genova or Sant’Agostino, Brera and Porta Ticinese. For info on fast trains, visit Italo or Trenitalia. Play with both sites to see which ones give a better offer.

Usually, you can get a discount % off if you book a same day round-trip. Sometimes, it’s cheaper to get 2 one ways, each from different providers. When shopping for train tickets pick Porta Genova for the train station in Milan if you want to get straight to the Navigli but book Milano Centrale coming back.

Book as far in advance as possible for best fares. Once you arrive, get an unlimited ride 24 hour metro pass which also works for the trams and buses at the kiosks in the station.

If you’re in Milan and looking for food and drink tours, check out Curious Appetite’s latest insider culinary experience (i.e. Milan food tours) in the fashionista capital “da bere”

Have additional questions? Been to any of these spots? Let me know!

Of course, I have heaps of places to recommend but can’t give away all the names! If you have more specific qs- offer me a coffee on VenMo or book a travel consult, food tour guests get personalized recs too.

In your big city love,

Curious Appetite

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