Milano – a city of art, culture, design, fashion, and of course food! Located in Northern Italy, the capital city of Lombardia is a bustling metropolitan area, known worldwide for iconic landmarks like Leonardo DaVinci's The Last Supper, the Duomo Cathedral, and the Quadrilatero della Moda. Since we’re Eataly, we can’t forget about the food! What makes Milano a top culinary destination? Take the perfect balance of mountains, plains, and a moderate climate, and add to it long-standing artisanal traditions, and you’ve got rustic but rich, hearty dishes.
As in most northern regions of Italy, Milanese cuisine is characteristic of the
terroir of the land, with a heavier focus on meals made with rice, meats (like beef and pork), and butter. The region of Lombardia - with verdant plains and foothills, long traditions of artisanal food production, and a moderate continental climate perfect for cultivation - is home to some of Italy's most iconic dishes and wines, as well as 20 traditional DOP-certified products, several of which are from Milano.
WHAT TO TASTE
NEGRONI SBAGLIATO
Named
sbagliato after the "mistake" that first created the cocktail at the iconic Harry's Bar in Milano, this Negroni contains the cocktails classic ingredients of vermouth and Campari but with a twist! Replace the gin with sparkling wine for a lightly sweet and bubbly sip.
GORGONZOLA DOP
Named after a small town just outside of Milano, Gorgonzola DOP is one of the world’s oldest blue-veined cheese. The cheese is buttery, firm, salty, and crumbly. We recommend sprinkling into risotto or as part of an antipasto board. Visit our Salumi & Formaggi counter to take some home.
RISOTTO ALLA MILANESE
Pasta may be Italy’s most famous first course, but rice is equally key to Italian cuisine – especially in the northern region of Lombardia. During the Renaissance, the swamps near Milano were turned into rice paddies, and rice has played a starring role ever since. One of our favorite Milanese dishes is the iconic Saffron Risotto - bright, colourful, and flavoured with saffron-infused broth. Get the recipe
here.
COTOLETTA ALLA MILANESE
Forget the wide and flat
cotoletta that you think you know – originally, the traditional
cotoletta alla Milanese was made exclusively with bone-in veal chops, carefully leaving the meat as high as the bone. The "elephant ear" style that you find at restaurants today was born through the influence of this classic Italian dish's cousin, the Viennese wiener schnitzel.
PANETTONE
The Italian holiday treat we know and love first originated in Milano in the 15th century in the castle kitchens of the Duke of Milano (or at least that's the
legend we love)! A classic panettone, or "big bread" is made with fermented dough and studded with candied orange peels and raisins. Keep an eye out during the holiday season to get them before they're gone!
Soon you'll be able to get a taste of Milano at Trattoria Milano, Eataly Toronto's fourth restaurant! A presto!
