Where to eat in Milan

The quick Milanese stop is an espresso at the counter, a cream-filled pastry from a historic pasticceria, a fried panzerotto or a panino eaten on the move. The slow version happens in family trattorias and old dining rooms serving saffron risotto, ossobuco and breaded veal cutlets. In between, the city makes excellent pizza, from sourdough and ultra-thin crusts to the Neapolitan style, and its covered markets and food halls are good places to graze.

Most of the picks sit in the historic center, with more around Brera and Isola, plus a handful of refined restaurants for a special night. Each place comes with a note from the licensed local guide who recommends it, often naming the dish to order, and the chips sort the list into cafés, trattorias, markets and fine dining.