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Milano and Torino Resturants - your Top 3 places to eat and Reservations Required?

jmc

10+ Posts
Hi All -

Although I am good 4+ months away from our Milano --> Torino --> Milano trip, and I have been dutifully documenting all the great recommendations from everyone and spending time with @Ian Sutton's food map, I wanted to ask everyone:

1) What are your top 3/most memorable places to dine in Milano and Torino - whether it is a sandwhich shop or fine dining, I would love the hear about and what made it special.

2) Are reservations required for most restuarants in Oct and November? I know in Paris and Lyon they were required, even if seating was no where near capaciity, as most of the restuarants ordered based on the reservations.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
 
I like your use of 'memorable' as a category rather than best :cool: ... as I'm not a great believer in best when tastes may differ.

All my suggestions are from Torino - our lunch in La Rinascente in Milano was decent, and with a view of the cathedral, but was really just a cafetteria meal in a decent department store.

Unfortunately the most enjoyable one for us has gone - A super place on Corso San Maurizio, IIRC called Il Consorzio. Food, wine and service 'just right' for us.

Piazza dei Mestieri. In truth the standards will vary significantly given its role as a training college for kids on the fringes of society. Conversely we cut them a lot of slack given the wonderful socially responsible nature of this enterprise. However on out 1st two visits there, the food was exceptionally good irrespective of that, and the celeriac granita salad dressing had me utterly blown away, as I strongly dislike the taste of celery/celeriac, but this was a joy. The location is a little out of the way, and not always on printed maps. We tend to get the bus / tram to via Cibrario and walk the few blocks up to their location.

Tre Galli / Vitel Etonné. Two different places, the former in the old town / Quadrilatero to the north, the other more central, just off via Po. Both have waxed and waned over the years, sometimes brilliant, sometimes humdrum, but both have had a good / interesting wine focus and at times have shone brightly for the food as well. Both started more like Enoteche, with some food served, but are both now more focused on the food, but both remain good relaxed options for a lighter meal (or something more substantial if you wish). Vitel Etonné has also at times been excellent for that Torinese evening (~ 6:30-8pm) tradition of 'Aperitivo hour', where purchase of something to drink also comes with either a plate of tasty nibbles, or an empty plate to graze from the buffet. Catch it when they're trying out new dishes, or simply have made a strong effort, and it's a wonderful pre-cursor to an evening meal, or even a replacement for a planned light supper.

So as the most memorable is no more, I'll throw in a consistent favourite, which can seem a modest sort of place, but we've consistently enjoyed it over the years. Taverna dell'Oca on via dei Mille is run by a hard working husband and wife team (with additional staff front and back). Not especially 'showy' food, but always enjoyable for us. Their signature goose dish, with goose (Oca) prepared in different ways is a highlight (and quite substantial). If they have a Timorasso (white) wine on the menu still, that's a super match for the dish.
 
A lovely restaurant we ate at in Torino was Trattoria l'Oca Fola, in the area of Porta Susa (not to be confused with the Taverna dell'Oca of Ian's post above...). A very enjoyable dinner it was, we'd certainly go back again. The owner was very nice, accepting us on a very crowded evening, and all the dishes were top-notch.
I'd say always make a reservation for a restaurant, wherever you go and can plan ahead - it doesn't cost you anything, and makes things easier for everyone.
 

See post #5.

You won't have dinner there, but if you don't stop there and have a cup of their famous Bicerin, I won't ever speak to you again either! :D
 
I like your use of 'memorable' as a category rather than best :cool: ... as I'm not a great believer in best when tastes may differ.

All my suggestions are from Torino - our lunch in La Rinascente in Milano was decent, and with a view of the cathedral, but was really just a cafetteria meal in a decent department store.

Unfortunately the most enjoyable one for us has gone - A super place on Corso San Maurizio, IIRC called Il Consorzio. Food, wine and service 'just right' for us.

Piazza dei Mestieri. In truth the standards will vary significantly given its role as a training college for kids on the fringes of society. Conversely we cut them a lot of slack given the wonderful socially responsible nature of this enterprise. However on out 1st two visits there, the food was exceptionally good irrespective of that, and the celeriac granita salad dressing had me utterly blown away, as I strongly dislike the taste of celery/celeriac, but this was a joy. The location is a little out of the way, and not always on printed maps. We tend to get the bus / tram to via Cibrario and walk the few blocks up to their location.

Tre Galli / Vitel Etonné. Two different places, the former in the old town / Quadrilatero to the north, the other more central, just off via Po. Both have waxed and waned over the years, sometimes brilliant, sometimes humdrum, but both have had a good / interesting wine focus and at times have shone brightly for the food as well. Both started more like Enoteche, with some food served, but are both now more focused on the food, but both remain good relaxed options for a lighter meal (or something more substantial if you wish). Vitel Etonné has also at times been excellent for that Torinese evening (~ 6:30-8pm) tradition of 'Aperitivo hour', where purchase of something to drink also comes with either a plate of tasty nibbles, or an empty plate to graze from the buffet. Catch it when they're trying out new dishes, or simply have made a strong effort, and it's a wonderful pre-cursor to an evening meal, or even a replacement for a planned light supper.

So as the most memorable is no more, I'll throw in a consistent favourite, which can seem a modest sort of place, but we've consistently enjoyed it over the years. Taverna dell'Oca on via dei Mille is run by a hard working husband and wife team (with additional staff front and back). Not especially 'showy' food, but always enjoyable for us. Their signature goose dish, with goose (Oca) prepared in different ways is a highlight (and quite substantial). If they have a Timorasso (white) wine on the menu still, that's a super match for the dish.
Thanks Ian - great additional context and I LOVE the recommendation for the Piazza dei Mestieri, especially given its mission. We may have to try that establishment a few times!! Thank you Thank you!
 
A lovely restaurant we ate at in Torino was Trattoria l'Oca Fola, in the area of Porta Susa (not to be confused with the Taverna dell'Oca of Ian's post above...). A very enjoyable dinner it was, we'd certainly go back again. The owner was very nice, accepting us on a very crowded evening, and all the dishes were top-notch.
I'd say always make a reservation for a restaurant, wherever you go and can plan ahead - it doesn't cost you anything, and makes things easier for everyone.
@joe - Perfect! Added to the list - thanks for the tip!
 

See post #5.

You won't have dinner there, but if you don't stop there and have a cup of their famous Bicerin, I won't ever speak to you again either! :D
@NoSpin - Caffe Al Bicerin - sir yes sir!!
 
Al Bicerin also has become a regular destination for us. The other famous cafes are flashier, more ostentatiously grand, but Al Bicerin conversely is calm, cosy (despite being comparatively spartan) and understated.
 
@Ian Sutton and @NoSpin - I just spent some time looking at the pics of Al Bicerin and it reminds me of the wonderful place we went to in Rome almost every morning for two weeks *and* our airbnb is only a 5 minute walk away, so I am sure we will spend some quality time there!
 
@Ian Sutton and @NoSpin - I just spent some time looking at the pics of Al Bicerin and it reminds me of the wonderful place we went to in Rome almost every morning for two weeks *and* our airbnb is only a 5 minute walk away, so I am sure we will spend some quality time there!
Oh good, this way I can continue to speak to you! :)
 
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