BREAKFAST
We usually have breakfast at home, but if that’s not possible, on the way to the gallery, we always like to stop at Cova, a small patisserie on Viale Monza. The wood counter and the windows full of homemade sweets, the classical music in the background, and the velvet seats make this place really special. We recommend the coffee served with freshly made whipped cream, the candied orange peels, and the lemon tarts with Italian meringue – though everything is delicious, so it’s difficult to make a mistake. Viale Monza, 91, 20128
LUNCH
Another very important moment in our daily life is lunch; being Italian, as you can imagine, we really like to eat! A place we usually go to near the gallery is Trattoria San Filippo Neri, founded in 1985. It’s ideal in the spring because it has a beautiful garden surrounded by wisteria, where you can have a simple, typical Milanese lunch. Viale Monza, 220, 20128
Another option, more suitable for business lunch, is Tipografia Alimentare, a bistro very close to the Naviglio Martesana, whose seasonal menu changes daily. They also have an excellent selection of wines, and we highly recommend it for an aperitivo. Via Dolomiti, 1, 20127
In other areas of the city, we really like Trattoria Mirta in Casoretto, which is a classic for us, especially in the spring, when you can enjoy the seats outside. Piazza S. Materno, 12, 20131
Nebbia, which is not far from the Navigli area (do try their pan brioche with fegatini – they are delicious!). Via Evangelista Torricelli, 15, 20136
In Porta Venezia, we’d be remiss not to mention Sandì, a new addition to the city that is open mainly for lunch; we recommend making a reservation to experience a very nice meal with a creative twist. Via Francesco Hayez, 13, 20129
APERITIVO
Closer to the center, when we have people visiting, we like to go to LùBar, inside the southern portico of Villa Reale, in a veranda with very high 18th-century windows and plants all around that warm its neutral tones. It’s an ideal place to relax after visiting the nearby GAM – Galleria d’Arte Moderna inside Villa Belgioioso and the Porta Venezia gardens. We would also like to point out a cycle of frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo dedicated to Scipione l’Africano that are located in Palazzo Dugnani, in Via Manin, in front of the gardens. The palace is not always open to visitors, but if it is, it’s definitely worth a visit. Via Palestro, 16, 20121
NIGHTLIFE
We are not big bar-goers – or, rather, we are no longer the bar-goers we used to be – but one place we recommend is Bene Bene in Porta Venezia. The brainchild of three partners, the bar has become a classic spot for both Milanese from the creative industries and visitors to the city. They also commissioned some pieces by artists, among them Dario Guccio, Emanuele Marcuccio, and Daniele Milviowhich. Via Giovanni Battista Morgagni, 31, 20129
Another appointment that has become famous in Milanese nightlife is the Gatto Verde, a ghost club that appears and disappears among the factories of Milano Sud. It’s a Milanese spin-off of the Club Adriatico universe, which, for ten years, has been one of the main promoters of the renaissance of clubbing on the Italian peninsula. (See poster above for details of 11 Apr event.)
OUT OF TOWN
About forty-five minutes from the city center, you can visit the Crespi d’Adda, a factory town was built by a family of cotton industrialists between the 19th and 20th centuries, when modern industry was born in Italy. UNESCO has welcomed it into the List of Protected World Heritage as "An exceptional example of the phenomenon of workers' villages, the most complete and best preserved in Southern Europe.” If it’s sunny outside and you want to spend a day away from the city buzz, we highly recommend a ride along the the Naviglio della Martesana. Corso Alessandro Manzoni, 18, 24042 Capriate San Gervasio BG
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View of “Mysterious Barricades,” Fanta-MLN, 2025. Both courtesy: the artist. Photos: Roberto Marossi
Hardy Hill, Figure in field 3, 2025, plate lithograph, pencil and chalk on cotton rag paper, 28 × 38 cm / 38 x 45 cm framed
Hardy Hill
“Mysterious Barricades”
Fanta-MLN, Milan
29 Mar – 17 May 2025
MiArt 2025
Allianz MiCo
4-6 Apr 2025
2025 Salone del Mobile
Fiera Milano
8-13 Apr 2025