Where do Vogue editors stop for on-the-go lunches between shows during Milan Fashion Week? Where can you find archival runway pieces from Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons, delicious handmade seasonal sweets, and the softest pajamas? Where might you spot designers enjoying a meal or shopping for rare, collectible jewelry? The Vogue guide to Milan has it all.
In honor of the 2026 Winter Olympics, members of the Vogue team shared their favorite places in Milan. The list is a treasure trove of recommendations for everything from long-established, family-run restaurants, to trattorias with natural wine and inventive dishes, to fashion world favorites, a “pilgrimage stop for Negroni lovers,” and “the most beautiful house in the world,” in one editor’s eyes. Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world, of course—but the city truly has something to offer for any curious traveler with a craving for art, design, and culinary pleasures.
Whether you’re in town for the games or simply dreaming of la dolce vita from afar, you’ll find something to bookmark on Vogue’s list of the best places to eat, shop, and sightsee in Milan.
Where to Eat
This delightful family-owned restaurant on the edge of Brera is one of my favorite places to stop in Milan for local classics like mondeghili meatballs or saffron-infused risotto. (Oh, and the supremely delicious millefoglie with Chantilly cream.) Bonus points for the low-key and supremely stylish interiors—all terracotta tiled walls, crisp white tablecloths, and elegant mid-century hanging lamps. —Liam Hess, senior lifestyle editor
Milan has many rightfully famous restaurants, but for eating on-the-go, which Vogue editors must do quite a lot of during fashion week, Panino Giusto is the name to know for reliably delicious panini at surprisingly reasonable prices. When I do have time to sit down for a quick meal, I also like their Azzurra salad, with tuna, anchovies, cherry tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella knots, yum. —Nicole Phelps, global director, Vogue Runway
Via Orti has many excellent restaurants, including Creda (hypey, new-traditional cucina povera) and Banaras (arguably Milan’s best Indian). The pick of them, however, is La Bettola Di Piero, which has been serving the neighborhood since 1934. Run by a family team with a deep knowledge of Lombard cuisine, La Bettola offers all of Milan’s key dishes (osso bucco, cotoletta, etc). While these are uniformly marvellous, the kitchen also rewards adventurous trenchermen: bagna cauda, nettle soup, crispy brains, and many other overlooked masterpieces regularly feature on a menu that changes according to season and availability of ingredients. The atmosphere is also lovely and unpretentious. —Luke Leitch, contributor, Vogue Runway
I first visited this osteria last year during Milan Design Week, when my friend Carmen hosted a birthday dinner here that continued well into the early hours. (Its classic ambiance makes it just as great for a lively birthday party as it is for an intimate romantic dinner, however.) Located deep in the Navigli district, it’s a bit of a schlep from central Milan, but worth the journey—tucked away in a spacious, leafy courtyard, it feels like a slice of the Italian countryside in the heart of the city. And the food is excellent too, especially the pasta: pumpkin gnocchi with smoked ricotta, goat’s cheese ravioli, homemade fusilli with braised beef. I can’t wait to return the next time I’m in Milan. —L.H.
The most chic paninis to go are from Sant Ambroeus. In addition to being delicious, they are beautifully packaged. —Virginia Smith, global head of fashion
Since 1921, the Masuelli family has run this traditional trattoria serving up authentic Lombard dishes. It’s a beautiful space, with Gio Ponti chandeliers jingling overhead as the Art Deco room livens up (reserve your table after 9 p.m. to experience the rhythm of a real Milanese evening). Must orders include cotoletta alla Milanese with sunny saffron risotto and vitello tonnato; thin ruffles of veal topped with tuna sauce and fat caper berries. —Anna Cafolla, news editor
An old pasticceria with delicious confectionery and a tea room. —Tiziana Cardini, contributor, Vogue Runway
With only a handful of tables and a strict no-reservations policy, this fabulous family-run restaurant in the heart of Brera nearly closed for good in 2024 after its founders, the beloved Arturo and Maria Maggi, decided to hang up their spoons after nearly half a century of cooking. Then, earlier last year, the Milanese institution—and fashion-crowd favorite, with regulars including Miuccia Prada and the late Elio Fiorucci—was acquired by Loro Piana and revived. The Maggi family is still closely involved, and thankfully, its spicy spaghetti al limone just as lovely as ever. —L.H.
A golden-wooded institution serving panini from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., where you might spot Mrs. Prada and her friends having a fresh, crispy sandwich and a drink. Matthieu Blazy even named the canvas Quadronno Bag after the bar. My favorites are the ‘chic’ (Parma ham, brie, rucola, truffle oil) and the ‘praga completo’ (prosciutto, brie, game pâté): I always arrive home with a few of the recognizable blue and white napkins papering the bottom of my handbag. —A.C.
Camparino in Galleria, a pilgrimage stop for Negroni lovers, is Milan’s aperitivo scene at its most ceremonial—an Art Nouveau icon perched beneath the iron-and-glass vaults of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Opened in 1915 by Davide Campari himself, it’s a living archive of the Italian cocktail ritual, where impeccably uniformed bartenders serve signature ruby-red classics with almost theatrical precision. The interiors glow with lacquered wood, mirrored walls, and jewel-tone accents, while tucked upstairs is the mixology-focused Sala Spiritello, a connoisseur’s hideaway that feels like stepping into a private Milanese salon. Here, aperitivo isn’t a pause but a performance, polished and poised. —Lisa Wong Macabasco, research manager and senior digital line editor
Gloria, once a traditional trattoria, is now in the hands of three guys—Luca, Rocco, Tommaso—pushing natural wines and more vivacious takes on Milanese tastes. It’s an ambitious and ever-changing seasonal menu: rabbit liver pâté, beef picanha and zippy ratatouille, deep and rich pigeon pastilla, a more savory take on tiramisu (which uses bread instead of lady fingers). An intimate, convivial setting for eating your fill and finishing off a few bottles of biodynamic wines recommended by Rocco. —A.C.
A former flower shop, now a café and restaurant open from breakfast to dinner. —T.C.
I literally can’t step foot in Milan without going for a meal at Langosteria. Whether you’re splurging on oysters, lobster pasta, and a selection from the wonderful wine list for dinner, or enjoying a lazily long lunch catching up with friends over the specials, the ambiance, service, and food never misses. —Alexandra Hildreth, fashion news writer, Vogue Runway
A 20-minute bike ride down Navigli Pavese is Erba Brusca, a country restaurant that grows much of the produce used in its hearty and innovative roster of dishes. —L.L.
Pretty much untouched since the 1960s, this colorful and quirky hole-in-the-wall family-run restaurant is always stuffed to the gills with fabulous locals. Their menu veers towards Tuscan classics, served in heaping portions, with a tiramisu that you ll be thinking about until your next visit. —Freya Drohan, parties editor
The most succulent cakes and pastries. —T.C.
Where to Shop
Alessia Algani has decades of experience in sourcing archival runway pieces from Yohji Yamamoto, Martin Margiela, and Comme des Garçons. I had stalked the Shop the Story Instagram page for a long time before I got to the Porta Venezia boutique, and on my first visit, came face-to-face (well, face-to-window) with the icy blue Miu Miu spring 1996 dress of my dreams (and my IG saves). —A.C.
I stopped by this exquisitely beautiful barbershop-cum-apothecary, tucked away off the main drag of the Via Montenapoleone, during last year’s Milan Design Week, and immediately fell in love with the place. The jewel box store on the upper floor is filled to the rafters with the most elegant toiletries and bathroom accessories you’ve ever seen in your life: uber-stylish razors with imitation tortoise shell handles, charcoal bristle toothbrushes, bergamot and lemon scented candles in smoked glass holders you’ll want to keep forever. Don’t forget to book a treatment, too, which span traditional shaves to facial treatments, and all take place with you rotated back to lie at 45 degrees on a traditional barbers’ chair. It’s a petite haven of old-world glamour right in the heart of the city. —L.H.
Colorful textiles for the home you won’t find anywhere else, and in a beautiful store. —T.C.
In the heart of Milan, behind the unassuming gate of a 19th-century building, you’ll find this family-run, museum-like eyewear store that’s been fitting out Milano since 1931. Frames line the walls and appear in endless rows of glass-covered cases. The private collection is also fun to explore, with antique opera glasses, microscopes, and binoculars. Someone from the three generations of the family will help you find your shape and style. I picked up some Marianne Faithfull-esque goggles from the ’60s the last time I was there. You’ll get a very chic, stamped sunglasses case too. —A.C.
Come for the kids’ P.J.s, stay for the adult gingham and Liberty print ones! I also bought the perfect cotton knit crew neck sweater—I want to go back for Kelly green. —Chloe Malle, head of editorial content
I first visited Pennisi after interviewing Kate Moss many years ago—she recalled her first big jewelry purchase as a pair of emerald and gold antique earrings from the store, which she then wore in a Craig McDean shoot for Vogue Japan. And while I admit I’ve never purchased a thing there—Pennisi is a family-run Aladdin’s cave of rare and collectible antique jewelry, and a particular favorite of Miuccia Prada’s—just browsing the glittering racks of treasures is a pleasure in and of itself. Plus, if it’s good enough for Kate, it’s good enough for me. —L.H.
Antique jewelry of the best kind—a small, charming shop. —T.C.
Handmade seasonal sweets from Giovanni Galli 1911 are the epitome of Milanese chic. Marrons glacés (candied chestnuts) are the classic confectioner’s most famous product (ask to add chocolate orange peel to your box), but the luscious fruit-shaped marzipan and chocolate-smothered winter cherries are just as divine. —A.C.
Great design pieces, old and new—a must see if you’re into design. —T.C.
Etro, Jil Sander, Missoni, Versace, and Prada for less? Say more. Hop on the aptly-named Shopping Express coach from Milan to Fidenza Village: an open-air village with over 120 luxury brands where the savings and flash sales are absolutely worth the hour-long trip. Don’t forget to claim your VAT back at the airport too—that cost per wear proposition just went way up.—F.D.
A couturier trained under Yves Saint Laurent, his atelier is charming, and his clothes are fabulous. —T.C.
Bivio is kind of Milan s version of Beacon’s Closet. There are a few locations across the city, although I had really great luck at the Mora 4 outpost. The store carries a really great (and large) collection of vintage at different price points, and thankfully, a lot of pieces veer on the more affordable side. I remember trying on some amazing Blumarine and Liu Jo dresses, and walking out with a truly show-stopping tagless red sequin top. —Fred Sahai, associate commerce producer, Vogue Shopping
Right by Bivio Mora 4 is Cavalli e Nastri Mora, a gorgeously ornate store with equally stunning pieces. My friends and I spent hours scouring through every colorfully stocked rack, and trying on endless vintage Dolce Gabbana, Moschino, and so much more. It is on the pricier side, but I will forever treasure the slinky paisley Emmanuel Ungaro dress I picked up there. —F.S.
A small store with a great selection of fashion from independent brands at a fair price. —T.C.
What to Do
I’d been covering shows in Milan for two decades before ever setting foot in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, the hidden gem of a museum where Dario Vitale staged his one-and-only Versace show. Don’t make the mistake I did! Put this precious collection of paintings, sculptures, and ephemera at the top of your Milanese to-do list, and you will be rewarded with the world’s largest collection of Leonardo da Vinci drawings and notes, as well as a Caravaggio. —N.P.
Pirelli HangarBicocca is where raw architecture meets radical imagination: a former tire factory turned cathedral of contemporary art. All soaring concrete, endless scale, and cinematic light, it’s the kind of place that makes art seem monumental and slightly rebellious. Inside, immersive installations and boundary-pushing commissions unfold with unapologetic drama—not least Anselm Kiefer’s permanent site-specific installation, Seven Heavenly Palaces, which feels less like sculptures and more like a rite of passage. The first retrospective of Nan Goldin’s film works is on view there through February 15, and from February 12, Italian artist Benni Bosetto’s first major solo exhibition transforms a domestic environment into a living organism, inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel Rebecca. —L.W.M.
Tilda Swinton fans (of whom I am certainly one) will remember this 1930s masterpiece of a house, designed by Piero Portaluppi, from Luca Guadagnino’s ravishing 2009 romance I Am Love. A triumph of rationalist architecture—all elegant geometric lines, glossy wood paneling, and tasteful gilded accents—it’s my favorite place to wander through on a sunny Milanese morning at any time of the year. (The most gorgeous room has to be the showstopping winter garden, with its slinky green velvet sofa and tartan-style travertine and green marble floors.) It is, in my eyes, the most beautiful house in the world—how lucky we are that it’s open to the public. —L.H.
Everybody should see The Last Supper with their own eyes at least once. Book ahead on the official website to secure a slot with Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterwork. —L.L.
This house museum in the heart of the Quadrilatero della Moda was once the family home of two brothers, the 19th-century Barons Fausto and Giuseppe, who transformed it into a Renaissance-style palazzo by filling it with a treasure trove of 15th-century art, armor, and furniture. The result is an opulent and wholly immersive time capsule that will have you stopping to admire every doorway, tile, and tassel. —L.H.
Close your eyes to imagine a picture-perfect old-world theater, and you have a visual of La Scala. This historic gilded and red velvet venue is the gold-standard setting for taking in an opera, ballet, or classical music concert. A visit to the accompanying museum, where you ll find costumes, memorabilia, and artifacts, is just as rewarding for culture lovers. —F.D.
What to Pack
Dress the part with a suitcase full of Milanese brands, from heritage labels like Prada and Miu Miu to (relative) newcomer The Attico. And for your train ride to Cortina? Vincenzo Latronico’s most recent book, Perfection, is the best way to pass the time.
