5 Best Restaurants in Milan, Italy

Open since 1907, Bar Magenta maintains its old-school charm with its vintage Campari and Moretti beer posters and its quintessential Milanese clientele. Beyond coffee at all hours, lunch (known especially for lasagna), and beer, the real attraction is its mix of old and new, working-class, trendy, and aristocratic.

One of the few restaurants open after La Scala lets out, Don Carlos, in the Grand Hotel et de Milan, is nothing like its indecisive operatic namesake (whose betrothed was stolen by his father). Flavors are bold, presentation is precise and full of flair, service is attentive, and the walls are blanketed with sketches of the theater. The low-key opera recordings are every bit as well chosen as the wine list, setting the perfect stage for discreet business negotiation or, better yet, refined romance.

Join businesspeople, ladies who lunch, and in-the-know travelers at this elegant restaurant atop the Museo del Novecento and with a glorious Duomo view (be sure to request a window table, though, or risk being relegated to a viewless back room). To complement the vistas, choose from a selection of well-prepared seafood, pasta, and meat courses for lunch and dinner; the servers are happy to recommend pairings from the extensive wine list.

Although this establishment in the heart of Brera calls itself nothing more than a birreria con cucina (beer cellar with kitchen), locals come here for excellent evening meals in relaxed surroundings, and the traditional dishes vary with the season. A soft current of jazz and sylvan decor soothe the ripple of conversation. Plates could include involtini di spada gratinati (swordfish rolls with breadcrumb), zuppa di arselle e fregola (couscous soup with clams), and pizza selvatica con pesto e pinoli tosta (rustic pizza with pesto and roasted pine nuts).

This neighborhood restaurant is hidden behind Via Montenapoleone and thus handy to the restaurant-scarce Quadrilatero. What the menu lacks in originality it makes up for with reliable consistency in dishes like pizza and cotoletta. Clients include families from this well-heeled area, professionals, football players, and television stars. Like any Italian restaurant, it's not child-friendly in an American sense—no high chairs or children's menu—but children will find food they like.