Food and Ideas

Lunch options

Here is a list of quick lunch options near the University where the conference takes place:

• University canteen. This is located downstairs in the U3 building (literally 1 min from the conference room). Coffee is ok and cheap, sandwiches are ok, pizza is ok :-)

• La Pìda se' Parsòt A favorite of the GW group: quick&good "piadinas" from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

• Tempi Moderni Another group favorite: daily specials and quick, cheap but good, without outside seating if the weather permits.

• La Taskeria Another go-to of the group: take two focaccie, add meat, verggies, cheese and sauce in-between, bake them in the oven. Fast, cheap, and hitting the spot.

• BiMstro The final group go-to: fast, daily variety of dishes, sandwiches and salads. Cheap. Very good coffee.

• Sotto Sopra A proper restaurant where you sit down but is also quick enough for lunch. Sometimes you need to book.  

• Pan Cafe. Pizza, pasta, salad, et al. Eat there or take away.

• Honu Poke. A make-you-own poke place, eat there or take away, some tables outside.

• Farinami Nice restaurant with both poke bowls and a wider menu. Not the fastest place on Earth. 

• Panta Rei. A friendly place, here is where the local GW group goes very often for coffee.

• Pan per Focaccia A nice place, good coffee and drinks. Cheap, close-by. A favorite amongst the bachelor's students, so it can get packed.

• Je Suis Jambon A large variety of sandwiches, with tables to sit outside. The indoor space is tiny.

• Puglia University. Panzerotti (fried bread) from the Puglia region of Italy. 

• Bicocca Turkish Kebap Nice kebab and a student favorite :-)

• Tutto St'Orto Restaurant with different specials each day. A bit more fancy compared to other student places around, but still very affordable.

Dinner ideas

We like to think of Milan as a city that can't decide between tradition and innovation. Walking around the city center is not uncommon to see the old-style traditional "trattorias" sitting next or some modern food venues with creative mixtures. The same goes for coffee, where fancy specialty coffee places share the streets with Italian "bars" where you need to drink an espresso in less than 1.2 milliseconds while on your way to work.

There are a million food options in town, but here is a list of places recommended by the local gravitational-wave group...

• Viola recommends... Abbracci Bistrot. Upscale restaurant in the Navigli area. The available outside seats make it the perfect place during summer for both dinner and aperitivo. Then take a stroll in on the canals, perfect for a July summer night.

• Davide recommends... Al Matarel. Historic trattoria in the city center for the most authentic Milan food that ever existed. Go for risotto with saffron served with bone marrow ("risotto con l'osso buco") or breaded cutlet ("cotoletta"). Not the faint-hearted. 

• Ssohrab recommends... Amore e Gusto offers a variety of seafood dishes of very good quality. The ambiance is simple but welcoming.

• Costantino recommends... Assaje. Arguably one of the best pizzas in town in the nice Isola area (on the Metro purple line). Too bad you can't book a table, but the line during weekdays is not too bad. Pizza is real but also creative and they keep on bringing little extra treats to the table.  

• Ssohrab recommends... Bulaluhan Sa Milan Cheap and delicious Filipino food in NoLo in close proximity to many bars.

• Ssohrab recommends... Carmelina Traditional Napolitan food with a nice atmosphere and selection of seafood dishes.

• Ssohrab recommends... Casa Ramen Very good ramen spot, but also very small. Book ahead of time.

• Alberto recommends... Cibo' Vegan Food Advertised as a "vegan by weight"  in the nice Porta Venezia area, with lots of places to hit for drinks after dinner. 

• Ssohrab recommends... Fabbrica del Grano - Grani Antichi A pasta restaurant selling dry novelty pasta (e.g. infused with charcoal or zaffron infused), but also dishes including them. Very good pasta and has vegan options.

• Giulia recommends... Felice a Testaccio. Very nice place to eat traditional roman food place in the heart of Milan. It is a bit expensive and you have to reserve a table but the food is really amazing. I suggest Supplì and Tiramisù di Felice. 

• Ssohrab recommends... Frijenno Magnanno A wonderful Napolitan restaurant close the central station serving large Napolitan pizza, traditional pasts like Napolitan ragout and "Genovese" (not to mixed-up with ragout from Bologna or pesto alla Genovese), and also very good secondi.

• Ssohrab recommends... Gennaro Rapido A' Rot e Carrett Milano Very good Napolitan pizza. You want a pizza that is larger than your plate, then this is your spot.

• Alice recommends... Ghe Sem. An explosive mix between Chinese dim sum and Italian cuisine! A funny experience where you can find Chinese dumplings with Italian fillings for all tastes, from ''il milanese'' to “il pugliese”, paired with excellent cocktails.

• Davide recommends... Golfo di Mondello Feel in the heart of Sicily in this small place on a busy road close to the central train station. Their cannoli are amazing. 

• Viola recommends... Il Cestino. Typical Milan cuisine in Brera, one of the most suggestive areas of Milan. It's next to the art museum "Pinacoteca di Brera," and there's space for relatively large groups.

• Ssohrab recommends... Impressione Chongqing Szechuan cuisine, affordable and tasty. They also have large tables with a spinning glass center, so perfect for a larger group to share dinner.

• Ssohrab recommends... La Dogana del Buongusto Traditional Milanese food served in a nice ambience. Very good quality, but not a cheap place.

• Davide recommends... Mao The best Chinese food in town, located in an old gelato place (the sign still says that...). This place is always crowded, booking in advance is essential. Ah, and it's spicy, very spicy. 

• Ssohrab recommends... Napiz for very good pizza. It can be that simple and while it is higher priced pizza, it is the favorite pizzeria for several members of the AstroBicocca group.Costantino recommends... Gennaro Rapido. Quoted as the best pizza in Milan (and I'm from Naples...). It is a bit far from the center and takes a little while to reach, but it's definitely worth it. Book your table before getting there.

• Davide recommends... Nara Sushi. This is by far my favorite sushi place in town. All-you-can-eat menu for like 30E. Go there if you want a lot of good sushi!

• Davide recommends... Osteria Brunello This is another typical Milanese place. Try their risotto & bone marrow, which is just amazing. 

• Ssohrab recommends... Osteria Pasta e Fagioli Apulian cuisine encompassing a wide range of pasta and meat dishes (inclusing horse steaks) with a nice rustic and family freindly atmosphere.

• Davide recommends... Panzerotti Luini. Next to Duomo, this place is an institution in Milan. It's a historic bakery that serves its unique "Panzerotti". Perfect for a lunch snack. 

• Ssohrab recommends... PitBeef If you want a proper steak, with matching liquor recommendations, then look no further. It is pricey though.

• Giulia recommends... Pizza club. if you like pizza but can never decide which one to order because they all seem delicious, this place is the solution. All-you-can-eat pizza is being served here, with waiters stopping by each table throughout the entire night to serve slice after slice of every imaginable flavor. And then you've had your fill of savory pizza, you can switch to the sweet ones (the same crust of pizza, but with ice cream, white chocolate, or nutella instead of tomato sauce and mozzarella on top). My favorite sweet pizza is the one with white chocolate and strawberry.

• Daria recommends... Pizza e Mozzarella Pizza place for the budget traveler, but not for budget quality. Large place that can accommodate big groups (book in advance!) before a stroll on the Navigli.

• Ssohrab recommends... Primevo Ristorante A bit fancy, but very close to campus. The food is very good. In particular the golden gnocchi dish.

• Daria recommends... Ramen Shop It's a great ramen place, that just tastes good. If you're up for Ramen during the conference, here you are. 

• Viola recommends... Ravioleria Sarpi. You have to try this Ravioleria (gyoza) place in the Milan Chinatown! They don't have tables (it's just a small window in via Paolo Sarpi) but gyozas on the bench are part of the experience. 

• Viola and Ssohrab recommend... The best Roman places in Milan. If you are coming to Milano but do not have the chance to visit Rome, you can have a full Roman cuisine experience at either Volemose bene, Ce Piace, or  Osteria da Fortunata. 

• Viola recommends... Scalo Farini. The best place to try the real "apericena" (aperitivo+dinner) experience. Go for a rich and abundant buffet open till 10pm and taste an amazing variety of food while drinking a glass of Aperol Spritz.

• Costantino recommends... Sorbillo. Milan spin-off of what is perhaps the most famous pizzeria in Naples. Recommended for classical Margherita pizza, fried pizza, and fried appetizers. You cannot book a table but the line flows fast.

• Ssohrab recommends... Takumi Ramen & Yakisoba Simple ramen place with a variety of ramen and yakisoba dishes, loads of vegetarian options and tasty apetizers. As with most ramen places in Milano: better prebook a table.

• Daria recommends... Terra Gelato A small gelato place near the Central Milan train station. Full of classic flavors, this ice cream never fails to appease a sweet tooth. 

• Ssohrab recommends... Testina A traditional Milanese trattoria near the Zara/Isola. They serve authentic Milanese cuisine, such as risotto giallo (saffron risotto), ossobuco, and cotoletta alla milanese.

• Ssohrab recommends... Trattoria All'Antica One of the best restaurants for risotto con ossobucco and cottoletta alla milanese. Prices are a bit higher, but it is a wonderful restaurant in the Naviglio area and close to Gusto 17 for a gelato after dinner.

• Riccardo recommends... Trattoria Il Marinaio Upscale fish place, from the Puglia region of Italy (where I'm from). Try their sea urchins. On the expensive side of things but you pay for the quality.

• Ssohrab recommends... Tripburger A good burger spot that has a broad selection of meats including Wagyu and Kangaroo.

• Ssohrab recommends... Zagara If you are looking for authentic Sicilian cuisine, with dishes such as branzino, busiate, and linguine al nero di seppia and desserts like cannoli, semifreddo, and cassata siciliana. The atmosphere is welcoming, with friendly service and reasonable prices. 

Ideas for bars, gelato and cafes

• Viola recommends... Circolo degli alpini. One of my favorite places for both dinner and aperitivo, with open-space places to listen to live music and/or play table tennis. The best spot is their garden with wisteria plants. I suggest booking in advance.

• Viola recommends... Doppio Malto. If you like playing pool or table football, that's the place for you. Go either for dinner or hit the place for a drink after dinner (a huge variety of beers!). This one is right in the city center (next to Duomo) but they have other locations in Porta Romana, Navigli, and San Babila.

• Viola recommends... Frida. A peculiar cocktail place in the Isola area for drinks and aperitivo. Best spot: the open-space area surrounded by ivy plants and with a big moon-shaped chandelier that makes you feel out in the countryside.

• Alice recommends... The Friends Pub A British go-to pub in the heart of Milano. Unique atmosphere with a great beer selection, smiling people, and English food. Here you can eat a traditional club sandwich, fish and chips, Sunday roast, and much more. 

• Daria recommends... Gelato Fatto Con Amore I'm an ice cream obsessed and this is the best I had during my long visit to Milan. Not far from the castle. Trust me, go there!

Explore, explore, explore!

Hope you'll have the opportunity to explore Milan and the surrounding area while you're here. Here are some ideas of things to do and see.

• Duomo (which is the main cathedral right in the center of town) is a must. It's the 3rd largest church in the world (at least according to Wikipedia), all built in the so-called Italian gothic style. The inside is great but the best part is actually going to the roof because you see all the architecture from up close. But book the roof visit in advance to skip the (long) line. 

• If you're in the Duomo area, a hidden gem that I really like is the church of "Santa Maria presso San Satiro". It's an amazing optical illusion: looks deep at first sight but it's just painted! 

• The area around the Gae Aulenti square is nice, with skyscrapers etc. The "Vertical Forest" is a famous building that won many architecture awards (each apartment has a different tree, planted according to some bio principles, it's pretty impressive)

• Nightlife happens in the Navigli area (subway station Porta Genova) which is the area where the canals are still visible (there used to be canals all over Milan but unfortunately they covered them at some stage). 

• Other beautiful neighborhoods we recommend for walking + dinner are Brera and Isola.

• Depending on how much you like art, but the "Pinacoteca di Brera" has a ton of classical and Renaissance paintings. Modern art is at "Museo del 900", which is right next to the Duomo. There's also a contemporary art space called "Hangar Bicocca" which is very close to campus; entrance is free.

• Da Vinci's Last Supper (one of the most famous paintings in the world maybe?) is in the city, but one needs to book many months in advance. You can give it a go but it might be too late already.

• The Milan castle (Castello Sforzesco) is also nice, with a park around it. Very close to the castle there's also a steel tower called Torre Branca. It's not that tall to be honest, but it's the tallest thing around and the view from the top is gorgeous (need a clear day of course).  

• The Como lake is another must (topped some lists for the most beautiful lake in the world). It's ideal for a day trip from Milan. We reccommend taking a train to Varenna (you might need to change trains in Lecco). Varenna itself is a really beautiful village (there's a medieval tower called "Castello di Vezio" just outside the village with a great view). From Varenna, take the ferry to Bellagio in the center of the Lake. Have a stroll, enjoy the view, swim in the lake.

• If you like hiking, Davide is happy to recommend a ton of things in the Alps. A gorgeous hike you can do without renting a car is taking the train to Canzo and hike one of the so-called "Horns". There's a section with some rock climbing at the end: it's short but one needs to be a bit ready for it. 

• This is a much easier (but also less rewarding) hike that starts from the train station of Abbadia Lariana, which is also on the lake.

• Other nice towns nearby are Bergamo, Como, Pavia, and Monza. You can get to any of those with a short train ride. A high-speed train to Rome takes 3 hours (almost a day trip but not quite).

Map and list curated by Ssohrab "I love exploring restaurants" Borhanian. Thanks!