A day exploring the monuments, parks and piazzas will leave most people in need of a little pick-me up. But if you want to explore the Milan bar scene, it helps to have local Virgilio Luchi in your pocket!
In this blog post he reveals his top 5 Milan bars for aperitivo – “what’s aperitivo?” I hear you say…typically between the hours of 6pm and 9pm, bars in Italy will offer a number of little nibbles to compliment your drink. They are free and a selection will either be brought to your table, or set out as a buffet where you can help yourself. These foodie treats range from nuts and crisps to homemade lasagne, risotto or canapés. I know! You could skip dinner after a few of these but the idea is to ward off the influence of the alcohol aperitivo is ‘round one’ before your main meal. Below, find the best local Milan bars off the beaten track and tuck in!
Rita
The Navigli neighbourhood is renowned its pubs, restaurants, cocktail bars and the steady young and trendy crowd that frequents them. The once neglected junction where the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese intersect is returning to its former glory days and, the ideal place for walk, any nippy winter chill to the air is a great excuse to bundle in to one of the bars for a drink. If you find yourself strolling along the Canal Grande stop by Rita.
Hidden down an alleyway (the last place on your left before dell’Alzaia Ticinese) you will struggle to divulge this place to your friends, that is, if you want to keep it a secret! Little more than two windows, a counter and rows of hundreds of clinking glass bottles. Behind the bar, Edo is something of an alchemist. Forget naming your drink, instead, describe how your feeling, what tickles your tastebuds…he is sure to come up with a potion that will leave you tingling after the first sip.
Rita operates on quantity, but quality when it comes to food. Luke, the chef, serves up sweet and savoury canapés with as many of the bizarre and wonderful twists as Edo the bartender.
Where: Via Fumagalli 1
Drinks: €7/€8
Open: Daily
Bento Sushi Bar
Sushi is rather ideal for aperitivo – it is light and very pickable! So the Bento Sushi Bar is a great alternative if you’ve had enough of the Italian stuff. Sit at a table – try the one with fountain centrepiece! – and order yourself a bottle of Asahi beer or a cocktail. Wait for your drinks to arrive at your table before fleeing for the buffet. Food is very traditional with the usual suspects of maki and sashimi which you can place in your own bento box.
Where: Corso Garibaldi 104
Drinks and buffet: €15-€20
Open: Mon-Sat 12:30-3pm / 6:30pm-midnight, Sunday 6:30pm-midnight
Akkademia
Moving on to those with bottomless appetites, Akkademia is a mid-week haunt. On entering, you will be confronted with stacks of sandwiches and snacks. But hands off! Sit yourself at a table and wait for the waitress to take your order. I suggest one of the 5 beers on offer, ranging from light Pils a good accompaniments to the ‘on the house’ buffet – to dark and drunk-heavy double malts. There is ample pizza, foccacia, pasta and rice to get your chops around.
Where: Via Carlo Ravizza 1
Drinks: Cocktails €7/8, beer €6
Open: Daily 6pm-2am (happy hour 6pm-10pm). Closed mid-August
Frida
If you are in search of some of Milan’s more up and coming neighbourhoods, Isola The Island is a suburb that, until recently, was little more than a handy place to catch the train to Garibaldi. But the nightlife has undergone something of a renaissance, putting this neighbourhood on the map. Pubs and trendy restaurants have been popping up like daisies. As one of the area’s forefathers to throw open its doors when the area was still pretty much a wasteland, Frida is a local favourite.
Choose your poison form their heady cocktail list and spend the evening drifting around the adjacent exhibition space. On site there is also a restaurant and – one for the ladies a shop featuring work by young designers including clothes and accessories. Apperitivo is a buffet affair which boasts ethically sourced ingredients of cous cous, canapés and hummus.
Where: Via Pollaiuolo 3
Drinks: Beer €5/€6, cocktails €7/€8
Open: Daily 6pm-2am
Bar Rattazzo
Few clubs in Milan can claim such an ongoing success story as Bar Rattazzo. It pulls a crowd of real Milanese from editors, writers to established politicians and this local vibe is reflected in the beer and wine prices. In fact, it could be one of the cheapest places to drink in central Milan, as well as being a useful spot for picking up ideas of where to go to next on your night in Milan. As for eating, there are slices of salami pizza or foccacia at the counter. MY advice, is to jump ship in Winter months; Bar Rattazzo is great in spring or summer as the crowds spill out onto the pavements, but find a new drinking cubby hole for the chilly season.
Where: Via Vetere 12
Drinks: Beer or wine €2-€3, cash only
Open: Mon-Sat 11am-2am
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