The Mediterranean Insider

Milan, Italy

Eye candy: 5 strikingly beautiful Milan design restaurants

The Mediterranean • Eat & drink • Eye candy: 5 strikingly beautiful Milan design restaurants

The guide to Milan’s most beautiful restaurants

Italy boasts some of the most beautiful restaurant spaces, where the art of dining extends beyond cuisine to the ambiance itself. In Milan, the beating heart of Lombardy, you’ll find eateries that blend historical charm with contemporary design. Imagine stepping into a space with pastel hues, vintage furnishings and playful, yet sophisticated touches. These restaurants offer an immersive experience that delights all senses, as well as acting as a celebration of style, culture and gastronomic artistry from start to finish.

Contraste

Contraste restaurant in Milan, led by chef Matias Perdomo, offers an immersive dining experience in a breathtaking setting. The newly renovated interior by Debonademeo Studio reveals late 19th-century elements like stuccoes and frescoes. Upon entering through a champagne-coloured doorway with a wall sculpture, diners encounter four distinct rooms and a relaxation area, each themed around the four elements. The design includes full-height velvet curtains, sound-absorbing materials and a tranquil Klein-blue space. Signature dishes, such as the inventive Bottone di Lesso, reflect the contrasting interior. Contraste seamlessly blends historical architecture with modern sensory comfort, providing a unique and dynamic culinary journey.

Contraste
Via Giuseppe Meda, 2
Milan
Italy

Photography courtesy of Contraste

Beefbar Milano

In the heart of Milan’s fashion district, Beefbar Milano is a sumptuous dining experience that transports its guests back to the glamour of 1950s Italian design. Situated within a 17th-century archepiscopal seminary, the restaurant is part of the Portrait Milano complex, which was transformed in 2022 by renowned architect Michele De Lucchi. Montecarlo-based studio Humbert & Poyet conceived the elegant interiors, drawing inspiration from Milan’s rich fashion history. With nearly 20 years since Riccardo Giraudi opened the first Beefbar, the Milan location boasts a unique, site-specific design that seamlessly marries the past with the present.

Beefbar Milano
Corso Venezia, 11
Milan
Italy

Photography courtesy of Beefbar Milano

13.10 Ristorante

Located in Vimercate, 25km north of Milan, 13.10 Ristorante is a boutique eatery founded by chef Marcello Passoni and designed by Serena Confalonieri. Its intimate and striking interiors feature herringbone floors, terracotta walls and wooden reeding that creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. The dining room boasts rattan chairs, patterned rugs and sliding glass doors leading to a charming courtyard. The bathroom is a destination in itself, surprising guests with candy-coloured, terrazzo-style walls. The menu focuses on seasonal ingredients, with signature dishes like smoked buffalo ricotta gnocchi with herb pesto and oven-roasted Datterino tomatoes and rabbit saddle served with cooking jus, escarole, polenta and ashed scallion. Add to it all an extensive drinks menu.

13.10 Ristorante
Via Sabotino, 2
Vimercate
Italy

Photography courtesy of 13.10 Ristorante

Trattoria del Ciumbia

Trattoria del Ciumbia, designed by Dimorestudio, offers a unique dining experience in Milan’s Brera district where it blends historical Milanese charm with contemporary design. Inspired by 1960s Brera eateries, the interiors feature wood, glass and colourful tiled mosaics, evoking the spirit of artistic avant-garde. Chef Marcello Passoni creates innovative dishes rooted in classic Italian traditions. Notable dishes include Lasagnetta di quinto quarto e foie gras con verdure agrodolce, a luxurious take on lasagna with foie gras and tangy vegetables. An extensive wine list highlights Italy’s diverse regions.

Trattoria del Ciumbia
Via Fiori Chiari, 32
Milan
Italy

Photography courtesy of Trattoria del Ciumbia

Bar Luce

Bar Luce, located in Fondazione Prada in Milan, is a café designed by filmmaker Wes Anderson and recreates the atmosphere of 1950s and 1960s Milanese cafés with a whimsical touch. The interiors feature pastel colours, veneered wood panels, Formica furniture, vintage pinball machines and a jukebox which makes the space taking on an atmosphere of a movie set. The café serves classic Italian fare, with standout items like brioche and coffee made on an old Faema machine. The extensive menu includes sandwiches with a variety of cured meats and vegetarian options. If nostalgia and a touch of kitsch is your thing, Bar Luce offers a unique dining experience, blending historical design with contemporary flair.