Having my husband’s brother and family visiting from Lima, we spent last weekend with them in Milano.  They all have a sweet tooth, so I thought this time I would concentrate my foodie efforts on sweet spots, i.e. ice cream parlors, bakeries, and coffee shops.

We did not have much time; therefore, I tried to focus on ice cream and, of course, panettone.  This well known, sweet bread loaf is originally from Milano, and it is available in its birthplace all year round!

The weather was gorgeous; perfect to take a stroll through the city.

Pavè Milano – Close to Milano Centrale (10-min walk) or 5-min away from M3-Repubblica you will find Pavè Milano, a contemporary café, an exceptional backery, a young story of success.

Read here an interesting interview (in Italian) to the owners, by M. Tonelli of Gambero Rosso.

You can go there to enjoy a fabulous breakfast, or a savory, light lunch (sandwiches, salads, soups, or cold cut/cheese plates), or indulge with their delicious pastries, or even just pop by for an aperitif.  One of those places where you can find artisanal panettone all year round:  a slice or a whole loaf.

This place seems to be always busy, but the atmosphere is laid-back.

Everything is freshly-made in front of you from backing to packaging.  I love their idea of “Il panettone per due” baked in a canning jar.

They also run Pavé-Break and Pavé Ice Cream in the Quadrilattero della Moda.  Pavé Ice Cream is certainly on my bucket list.

Vanilla Gelati Italiani (Duomo) – You will find this ice cream parlor conveniently located behind the Duomo at via Pattari.

Their philosophy is the exclusive use of certified natural ingredients.  They offer the classics as well as creative flavors, including some vegan ones.  If you want to get a table, you need to order, at least, three scoops.

As you may know, I always test pistacchio, and this one impressed.

Marchesi 1824 – We reached this historic café, in their location inside the splendid Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, above Prada.

It was the perfect time for an aperitif.  We ordered the drinks and got complimentary nibbles …

Actually we headed there to try their panettone, because a friendly contact of mine from La Luna e i Falò had recommended it to me.  She is involved in slow food and organizes events like “Una Mole di Panettone”, an annual contest devoted exclusively to artisanal panettone.  By the way, La Luna e i Falò is a great B&B in Turin; see my Sneak Peek ‘Curious in Torino (Turin)’.

We tried a slice, and it was so good that we decided to take one loaf home.  With joy we ended up with 2 kg of panettone in the bag–and soon in our tummies!… They had a special 2-for-1 deal.

Tasta – Just a few steps (200 m walk) from Eataly Milano Smeraldo at via Garibaldi, you will find this gelateria, specialized in Sicilian flavors.  They use only natural products from Sicily that account for sustainability.

Giada, the hostess, was always busy with the non-stop flow of people coming to the shop, but she speedily coped with the orders without losing her smile.

I tried, of course, “Pistacchio Grezzo di Bronte DOP” ice cream; it was amazing!  I also tasted one of their vegan options “Fragolina di Ribera” (wild strawberry), which I liked as well.

Risoelatte – Whenever we are in Milano, we like to stop there, because we love their food (homey, old-school, Italian dishes), and the hosts are always incredibly friendly.  This cool place recreates the 1960s!  Check my Sneak Peeks ‘Curious in Milano’ and ‘Curious in Milano—Taking Another Peek’.

Although I was late making the reservation, they accepted to book us at 22:00!  Then, unfortunately,  we got lost and reached the restaurant when they were already thinking that we were not going to show up …  With exceptional kindness they still let us in, and we could enjoy a delicious dinner.

I ordered an artichoke salad, and we all had pasta with their fantastic ragù.  It was so yummy that there were second helpings!

And because this sneak peek has sweet on target, at Risoelatte they also treated us with some typical, Italian dolci:

Tip:

• An exhibition of Frida Kahlo’s works will be on in Milano: 1.Feb-3.Jun.2018