Our favorite non-Italian restaurants in Milan
Welcome to the ultimate La Panza Piena guide and map
Find the complete map here.
ASIA
Japanese
Kappou NINOMIYA | restaurant
A traditional Japanese restaurant with incredible fish. Try the fried chicken and fried soft-shell crab (when in season) and any of the sashimi, sushi or other main courses—you won’t go wrong.
Bentoteca | restaurant
Japanese recipes and techniques meet Italian ingredients and marry in perfect unison. An incredible dining experience.
Casa Ramen Super | restaurant
Good ramen and a tasty selection of other small plates.
Katsusanderia | street food
By the people at Bentoteca, they have great katsusandos and a few sides. Find them at Sidewalks Kitchens.
Korean
Ginmi | restaurant
Milan’s first Korean restaurant is also the best (IMO). You can’t miss the tartare and the bibimbap.
Taiwanese
Taiwan | restaurant
A feel-good, family restaurant, which I recommend especially for the Chinese NYE, during which they make the most insane dumplings and meatballs.
Baomi | street food
From the people at Taiwan, serving the best baos in Milan on weekends at Il Tempio del Futuro Perduto. I still think about the Gua Bao.
Bao House | indoor street food
A tiny spot where you can taste an array of baos, including great veggie ones.
Chinese
Chifa | restaurant
A frill-less restaurant that specializes in flavours from the Yunnan province. A must are the spicy beans with ground meat and silky aubergines with heaps of sauce.
Kung Fu Bao | restaurant
My favorite spot for a quick dim-sum based meal (although their spicy woks are also great). End with the sweet bao filled with salted egg custard.
Il gusto della Nebbia | restaurant
A more sophisticated take on Chinese cuisine with a very spicy menu. All the dishes originate from the ChongQing region and the focus are the noodle dishes — and the centenary egg is a must too.
Delicious Baobing | street food
A casual and delicious spot to grab lunch on the go which specializes in baos and crêpe wraps stuffed with all sorts of ingredients.
Le Nove Scodelle | restaurant
A vibrant and casual spot that always has a queue outside. The menu is quite limited—as the name suggests, they serve 9 dishes + a few extras. Their thick noodles with sesame sauce and Sichuan pepper are to die for.
Mu Dimsum | restaurant
A fancy spot for a date night or special occasion, and the only place (as far as I know) that makes proper rice rolls in Milan.
Siyuan | restaurant
Finding hand-pulled noodles in Milan isn’t an easy task, but this spot near Duomo prepares them exceptionally well, especially in broth.
dalle8 | indoor street food
A novelty which specializes in traditional Chinese breakfast, serving bowls of rice, soy-based dishes and “soy juice” (which is incredible).
Indian
Abinaya | restaurant
Full-flavoured South Indian dishes, try everything, from the dosas to the rich biryani (and end with the chai!)
Mumba | supper club - multiple locations
Indian and South East Asian inspired supper clubs which are a great occasion to meet interesting people and taste incredible food.
Sri Lankan
HN restaurant & bar | buffet and take-away
Make your own dish by choosing between different types of rice, stewed meats and fish curries, veggies, daal and various types of bread. The cherry on top is the selection of different samosas, egg rolls and fried appetizers.
Nepalese
Achar | restaurant
Nepalese cuisine is a rare find in Italy, and Achar is a great spot to discover the unique flavours of this special country. I recommend their momos (dumplings) and the tender grilled chicken which comes with a few tasty sides.
Filipino
Bulaluhan Sa Milan | restaurant
One of my go-to spots in Milan for the food and atmosphere, that feels incredibly authentic and low-key. The dumplings (siomai) are literally the best thing ever, and two curious dishes you can’t miss are the palabok (noodles with eggs, minced pork, smoked shrimps and a sweet and sour sauce) and the jackfruit coconut curry.
Thai
Thai Square | restaurant
Thai cuisine was one of the ones I missed the most in Milan, until I discovered this restaurant close to the Cenisio metro stop. Order the pad thai, green curry and sticky rice with mango as dessert.
Persian
Mashti | street food and take-away
A solid spot for Persian food where you can find traditional dishes, skewers and sandwiches.
EUROPE
Greek
Vasiliki | restaurant
A polished twist to Greek cuisine, with an incredible wine selection
Spanish
Ba Ba Reeba | restaurant
Milan isn’t known for having exceptional spots for Spanish cuisine (understandably) but Ba Ba Reeba is a solid option, especially for Paella, which you can also take away, just make sure to return the pan once you’ve scraped all the tasty rice off it.
Georgian
Tone | bakery
A contemporary bakery with a Georgian oven where you can find a handful of Middle Eastern inspired and Georgian dishes on the menu and to take home.
AFRICA
Moroccan
La Medina | tea house & pastry shop
Great spot that is open in the morning and afternoon, especially for the sweets you can admire beautifully displayed at the counter. They also have a handful of savory dishes.
LelleMama | all-day food
Delicious food, many veggie dishes which make up for a great lunch in Milan’s center.
Eritrean
Corno d’Africa | street food and take-away
An exciting (and delicious dining experience) in this tiny spot that is one of the few places left in Milan to make its own Injera (the traditional Eritrean and Ethiopian bread), which is topped with a series of veggies and stewed meats. You can eat at the only table or take it home. Recommended for spice lovers.
SOUTH AMERICA
Brazilian
Brasita’s | road-side grill
You’d never expect to find an excellent Brazilian BBQ spot inside a gas station. Yet, this is exactly the case for Brastia’s. Their meat is exceptional and so are the fried and baked starters.
Mexican
La Patrona | restaurant
An unassuming bar by day turned Mexican restaurant by night, where Emilia and her daughter greet you from behind the coffee counter while exquisite tacos and carne asada are prepared behind the deli, each tortilla handmade.
