Carbonara from Pasta a Gogo
Pasta a Gogo serves a handful of pasta dishes that they make fresh — it’s mostly a take-out joint, though they do have a couple of tables outside. The woman behind the counter spoke English fluently, so I asked her what her favourite was, and she answered “carbonara” without even a millisecond of hesitation. So that makes ordering quite easy; carbonara it is! And yeah, she’s not wrong to be enthusiastic about it; it’s ultra-rich and creamy, and the crispy pieces of guanciale are salty, porky, and satisfying.
Pastries from Pasticceria Panarello
Pasticceria Panarello is a Milan bakery chain that’s been around since 1885, so clearly, they’re doing something right. Though they have a whole bunch of tasty treats, their specialty seems to be cannoncino, which is basically crispy, croissant-style pastry that’s rolled up and stuffed with a creamy, custardy filling. The pastry is kinda like a dried-out croissant, which sounds weird, but it totally works with the creamy filling. I also had a little shortbread/chocolate cookie, and yeah, that was good too.
Panzerotto from Panzerotti Luini
Speaking of places that have been around since the 19th century, Panzerotti Luini has been doing their thing since 1888. They serve a variety of calzone-esque pastries that are stuffed with various sweet or savoury fillings and fried. I got the spinach and ricotta variety, and it didn’t exactly knock my socks off, but it’s tasty enough, and at three Euros, delightfully cheap. It’s also right around the corner from the Duomo cathedral — if you’re a tourist in Milan, you’re pretty much guaranteed to be nearby, so why not?
Rosina wrap from C’era una Volta una Piada
This place is fine. It’s totally fine! They serve piadina, an Italian flatbread that’s stuffed with various fillings. I got the Rosina, which is crammed with a healthy amount of ham, shrimp, peppery arugula, and some kind of zesty mayo. There’s nothing wrong with it, but I spent the whole time I was eating it wishing I were eating the lampredotto sandwich from Marcelleria Popolare instead. Still, if you’re on a budget, it’s cheap (a bit over seven Euros), tasty, and very filling.
Ravioli from Sapori della Pasta
Sapori della Pasta is actually quite similar to Pasta a Gogo — they both do mostly take-out, and they both serve a condensed menu featuring a handful of pasta dishes. I got the ravioli here, which came topped with a meaty Bolognese, and it was quite satisfying. I think I preferred Pasta a Gogo of the two, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with the ravioli I was served here.
Anchovy and caper pizza from Pizza AM
Getting Neapolitan-style pizza from Milan is kind of like going to Toledo and ordering southern-style barbecue; it’s a big country, and just because something is a specialty in one area, doesn’t mean it’s great everywhere. But then the pizza at Pizza AM actually turned out to be quite tasty, so who knows — maybe there is good barbecue in Toledo. The pizza I ordered was essentially a Margherita pizza with anchovies and capers, which turns out to be a delightful addition; their saltiness and mild fishy funk actually suits the milder flavours of the Margherita pizza quite well. And the crust is really satisfying, with a nice chew and some char from the oven. I don’t know if it’s as good as the best pizza from Naples, but it’s surprisingly close.