In the misty nights of Milan, hidden among the railways of Lambrate, a tinny sound comes out of a leftover of the industrial spread, but it’s not the noise of the riding trains, it’s the sound of the world’s best deejays throwing bombing sessions over the crowd in Dude club.

Ben Klock, Nina Kraviz, Apparat, Marek Hemmann, Efdemin, most of the techno gurus have played here, but, like every type of line-up that wants to be really concerned with music and not just with money, there’s a lot of musical experimentation and attention to the new talents.

Here you can take a look at who’s playing next time. The place can be easily reached with the metro, stop at Lambrate and for going back home, if the metro hasn’t opened yet, there is a bus which will take you directly near the Duomo.

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Dude | Music | Entrance € 15
via Plezzo 16
Fri – Sat 23:00 – 05:00

Corso Como is one of the most popular streets in the north part of Milan, and Corso Como 10 is its most interesting address.

10 Corso Como is a multifunctional space managed by Carla Sozzani, especially concerned with fashion. Behind a separé, deep into the green of climber plants and some little trees there is a bar, a restaurant, a terrace, a clothes shop, a book shop, a gallery and a hotel. The space is settled in the courtyard of the address Corso Como 10, it’s peaceful and with a lot of green, it becomes crowded especially for the aperitif.

This is a worldly popular labyrinth with a wide range of goods and high quality products. The shop has a lot of interesting books and other design products and the bar has comfortable sofas to sit on..be sure to visit every corner before leaving!

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10 Corso Como | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Shopping | Free
Corso Como, 10
Fri – Tue 10:30 – 19:30, Wed – Thu 10:30 – 21:00

Whilst Belgian food might not be what you had in mind when eating in Milan, Vent Du Nord does provide a nice interlude from Italian cuisine.

With the sea not even close, Milan also doesn’t seem like a top destination for seafood but it is actually the distribution centre for all of Italy, so all of the good quality stuff passes through Milan.

Fresh mussels cooked in a variety of tasty sauce options are the star of the menu here but I am also happy to come here for a late night cold beer and some tasty potato chips and mayonnaise. There are some tasty meat menu items too and the classic Belgian waffles for dessert.

Tucked away in a quiet street, yet easily accessible with the metro (Line 3, Stop Lodi) or Bus 90/91 you can find a little piece of Belgium. A great place to enjoy good food and a few beers with good friends.

It’s recommended that if you want to go on a Friday or Saturday night it is recommended to book at least one week ahead.

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Le Vent du Nord | Restaurants (Belgian) | Mussels € 13.40
Via Sannio, 18 | +39255189027
Tue – Sat 19:00 – 02:00

Before I moved to Italy, one of the first things that came to mind was FOOD! Salami, cheese, pizza, pasta oh and all coupled nicely with some wine of course! And of course, Italy didn’t disappoint me.

When it comes to cheese and salami I would recommend a visit to a fabulous jam-packed delicatessen just off the Corso Buenos Aires shopping strip.

Being Australian, my knowledge of Italian cheese was limited to Parmesan (Parmigiano) and Mozzarella and sadly, the only mozzarella I really knew was the copied version we put on our pizzas.

Now I can safely say that I have managed to try a reasonable percentage of the many cheese and cured meats Italy has to offer, but there is always something new to discover. Grab a few servings when you’ve worked up a hunger after shopping or maybe grab a few things for a picnic and relax in the nearby Giardini Publici (Public Gardens) near Porta Venezia. Don’t worry if they don’t speak English, just point at a few things…you’ll be right! They are really friendly and like to joke around with the customers. Avoid Saturday mornings as it’s really chaotic!

Why this place? It’s got a great selection but the prices and quality are much better than any supermarket.

Pop across the road and you’ll also find an excellent bakery and wine shop. What else could you ask for in life?! 

MM Metro Lima is the closest stop.

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Salami & Cheese | Shopping, Snacks
Via Tadino / Via Vitruvio
Mon 08:00 – 13:00, Tue – Sat 08:00 – 13:00 & 15:30 -19:30

Saturday nights are good for sitting down with friends over a good glass of wine (or 2 or 3!) and when I feel like a change from Italian cuisine I find “Seven” is a nice alternative. Steak is their speciality and its good. A friend ordered the chicken and couscous as pictured and was also happy.

The wine list is excellent and their special of the month is usually good value and good quality. They are well informed about wine and give good advice.

What I also like about this place is the atmosphere. The place is decorated in an interesting manner with a predominance of IKEA furnishings. Bright and colourful IKEA style, but nice and cosy too. Across the canal (not quite a Venetian canal, but a canal nevertheless) you can stop off for an after dinner drink or dance.

You can also find Seven restaurants more central on Corso Columbo, 11 and Viale Monte Nero, 29.

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Seven | Restaurants (Intern.) | Meal & wine € 25.00
Via Bertelli, 4 | +39022615190
Mon – Sat 19:00 – 00:00

A popular bar both in winter and summer, you can find it open all day for breakfast, lunch or an aperitivo. It’s in a handy spot after a day’s shopping on Corso Buenos Aires (one of the biggest shopping strips). Modern, yet with a certain 70′s style that makes it cosy, you can enjoy a tasty cocktail and catch up with friends at any time of the day.

They have recently introduced an American style brunch menu for the weekends and if you’re craving for some eggs or pancakes, or maybe a slice of cheesecake, this bar is worth a go!

The apertivo hour lasts from 18:00 till 21:00 and they have a modest selection of food, but good quality. You can satisfy yourself with a plate of pasta, some pizza or some salad and veggies.

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Pacino Cafè | Bars | Cocktail € 8.00
Piazza Bacone 9 Milano | +39022046550
07:00 – 02:00 daily

Drogheria Plinio (“drug store” but not really!) is a cosy place for any time of day. Pass by for a coffee or breakfast (although not too early!) and you’ll be able to choose from the standard selection of great Italian coffee or maybe choose from some locally named inventions they have concocted.

Pass by for lunch and try some tasty seasonal dishes. They use vegetables that are in season and generally cook something a little different from the standard Italian “bar”. The dishes are good value, very tasty but sometimes on the small side.

Not hungry? Pass by and check out the gourmet range of pasta, sauces, and condiments etc, perfect for gifts.

Feel like a drink? Pass by around 18:00 – 20:00 for a drink and some salami and cheese to get your appetite a moving. They have an excellent range of wine and you may like to take some home with you too!

Dinner? Yes, can do! Again, choose from a “in season” menu, well-priced and very tasty! Don’t feel like eating out? Yes, there’s takeaway too.

Anything else you need?!

Oh, it’s handy to reach too. Just a few steps away from Piazza Lima/Corso Buenos Aires (Metro stop Lima, Line 1).

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Drogheria Plinio | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Italian)
Via Plinio 6 | +393938796508
Daily 11:30 – 23:00

This is not just the best Piadina in Milano, but it’s probably the biggest. I was surprised when they served it to me, it really gave me a hard time.

C’era una volta una Piada has all the skills to make someone fall in love with it: really fair prices, delicious and abundant piadine, a wide selection and an original atmosphere between rustic and modern.

For those who have never tried it: piadina is a traditional dish from Romagna, it could be considered as a sandwich, but with a different type of bread, and the name “piadina” refers just to this type of bread, which is filled with many different ingredients.

The piadina is prepared with traditional and simple ingredients right in front of you, and this is always an assurance of quality. There really seems to be nothing wrong in this place, besides the people which crowd this place especially for lunch, but, you know, even the crowd is an assurance of quality!

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C’era una volta una Piada | Snacks, Restaurants (Piadina) | Piadina € 4
viale Coni Zugna, 37 | +39023194236
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 15:00, Sat 11:00 – 23:00, Sun 19:00 – 23:00

I must admint that “navigli”, is probably the most touristic area in town. Probably because, especially in summer, the atmosphere here is very relaxed and the water adds to the “holiday feeling”. However if you follow my simple tips you’ll have the chance to experience one of the most romantic parts of the city (especially in fall/winter).

Navigli in Milan is the name for canal. Originally it was built to connect Milan with the lakes and with Switzerland. The are two main Navigli: Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese: they are both nice but it depends on what you are looking for.

Naviglio Grande is more on the bohemian side. There are many restaurants, cafes and second hand shops. Here, each last Sunday of the month, a big Antiques Market is held (Mercatone Naviglio Grande). You’ll find furniture, items for the home, old books, jewelry etc. In my opinion is perfect for a pleasant walk on a Sunday morning in spring/autumn or to have a drink in the afternoon.

In Naviglio Pavese (just beside the other Naviglio) the atmosphere is younger. I recommend to come here at night in autumn or in winter, for a romantic walk. Unless you are looking for a party atmosphere, then come here on a Saturday night for a drink or two.

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Navigli | Bars, Relaxing, Snacks
Alzaia Naviglio Pavese, 2
24 hours daily

Just beside Piazza Duomo and nearby Piazza alla Scala, is a small square named Piazza San Fedele. I have always been fascinated by this place because in Milan there are not so many little squares like this and also because even if it is situated in the very center of the city it is always very peaceful, maybe because it’s quite small.

It is not so famous even if there is a statue of Alessandro Manzoni and a nice Church which gives the name to the square.

If you are around this area for shopping or for a tour I recommend you come here for a nice break. I like to come here with an ice cream or with a snack (perhaps eating one wonderful panzerotto from Luini (check the Luini article) which you can by just a few steps away from the square) and rest for a while, just people spotting or reading a book.

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Piazza San Fedele | Art & culture
Piazza San Fedele
24 hours daily