Where a Two-Michelin-starred Chef Loves to Eat in Milan
Get Ready to Fall in Love with Milan. Plus a packing list from The Perfect co-founder
Welcome to The Relisher’s Milan edition! This week, I met with Antonio Guida, executive chef of the two-Michelin-starred Seta, the fine-dining restaurant of Mandarin Oriental, Milan.
In this special edition, Chef Antonio shares his favorite spots in Milan—from restaurants and pizzerias to gelato and pastry shops—while
co-founder unveils her essential Milan packing list.The Best Restaurants in Milan
“Trattoria al Nuovo Macello is a classic Milanese restaurant, known among locals for serving the best cotoletta alla Milanese—Milan’s signature crispy, golden-fried veal cutlet. At Trattoria al Nuovo Macello, they stay true to tradition, frying the cutlet in clarified butter for a crisp, flavorful crust.
Located about 15 minutes by taxi from the city center, this restaurant isn’t central, but it’s absolutely worth the trip. I love coming here for dinner—just keep in mind it's closed on Sundays.
Whether it’s your first time in Milan or a return visit, Trattoria al Nuovo Macello is one of the top three must-visit restaurants in the city.”
To read Chef Antonio’s entire interview click below.
Milan Packing List
With Milan Fashion Week kicking off today, who better to share a Milan packing list from the co-founder of The Perfect—a veteran editor for ELLE, WSJ, and T Magazine. Subscribe to their Substack below ❤️
Milan is such a unique city—expansive yet full of beautiful hidden homes, gardens, and some of the most effortlessly elegant restaurants in the world. In my former life as a fashion editor at The Wall Street Journal and T: The New York Times Style Magazine, I traveled to Milan a few times a year for the European fashion collections.
I’d spend a week at a time shuttling from runway shows to business appointments each day, which meant packing for ease and polish with pieces in an interchangeable palette of navy, black and white and pretty shoes that I could spend a day on my feet in. Most importantly, I always brought thin layers that kept me warm as Milan can be so damp and cold this time of year. But there's always a steaming bowl of pasta and a good glass of Italian red to warm you up at the end of the day, which makes Milan one of my favorite places to work around-the-clock!
If I’m going somewhere cold, there are three items I am never without. All from Uniqlo. A ribbed merino wool turtleneck in black, gray, and brown is a great underlayer to stay warm during the day. At night, a black scoop-neck HEATTECH shirt works beautifully—it looks like an elegant silk blouse when tucked into a full skirt or tuxedo pants for an evening out. Their compact PUFF TECH jacket in army green is endlessly useful and packs up into a tiny ball.
A tuxedo blazer from Blazé Milano is an absolute must in my suitcase almost anywhere I go (besides somewhere tropical). You can throw it over just about anything and boom, you’re ready for anywhere the day or night takes you.
An oversized silk scarf is a travel essential for me—it's also a great way to elevate a basic all-black ensemble… and add a touch of Italian flair. I usually pack a classic silk one from Hermes.
These Ann Mashburn Lara pants are my new little obsession. They’re knit and slightly thicker than the original pull-on pants Mashburn makes. They're a great staple for museum visits during the day and pair perfectly with a velvet slipper at night.
I’ve had this thin wool full-length navy trench from Giuliva Heritage since they launched their brand and I still treasure it. It’s light enough to pack, and is one of the most beautiful things I own. It looks just as impeccable for a long lunch over jeans and a white shirt as it does with an evening dress.
Always need a pair of jeans you feel good in. Right now, I love these RE/DONE straight legs and these cream-colored cropped ones from Veronica Beard.
One great pair of chunky gold hoop earrings are always in my bag when traveling as you never know what you might be invited to. It can dress up your simplest outfit in a pinch. I also love Ted Muehling’s crystal acorns for day and night.
Milan is a fabulous city to walk all day in. I always pack Converse high-tops in natural (not white!) canvas on my trips—they pair perfectly with all the cropped pant styles I love right now, especially with a cute high sock peeking out at the ankle.
A fun mid-length dress is also an important and surprisingly versatile item. I love this slinky silk jersey one from La Double J. I’ll wear it with my Blaze Milano tuxedo jacket at night and under a boxy sweater during the day with Converse and some tights.
I am in love with Vehla’s tinted tortoise aviators at the moment. The light lenses are great even on gray days and can be worn inside, which comes in handy for hiding your jet lag over a nice strong Milanese coffee!
For dinners out, I always bring my Le Monde Beryl velvet tiger print slippers. They’re timeless, go with everything, and above all are comfortable!
A swipe of red lipstick juices up any outfit you’ve packed. I love this shade from Hermes. I’ve been also trying out Chanel’s Rouge Coco Baum Shine in Blushing Pink which is a (very) hot pink that we wrote about in our latest issue. It adds an extra something different I think.
Thanks for reading,
Gabrielle
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