Lunchtime in Milan city center: 5 lunchbreak spots

Whether it’s a regular workday, with guaranteed stress, or a day during the weekend, when lunch is a break between a shopping session and a little stroll, one things is for sure: finding quality, good places to eat in central Milan isn’t always easy. This is why we decided to share with you our favorite, sure-fire spots: take your favorite coworkers and friends there, they will surely be impressed, trust us 😉

Piccolo Peck (Via Spadari 9)
This is new, actually, brand new! Housed within the legendary Peck store, near Via Torino, is their new gastro-cafe. We got the exclusive chance to test it last week, and one thing was clear: it’s a completely different story from the upstairs restaurant, so don’t be intimidated — it’s perfect for lunch! The dishes and the atmosphere a lot less formal here, with a lovely presentation in colorful china plates. You can have cold and hot dishes, ranging from their famous cheese and cold cuts selection to wonderful roast and carpaccio. Since it’s open the whole day, it also works well for those who enjoy a late lunch.

Antica Focacceria San Francesco (via San Paolo 5)
Not many of you may know, but TBS Crew’s offices used to be just a few steps from Milan Duomo, and we used to eat at this restaurant at least three times a week! It’s the kind of place where you can taste the flavor of Sicily without needing to set foot on the island. Our favorite dishes? Pasta with anchovies, pani ca meusa (literally, panini with spleen, a Sicilian street food snack) and my favorites, bread and panelle (Sicilian fritters) with lemon. The place has plenty of seating space but we still recommend booking a table.

Ottimo Massimo (Via Spadari)
Behind Milan Duomo you will find a favorite of ours: whenever we can, or when we have a meeting, we always try to be the first ones to get a table here. Their service is usually fast, and this is why we recommend it for your lunch break. Choose anything between panini, soups and salad bowls, but whatever you choose, don’t forget to have a cold press juice!

Chic n Go (Via Bigli 20)
Your office is in the Montenapoleone area, or maybe you’re just so exhausted from all the shopping (in which case we say, good for you, by the way)? We have the right place for you, to stop and have an unusual lunch break. The name of the place is very telling, it’s chic since theirpanini are prepared with care and elegance, as are their main courses; go, because they are also prepared very quickly. It’s a delightful place, and their panini will be hard to forget! The prices aren’t exactly affordable, but rest assured, you will be paying for high quality stuff. One last tip: if you go for take away, expect very pretty packaging!

Jade Café (Via Palazzo Reale 5)
Sorry, but we really could not avoid recommending one sushi place: here is one located just a few steps away from the Royal Palace. This place doesn’t just feature Japanese food, it also offers Thai and Chinese food. The service is very fast, so you can be sure you will manage to make it back to the office without upsetting your boss because you’re late. Jade was always a guarantee over the years!