Milan's Agrumi Festival, La Latteria & Lucio Corsi at San Remo

A newsletter about the culture of eating and drinking better in Northern Italy.

I wrote about Milan’s most treasured old-school restaurants that closed for a year and then reopened for Italy Segreta La Latteria Lives On: A Second Act for a Milanese Icon. My friend Alice and I made this video with Space Delicious about the opening, too. Photo: Maria, her two sons and the new chef getting ready before lunch service.

Favorite restaurants in Milan this week: I took a scouting trip to Como and had an excellent polenta with Bitto DOP at Ristorante Osteria del Pain, conveniently behind the Como Lago train station. Photo: corn, buckwheat, Bitto and sage.

I also went to see-and-be-seen Bice restaurant for risotto, tucked away on a hidden side street in the Montenapoleone area, near the new Cabana shop, which was already on my list to visit. The red and black tartan carpeting and Whitney Houston on the stereo made the perfect backdrop for a cozy, blazing yellow plate of riso giallo. There’s a pic on my lastest Instagram post, along with all the other great risottos I’ve had lately.

Milan’s winters are mild enough to bike around when the sun is out, and last weekend, I took full advantage—putting my six-year-old on the back of my bike and riding to the Agrumi Festival at FAI’s Villa Necchi Campiglio. This annual event is both an exhibition and a citrus-forward market, complete with tastings.

Ten minutes on two wheels gets me to The Last Supper, and in twenty, we arrived at the famous villa-turned-museum—a must-see in any season. You might recognize it as Tilda Swinton’s house in Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love or from House of Gucci.

There were plenty of jams and even candied citrus (I picked up a beautifully packaged cedro) to sample, but my favorite was the mixed citrus peel-spiked coffee—bright and bitter, the perfect winter pick-me-up. If we hadn’t been on our bikes, we might have brought home a citrus tree too!

What I’m listening to: Lucio Corsi, inspired by his newfound fame in Italy, prompted me to put together a playlist of my favorite songs that originally debuted at Sanremo. R&S - Best of San Remo on Spotify. Lucio Corsi is extravagant and unconventional, often described as an activist for his stance against bullying. His music is whimsical and deeply rooted in nature, with lyrics that bring to life the animals of the Tuscan woods. He has David Bowie’s theatricality, Sufjan Stevens’ storytelling, and Regina Spektor’s quirky charm on the piano. Photo: Vanity Fair Italia.

While I am still getting my feet wet on Substack, I’d love to hear from you. Next week I’ll dedicate the newsletter to info for locals including:

• My favorite cooking classes for locals in Milan

• Activites for kids in Milan including our favorite museum laboratorio experiences

• Easy day-trips to see snow for non-skiers (like us!)

Disclaimer: Everything I recommend here comes from personal experience. If not, I’ll always credit the person who shared the recommendation with me. The same goes for restaurants—if I was invited to dine somewhere, I’ll be upfront about it! (I’ve found that restaurants with PR support are often well-equipped to welcome tourists, offer online booking, and generally provide a smooth experience. If I enjoy a place, I’ll happily recommend it!)

Elizabeth’s most recent Milan guide: The 20 Best Restaurants in Milan — Infatuation

We are already planning trips for fall 2025 --it's never too early to drop us a line if you're planning to travel in Northern Italy.