Experience the Unique Bars of Milan
In a city known for fashion and elegance, you’d expect Milan’s bar scene to be sophisticated. The city offers chic spots to sip aperitifs with beautiful people in vine-covered gardens. However, Milan is also blessed with quirky watering holes. If you know where to go, you can enjoy shots in a converted 18th-century church or play pinball in a bar designed by Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson’s Cinematic World
This bar’s kitsch design and pastel color palette draw you in like one of Wes Anderson’s whimsical movies. This is perhaps unsurprising since the cult film director is the brains behind Bar Luce’s design. From the 50s Formica tables to the Steve Zissou-themed pinball machine, the experience immerses you in Anderson’s world. Housed in the elegant Fondazione Prada, the bar draws inspiration from the city itself; look carefully and you’ll notice details from Milan’s iconic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Country Life in the Inner City
You’ll forget you’re in the city at Cascina Cuccagna, a former 18th-century farmstead beautifully repurposed as a cultural space, guesthouse, restaurant, and bar known as Un Posto a Milano. The kitchen emphasizes locally sourced ingredients, some direct from their vegetable garden. The drinks menu includes sulphate-free Italian wine, craft beers, and quality cocktails. Additionally, it hosts a weekly farmer’s market along with creative classes and events.
Cocktails by the Pool
Bagni Misteriosi is a 1930s public swimming pool and theatre space that has been painstakingly restored by Fondazione Pier Lombardo. It is now one of the city’s most popular summer haunts. Not only does it offer a scenic dip, but you can also sip cocktails poolside or relax on its lawns over an aperitivo. It features various events, from tai chi classes to art shows, dance performances, and electronic music concerts. In winter, the swimming pool transforms into a magical ice-skating venue.
Where Drinking is Sacrosanct
In a country famous for its many churches, it’s fitting to go for a casual drink in one. La Chiesetta, a tiny 18th-century church in Milan’s Chinatown neighborhood, offers this unique experience. Its faded frescoes and gothic arches provide an atmospheric setting for inexpensive shots and themed cocktails. This lively locale tends to get busy, so it’s advisable to arrive early on weekends if you want a seat.
The Elegant Winter Garden
Sitting in LùBar is akin to being in an elegant winter greenhouse. Housed in the neoclassical Villa Reale, it features large windows with original 1700s details, while its greenery includes everything from palm trees to cacti. The Sicilian-inspired menu is exceptional, created by three siblings passionate about their home region. The Villa is also home to the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, presenting another reason to visit.
The Smallest Bar in the World
Imagine renting your own private bar for a couple of hours, where you can choose every detail, from the music to the glassware. Welcome to BackDoor43. Billed as the smallest bar in the world, it measures 4 sq m with space for only four people, including the barman. If that sounds too cramped, you can opt for take-away cocktails available through a small window, but only on weekends.
The Italian Fashion Concept
Fashion, art, and design find their finest expression at Corso Como 10, the renowned concept store started by fashion magazine editor Carla Sozzani. While various branches exist in major cities around the globe, the original remains incomparable. It occupies a 20th-century palazzo, offering high-end fashion, a design bookstore, gallery, rooftop garden, and a restaurant and bar. Its vine-covered courtyard is the ideal setting for sipping cocktails with the well-heeled.
A Milanese Institution
Step back into the 60s glamour at Bar Basso, adorned with chandeliers and velvet seats. Famous for serving everyone from Frank Sinatra to former state leaders, it stands as a veritable Milanese institution for one significant reason: it was the first to introduce ‘aperitivo’ (a drink plus light meal) to the public. Here, you can still enjoy the beloved Negroni Sbagliato cocktail in its original form, served in a large goblet with a substantial block of ice and a slice of orange.
The Gin-Lover’s Choice
It’s all about gin at The Botanical Club. It boasts over 150 known and hard-to-find gins from around the world, producing its own brand, Spleen et Idéal. This charming venue, boasting a minimalist aesthetic and lush overhanging greenery, offers a chic atmosphere. A variety of modern dishes, such as vegetable tempura or Hawaiian Poke, complement the drink selection. You can choose between the original bar in Via Pastrenga or the larger venue in Via Tortona.
Searching for the 1930s
There’s something irresistible about the speakeasy 1930. It’s not just the feeling of being in on a secret; it’s also the inventive cocktails and classy vintage decor that transport you to the American Prohibition era. Hidden behind what appears to be a Chinese convenience store, entry is invitation-only, which is notoriously hard to secure. If you’re not acquainted with a current member, the best strategy for entry is to charm the staff at Mag Bar, the parent bar of this locale, especially the owner and bar manager Flavio Angiolillo.
