Pane e Acqua

Critics and customers rave about this slow-food gem in an art gallery setting. The cozy restaurant, formerly an old tobacco shop, was designed by the award-winning Milanese architect Paola Navone, who is known for work highly attuned to the changing urban environment. Ilaria Boschetti describes the space as “an innovative coffee restaurant where the décor periodically changes and everything is shop-able,” including the art on the walls and the chairs at the tables. (If you’re still hungry for good design, stop by Spazio Rossana Orlandi, located right next door.) She finds the food to be “creative and very sophisticated.” Despite its name, you can expect much more than pane e acqua (bread and water) from local celebrity chef Francesco Passalacqua. His constantly changing menu includes Mediterranean-inspired twists on classic Milanese cuisine.