A Michelin-starred restaurant that was opened by husband and wife food lovers in 1962, Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia still serves delicious food in a slightly stuffy atmosphere. The family run spot, daughter Stephanie is passionately involved, has a cult status with foodies who are willing to make the trek (a 20-minute cab ride out of the center of town).

Opened in 2013 in Brera with a team of young cooks from all over the world and led by a Gualtiero Marchese-trained chef, Daniel has a huge open kitchen. In order to interact with clients the kitchen staff double as wait staff, a unique dining experience.

The three Teruzzi brothers run this congenial but elegant restaurant near the Porta Genova train station (it’s about a ten-minute taxi ride from such centrally located hotels as the Armani). The inspired menu, which chef Manolo Teruzzi changes often, is Lombardy-meets-Mediterranean cooking at its best. Lovely silk-screen paintings of Milan adorn the dining room.

Those with a craving for seafood should make a reservation at this acclaimed restaurant in the design-heavy Tortona neighborhood (home also to the MUDEC museum and such shops as Nonostantemarras and Biffi). The focus on treasures from the sea is serious: there are whole sections on the menu dedicated to everything from anchovies to crustaceans. Particularly popular are the heaping seafood platters, as well as the Champagne and oyster pairings.

Quality seafood in a landlocked place like Milan comes at a price, of course, so for a lighter, quicker and more inexpensive bite, head instead to the nearby Langosteria 10 Bistro & Bottega (around the corner on Via Privata Bobbio), which serves a more limited but equally tasty menu. The setting in both places is casual-cool (the restaurants would not feel out of place in Brooklyn or San Francisco), and they have a strong local following.

Note: Langosteria is closed for lunch on Mondays and Tuesdays.

When celebrity chef Carlo Cracco closed his restaurant on Via Victor Hugo, foodies around the world mourned. During his hiatus, though, he was planning a special comeback. Within Milan’s landmark Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, he has opened a four-story paradise for food lovers, and Ristorante Cracco is the crowning jewel. The Michelin-starred chef’s fine-dining restaurant, which sits on the first floor, was designed by Studio Peregalli as a series of rooms, including a foyer, multiple small dining rooms and a green-lacquered cigar bar for after-dinner drinks. In addition to the à la carte menu, diners can choose from two tasting menus: one focuses on classics and the other is more experimental, but both draw on seasonal ingredients and promise some of the best food in the city. Closed Sundays.

For a big night out in a sleek setting, reserve a table at Trussardi Alla Scala, where chef Luigi Taglienti puts a modern twist on traditional Italian fare. The elegant, spacious and beautiful restaurant earned one Michelin star in 2013.

This is definitely an au courant eatery favored by Milan’s Ab Fab crowd. The name–Zero–does not reflect its prices or beautiful-people rating. (It could very well be the average dress size of some of the regulars.) Although many of them are not big eaters, the food–think sushi and other Japanese-inspired cuisine–is delicious and beautifully prepared. Make sure to book at least three weeks in advance, especially for weekend reservations.