A dream Sunday with brunch at Acanto

Sunday morning: waking up slowly, with no urgent plans and no need to prepare breakfast or lunch, because brunch takes care of both. It is a wonderful ritual that lets you sleep in late, settle into an elegant setting and face a generous buffet of sweet and savoury dishes in whatever order you fancy, with no excuses needed. Even before midday, a glass of Champagne is not just permitted, but delightfully chic. At least, that is what awaits you when you book brunch at Acanto, the fine-dining restaurant at Hotel Principe di Savoia. Open to non-residents, it is the ideal spot for an elegant yet relaxed Sunday pause, an oasis of calm where you can spend a few hours looked after by an attentive team, in a bright, welcoming room overlooking the Italian garden. With the arrival of spring, you will also be able to sit outdoors and enjoy the first warm sunshine surrounded by flowering camellias.

The dining room preserves the hotel’s signature fin-de-siècle aesthetic without feeling overbearing, filled with timeless charm thanks to Murano glass chandeliers and marble floors. The atmosphere is pleasantly relaxed and contemporary, set off every Sunday by a live band providing a tasteful musical backdrop that never gets in the way of conversation. An open kitchen designed by Paul Valet, renowned for his work with top kitchens worldwide, lets guests watch the brigade and chef at work.

The food at Acanto goes well beyond the usual brunch routine: look past the standard egg plate and bottomless filter coffee (though both are readily available if you wish) to find a buffet worthy of the Sun King. Five themed stations showcase starters from land and sea, alongside vegetarian and vegan options like seasonal salads, vegetable tarts, caponata, pappa con il pomodoro and hummus. There is a dedicated bakery corner with warm pizza, grissini, taralli and a standout focaccia pugliese, alongside cheese and PDO charcuterie selections, plus an impressive raw seafood bar serving sea urchins, oysters, langoustines and fresh sea truffles.

Alongside the buffet, guests can order made-to-order dishes from the kitchen: a first course that changes every Sunday based on seasonal market produce, followed by a warm main. To finish—though as we said, brunch has no set rules, so you can easily start here if the temptation proves too great—there is the dessert island, created by pastry chef Beniamino Passannante.

A feast for the eyes as much as the palate, the sweet counter features traditional and seasonal specialities (such as Carnival chiacchiere and tortelli), modern individual pastries, bite-sized creations painted like miniature works of art, and fresh seasonal fruit. Brunch at Acanto includes a welcome glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, teas, coffees, fresh juices, smoothies and a curated selection of herbal infusions.

For more brunches, in hotels and beyond, you’ll find our full selection in our guide to the best brunches in Milan.