La Latteria – Cascina Nascosta

The phrase ‘oasis of peace’ is undeniably overused: I hold my hands up to having used it hundreds of times myself, partly out of habit and partly out of fashion. Yet for the restaurant and bistro La Latteria, tucked inside Cascina Nascosta, I truly cannot think of a more fitting description. Until recently, this historic farmhouse, shielded by the leaves of mature trees, served merely as the technical office for Parco Sempione and a storage shed for park maintenance equipment. Today, following a public tender by the city’s Assessorato al Verde, Benessere e Qualità della Vita, it has been reborn as an inclusive, sustainable space housing a café and restaurant, a bike workshop and carpentry room, areas for workshops, events and activities, and an educational vegetable garden. The real beauty of the place is that while it is now open to all, it still feels secluded. Much like in a fairy tale, finding it requires a bit of faith and a keen eye. Protected by two earth embankments right beneath the towering Torre Branca and just behind the Triennale, it slips past inattentive passers-by. That seclusion creates a serene sense of escape, where surrounded by greenery, you hardly feel like you are in Milan at all.

Sustainability is the common thread running through every activity at the Cascina, anchoring the concept behind La Latteria. Open for lunch and dinner, it is also a delightful stop for breakfast, an afternoon bite or an aperitivo built on simple seasonal produce. Much of it is organically grown by vetted local producers and can even be purchased in the small on-site shop. Steered by chef Andrea Bertolucci, La Latteria serves dishes that are entirely plant-based, alongside selected meat chosen for its short supply chain, production sustainability and seasonality, and fish, sourced from certified Italian fisheries and aquaculture.

The underlying mission is clear: to encourage conscious eating and restore genuine value to food. Produce is handled with the utmost respect, keeping waste to a minimum and repurposing trimmings wherever possible. The same philosophy guides the wine list, which is entirely organic and sourced from mindful, sustainable wineries.

The menu naturally evolves throughout the year, but reliable favourites remain, such as the cheese board from local producers and Slow Food Presidia, or the Trittico Lombardo with salame, coppa and lonzardo by Sandro Passerini, served with bretzel and artisan giardiniera, alongside traditional Milanese mondeghili. For primi, the kitchen moves from classic risotto al salto to orecchiette or a lentil dahl, while mains range from roast beef to brasato with polenta and farinata. If you stop by mid-morning, the freshly baked artisan cakes prepared for breakfast are well worth ordering.

Finally, the setting is without doubt one of La Latteria’s greatest assets: out under the portico, amid upcycled tables and chairs framed by greenery and strings of fairy lights, the city’s pace drops away and Milan takes on a romantic charm. There is an indoor dining area when the weather turns, but the courtyard is so magical that even in winter it is worth braving the chill for a coffee outside.