Barmare L’Altro

Find a map of Milan and locate the corner between Via Lecco and Via Panfilo Castaldi. That’s where you need to go today. Call a few coworkers and chat in total relaxation while good drinking passes the time, celebrate love with your partner over some oysters and a glass of wine, or catch up with old friends over a bowl of spaghetti with clams, basil and lemon, accompanied by as many drinks as you like. Barmare L’altro is the new place to be in the Porta Venezia district, boldly declaring their intentions for all to hear: to lead its patrons on a journey to the most authentic Mediterranean cuisine. 

As the slightly rebellious, popular brother of Barmare di Porta Romana, Barmare L’atro is a lively restaurant and bistro that houses about fifty seats, set inside the captivating Art Nouveau architecture of Milan’s most eccentric social scene. The minimalist design, curated by Rodrigo Izquierdo, emphasizes the style of the first Barmare location, although it differs in color and contrasts the former’s softer atmosphere and lounge. The room sports green details that draw attention to the hazelnut wood floors and marble tables and countertops.

Their promise to always help customers strike a perfect balance between seafood flavors and traditional staples is always fulfilled, with an added pinch of creativity. The fish cuisine here is still of quality, even if it has a more informal cut. As a culinary foundation, they particularly focus on the selection of raw materials in light of sustainability. The result is that the recipes are a mix of delicacies prepared quickly and passionately, while always topped with their signature Sicilian monocultivar oil.

The fish is the king of the menu. It arrives fresh every morning, and the dishes are always designed to be shared. But like any respectable sovereign, the fish has a faithful companion at his side: fresh pasta. The pasta, considered to be the queen of the house, is rolled out daily by chef Marco Sabbioni who wields his rolling pin and expert advice handed down from his grandmother to guide him in his creations.

Start your lunch or dinner with an appetizer like marinated anchovies with bruscato bread or raw shrimp, shallots, oranges,and pine nuts, backed by an endless stream of rolls, breadsticks, and focaccia. Next, try experimenting with one of their special Roman-influenced seafood dishes with tartare, or pair several of the first and second course offerings from the menu. The chitarrina allo scoglio deserves an honorable mention along with the Milanese tuna with a sour purée and spinacine. And you can’t say you’ve finished your meal without tasting one of their homemade desserts, including zizze di naca, tiramisu, tartellette, and torte barozzi, among the specials of the day.

For an aperitif, there are a few tempting flavors to choose from, which are necessary to accompany a good glass of wine or one of the weekly cocktails from the bartender. And if, finally, you have a late-night craving, that’s no problem: the kitchen is always serving up plates from noon until night. This is because, if you didn’t realize it already, Barmare L’altro is a microcosm of constant movement, which has seemed to absorb the very same soul that inhabits Milan. So, as the city moves forward and the menu adapts according to the availability of raw materials, rest assured that the excellence and love for ”how it used to be” never falters and will never leave the doors of the restaurant.