The best restaurants for Easter lunch outside Milan
Easter and Easter Monday traditionally mean outdoor barbecues, picnics and restaurants out of town, fork in hand and... weather permitting!
Easter is just around the corner and, as every year, the classic Italian saying ‘Pasqua con chi vuoi’ (Easter with whoever you like) comes back, and we would add ‘wherever you like’. If Christmas means long family tables and endless lunches with relatives, Easter is another story altogether: day trips out of town, picnics on the grass, barbecues with friends or a good lunch at a restaurant, ideally surrounded by greenery. Sunshine would make it perfect, but by now we know that Easter weather is always a gamble. Don’t worry, though: with the right spirit and a plan B up your sleeve, the day is saved.
If you are also planning a relaxing day away from home, we have picked restaurants outside Milan that are perfect for Easter lunch and suit every taste, from cascine (traditional farmhouses) and agriturismi (farm restaurants) to more contemporary venues, all surrounded by nature (and, hopefully, by sunshine too!).
CAMP DI CENT PERTIGH
Via Trento e Trieste 63, Carate Brianza
Set in the green Brianza countryside, Càmp di Cènt Pertigh is a restaurant that brings together history, beauty and refined cooking. Housed in a former 17th-century convent, it has been skilfully restored into a showpiece of craftsmanship and shabby chic design, extremely Instagrammable! An ideal setting for events and family lunches surrounded by beauty, it serves regional Lombard cooking, with seasonal dishes made from short-supply-chain ingredients, with local producers first.
RISTORANTE SOTTOVENTO
Via Imbarcadero 3, Lierna
In the heart of Lierna, an old fishing village steeped in stories of the past, Ristorante Sottovento is a corner of quiet elegance overlooking Lake Como. A minimal chic touch meets tradition in a refined setting with thoughtful design, a flower garden and a panoramic terrace. The chef and the kitchen team give you a warm welcome and serve creative lake fish dishes that bring out local flavours with style and a light hand, for an Easter of tradition and breathtaking views.
RISTORANTE SILVIO
Via Paolo Carcano 10/12, Bellagio
Overlooking Lake Como, Ristorante Silvio is a true institution, run since 1919 by the Ponzini family, now in its fifth generation. Here, over rice and fillets of freshly caught fish, you can lose yourself in the reflections on the water while tasting Lake Como specialities in a genuine, relaxed atmosphere. The bright covered veranda, looking out over the view, is the ideal place to enjoy every dish out of the sun. And upstairs, there is the hotel, perfect for an Easter weekend away from the crowds.
ANTICA OSTERIA LA RAMPINA
Via Emilia, 3, San Giuliano Milanese
If you are looking for somewhere special for Easter lunch a few minutes from Milan, La Rampina is the answer. Set in a lush garden and full of historic charm, this 16th-century cascina (farmhouse) is run with passion by the Gagliardi family, whose cooking blends Milanese and Lombard tradition with a touch of creativity and lightness. The result? Balanced dishes, full of flavour and of stories from the local area, to enjoy in a bucolic atmosphere that is elegant but never too formal. To round it all off, a carefully curated wine cellar, with labels chosen to bring out every course.
CASCINA GUZZAFAME
Località Cascina Guzzafame, Gaggiano
Not far from the centre of Milan, this farm in Gaggiano is set in an 18th-century cascina, and its large country restaurant serves the best of Lombard tradition with locally sourced ingredients. There are also activities, including outdoor yoga classes and things to do with children at the educational farm, to celebrate Easter or Easter Monday as a family, relaxing and making the most of the countryside around you.
CASCINA CAREMMA
Via Cascina Caremma, 2, Besate
Founded as a farm growing barley, wheat and rice, this cascina just outside Milan has become a favourite in the Ticino Valley for its country chic style. It is a haven of good food and relaxation, serving the true flavours of the area with a menu inspired by Lombard cooking and locally sourced ingredients. Making it even more special, there is a spa with an indoor pool, perfect for switching off in any season and even more inviting in spring. Ideal for anyone after nature, good food and a little pampering… all in one place.
AGRITURISMO LA COSTA
Via Galbusera Nera 2, La Valletta Brianza
Agriturismo La Costa is an enchanting spot on the ridge of one of the terraced hills of the Parco Regionale di Montevecchia e della Valle del Curone, an unexpected green lung in the heart of the Brianza around Lecco, less than an hour from Milan. Here nature meets chef-led cooking: wild herbs, vegetables, lake fish and creative, unexpected pairings surprise you with every dish. Born in 1992 from a dream of Giordano Crippa, La Costa today brings together flavour, landscape and a love of the area.
TRATTORIA VISCONTI
Via Alcide de Gasperi 12, Ambivere
Since 1932, Trattoria Visconti has been the beating heart of the Bergamo countryside, where tradition and hospitality come together with elegance. Fiorella and her team will welcome you warmly and attentively, proudly telling you the family story written into the walls, which hold objects and memories from three generations. On the table, dishes of the land and of memory: from nonna Ida’s ravioli to bollito with seven meats. After lunch, relax on the back porch and soak up a little more of the old magic of this hidden retreat.
