La Tasteria

If you are also great admirers of Sicily and its flavours, mark this unmissable address: via San Fermo, 1. Here is La Tasteria, an authentic corner of Sicily in the heart of Brera, where you can find all the flavours, aromas, colours and warmth of the island. 

The restaurant is small but welcoming and convivial. It’s a decidedly winning formula, with simple but delicious dishes and quality fresh ingredients, all rigorously made in Sicily. Don’t let the Anglophile name fool you, the menu is a riot of Sicilian excellence, with red prawns from Mazara, tuna, pistachio from Bronte, onion from Giarratana, provola from Ragusa and capers from Salina.

The most original dishes of La Tasteria are pantaste and taste, respectively sandwiches and gourmet toasts, whose names and ingredients are a tribute to many splendid Sicilian locations. Do not miss the Panare a taste, as magical as the island to which it is dedicated. It features tuna tartar, capers, citrus fruits and avocado mayonnaise. Special mention also for the pantaste Taormina, with marinated anchovies, dried tomatoes and chilli mayonnaise. 

But there’s much more than just taste and pantaste. On the menu, there are also platters of cheese or fish, tartare and raw (highly recommended red prawns with stracciatella and pistachio cream, nicely served on colourful bee-shaped Caltagirone ceramic) or salads. (no sad green leaves: in Sicily everything is rich and baroque, even salads!)

In La Tasteria, the drink list also speaks Sicilian, including citron, lemonade, local craft beers and Etna Tonic, prepared with Etna gin, with a delicate aroma of orange, fennel and wild artichoke. Here’s a tip: save room for dessert. As a big fan of sweets, I guarantee you that the cannoli are divine, with a crisp waffle and a very fresh filling. 

And the good news is that, after dinner, you can take some Sicily home too. In fact, some local products can be purchased, from oil to tuna, from pistachio cream to almond paste. Thanks to Fabrizio and Francesco, the two young members, Messinesi doc, for bringing this small gastronomic paradise to Milan, where you can taste authentic Sicilian delights in a warm and colorful environment. It will immediately make you feel at home.