Latteria la Cicala

There are places in Milan that resist to the passage of time and trends, places worthy of being discovered for their authenticity, like Latteria La Cicala. Looking at the sign you’ll maybe feel a little nostalgia of those old grocery stores with packs of biscuits and pasta, with coffee grinders and the chinotto in a fridge full of icicles.

Before entering read well the access conditions, simple but not trivial requisites that help the clientele to understand if Latteria is the place they’re looking for. Among these we notify: they will to set and clear the table, not asking for a written menu and being lovers of homely atmospheres. If the place is right, there’s nothing else to do but come in.

A little dog, Alma, will welcome you at the entrance, unless he’s curled up in his corner while Anna will be probably busy in the kitchen and will come out to greet you in a moment. Anna Cicala is the owner, she cooks, serves and chats to put you at ease while you enjoy her delicious dishes. If you want a coffee, just ask, then serve yourself before sitting down: sugar and teaspoons are available for everyone, just like at your house.

At breakfast you will find butter and marmalade homemade bread, which is also served during lunch and during the day, until it lasts, You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to food options, that are mostly vegetarian, but not entirely. Anna’s kitchen is for everyone, to see that you only need to look at the counter.

If you love homemade kitchen, you won’t be disappointed. The artisanal menu contains the best of culinary tradition. It’s never the same, depending of what the market sells and seasonality, you can even create your own dish. While you wait your order, look around and search for the details of the place: postcards, clipped newspapers, vintage items, meticulous details that will make you feel like a movie set.

If you drop by during afternoon snack time, don’t miss the cakes, like the famous one with apples. Anna doesn’t keep secrets in her kitchen and always speaks openly about her recipes. Her cake is made with carefully selected apples, rice and mais flour, potato starch and water.

The place is big enough for two set tables, like in an osteria, with checkered red-and-white tablecloths and pitchers of free water on the tables. Conviviality is another strength, so be disposed to socialize with your neighbor. Latteria closes before dinner, but be sure that in any hour of the day Anna will be able to satisfy your every need.