LUDO Dine & Vibe 
3 Gluten-Free Pastry Shops in Milan 
How many people like me, in recent months, passing by Via Piero della Francesca – parallel to Corso Sempione with a high density of must-be venues of Milanese nightlife – and peeking at the construction site of Salmon Guru Milano thought that yet another sushi bar was about to open? But don’t be fooled, because here salmon has nothing to do with food: it has become the totem animal of this iconic cocktail bar because it is instinctive, stubborn and, above all, always against the grain.
Opened in 2016 in Madrid by the famous Argentine bartender Diego Cabrera, Salmon Guru, with its eclectic and multisensory cocktails, its festive and irreverent atmosphere and its out-of-the-ordinary aesthetic, is today in 23rd place in the prestigious classic The World’s 50 Best Bars. In 2022 the concept successfully landed in Dubai, thanks to Farah George Farah, founder of “Elements Hospitality”, who was joined, for the Milan opening, by the well-known entrepreneur from Bergamo Stefano Percassi.
But how exactly do this irreverent spirit and this out-of-the-box way of thinking express themselves? First of all in the aesthetics of the place, unmistakable, colorful and Instagrammable, which manages to transcend the boundaries of too much, to become surprisingly glamorous. The space is divided into four distinct thematic areas, all original and evocative. From the Animal Print Room, characterized by animalier prints and bold textures, to the Asian Night, with the ceiling studded with Chinese umbrellas, which immediately transports you to the Far East, up to the Comic Room , inspired by comics and illuminated by the iconic neon sign “BAM”. And then there is a “secret” room, the Tropical Speakeasy, a small private room, with walls covered in old vinyl records, to evoke another of the main actors of the place: the music, always present, because here it is always a fiesta.
But what immediately attracts the attention of anyone who crosses the threshold of this wunderkammer of good drinking is Guru’s Bar , the open-plan counter that allows guests to admire from a privileged point of view the skill of the Salmon Guru mixologists, who transform the preparation of each cocktail into a real performance.
And Salmon Guru Milano drink list is definitely out of the ordinary, too. Alongside iconic signatures like Chipotle Chillon (mezcal, lime and chipotle pepper) and Ultamarino (gin, mezcal, manzanilla, lime cordial, rhubarb syrup), it also features new creations specifically designed for the Milanese scene, like Spaghetti Incident (basil-macerated vodka, celery cordial and burrata and tomato foam). All served in spectacular containers (you weren’t expecting “normal” glasses, were you?), ranging from ceramic frogs to large hands that resemble the typical Italian pine cone hand gesture, complete with a hole for a straw (you really have to see this one in person, because it doesn’t do it justice like this).
But it doesn’t end there, because the creative flair of the guys at Salmon Guru is also expressed in the dishes to accompany and pair with cocktails : the menu, designed to be shared, is a mix of fusion and international flavors capable of satisfying every palate. In short, Salmon Guru, with that touch outside the box, its unmistakable Latin energy, its irresistibly pop aesthetic and its drinks to be tasted, is certainly the new unmissable stop, pre or post dinner, on the Milanese scene.
