Sarpi oTTo

They present themselves like this: “We wanted a nice place in Milan. We opened it in via Paolo Sarpi 10 (but then we got the civic number wrong)”. These guys are funny right from the start! Polyhedral. That’s the first adjective that comes to my mind to describe it: oTTo is a place with different souls, designed and desired by the young owners to create a place that is different from the usual “coated” Milanese. And they have totally succeeded!

First of all, it’s a really nice place. Beautiful in the literal sense: original, bright and airy, with a “green wall” at the end full of vases with hanging plants, Seletti LED lights on the walls, designer chairs and tables, but also taken from local used markets, each one is different. A northern European style which warms and conquers. A “calm chaos” which relaxes you and makes you feel really good!

And then… It’s a co-work space (you can work all day seated at one of the tables paying for a fee that includes lunch, if you want), where you can meet friends, colleagues, or hope to meet someone new… why not?! You can drink some coffee with cake in the morning, eat quadroTTo for lunch, stop for an aperitif in the evening. Or enjoy a Sunday brunch.

Obviously, I tried the quadroTTo (similar to a danish smǿrrebrǿd) at lunch one day in the Halat variation: piece of square bread covered with chickpea hummus, sesame seeds and roasted carrots. Accompanied by a delicious tuna veal, lots of water (you can distill your water right at the counter, for free!) and a coffee for 10 €. All served, say it with me now, on a square shaped wood tray. Their own branding. Super Instagrammed!

Then… They have events, encounters. Viewings. There is an “artist’s window”, right next to the entrance door that “houses” contemporary works of art,  open to everyone 24 hours a day. And then… what else? Oh, there’s the bathroom that has become and Urban Project. Whoever wants to can leave writing on the walls – once upon a time white and clean – anything that comes to mind. They have blue and red pens there just for that! Lovers, couples in crisis, friends, “survivors or surviving”, you can save 60 € for a sitting with the psychoanalyst and channel your worries onto these white walls! And then there’s the Selfies Service, “you press a button and you’re done. Selfies service automatically upload the photo on twitter (follow the @Selfie_Service account)”.

They do not accept reservations… you just have to try it!