Al Fresco

We found delicious food, a casual atmosphere, and gorgeous details at this restaurant, located on one of the most lively streets in Tortona. It's hard to believe that the building used to be a warehouse! Thanks to the talents of architect Emanuele Bortolotti, everything in the space has been transformed and imbued with life. Strong, clean lines, and light that seems to stream from the high ceilings and large windows are just a few striking design elements. Al Fresco becomes an urban oasis of calm in the summer, when the tables are brought out into the lush, verdant courtyard.

But food is ultimately the beating heart of Al Fresco, and that's why the job of head chef was entrusted to Kokichi Takahashi. Takahashi is Japanese by birth, but Italian in spirit, and he's created a menu guided by the idea that good ingredients don't need much tinkering. Everything is simple, fresh, and beautiful. Al Fresco is a great place to meet up with friends or sit alone reading a newspaper over a cup of coffee, as the Milanese like to do.

We recommend: Vegetables with couscous and tender octopus fried in chickpea flour; risotto with zucchini and Sardinian saffron; veal with red-currant sauce. For dessert, try the traditional cake of the day. Local homemade sorbets prepared with lemons from Sorrento and fresh berries from across Italy are simply to die for.

Cuisine: original

Atmosphere: casual

The crowd: Well-known architects, lawyers, gourmands and esthetes.

Key info: The restaurants only uses organic, local produce.

Tags: Al Fresco