I have to admit I love to spot cutie places in Milan where you can eat well and cheap. Here’s what you’ve got to try if you’re looking for some delicious eats that won’t wreck your budget. You should also know that I don’t like those kind of restaurants where the atmosphere feels a bit arrogant and you pay “for the air you are breathing”, as we say in Italian. However, rest assured: when I say “less than 20 euros” I mean fill up your belly without emptying your wallet. Et voilà, the top 10 low cost list:
Sabbioneda Trattoria – via Tadino, 32 (Lima\Loreto)
I’ve recently talked a lot about this eatery, both on Instagram and on this blog. Among my favorites dishes they have amazing home-made pumpkin ravioli but also plin (another typical version of Italian stuffed pasta). Main course are also about 9€. If you get a pasta and a main course, paired with water and espresso you will roughly get to 20€ (portions are quite big). I usually pay 10€. Booking suggested.
Pampa – via Spontini, 12 (Lima\Loreto)
I love empanadas. My boyfriend’s grandma is a proud Argentinian; I have to admit I am a bit spoiled when it comes to empanadas. Pampa offers a good variety of tasty parcels of glory. If you feel like trying something different, you can get 3 or 4 empanadas and you will have a full stomach and a less-than-20-euros-bill. The thing that I Like about Pampa is that empanadas are not served as street food so you get to eat in a cozy place with a nice service in a nice ambiance.
Il Brutto Anatroccolo – via Torricelli, 3 (Romolo\Porta Genova)
A genuine and unpretentious place in the middle of the Old City of Milan, in the charming area of via Torricelli. The frugal design and the good food/grouchy service equation make this place a typical Italian trattoria. The dishes are simple, homemade but good and the menu changes quite often: sometimes you may be also find donkey ragù or horse ragù sauce (a typical North Italian recipe –don’t be put off by the name!). First dishes are at 5€ and second courses all under 10€. A funny thing: at dinner, they open at 09:03 pm. Low cost and good food means many people: booking suggested!
Wang Jiao – via Lomazzo, 16 (Chinatown) + different locations in the city
One of my favorite Chinese restaurant in Milan. Authentic Chinese cuisine with a hint of Italian flavor. Somehow, their recipes are what we are used to eat in Milan and they won’t make us turn our nose up. A nice, minimalist and cozy place. You can find different Wang Jiao in Milan, still, my favorite one is the Via Lomazzo restaurant, nestled in Milan’s China Town. Salted and peppered shrimps are awesome. I would also suggest to try their typical Wok – hot chili or ginger flavor -or their typical dishes served in pots. I also fancy the soy sauce chicken casserole. One of the best low cost and quality/price Chinese restaurant.
Ovosodo – via Candiani, 131 (Bovisa)
If you go there at lunch time, you will see the place is popular among students of Politecnico di Milano (a famous university in the area). Dinner and weekend are likely to be busy as well. Being in Milano’s middle outskirts it is a quiet place and it is pretty much a meeting point for people of the neighborhood. First dishes are approximately at around 5€, and main courses are always under 10€. The owner is from Tuscany. If it’s your lucky day, you can find tagliata, -Italian for sliced steak- at only 8€. Student-proof generous portions. Simple place, nice music selection. The Low Cost among low costs.
La Crota Piemunteisa – via Gian Giacomo Mora, 9 (Ticinese)
We all know that it is a bit of a challenge to find a place to eat, without spending a fortune in Milan city center, especially in Colonne di San Lorenzo. But I’ve found a safe haven for you: La Crota. Nestled in the beautiful small allies of the Old City area. Here you can find typical Italian dishes like Gnocco Fritto (deep-fried dough parcels) with cold cuts, saffron risotto and ragù pasta (my favourite one) and cotoletta (the Italian version of schnitzel). A simple and traditional trattoria, but with fresh ingredients. Prices are super ok, considering we are in a pricey area.
Al Pozzo – via S. Carpoforo, 7 (Brera)
If you are walking in the Brera area and you’re looking for a place to eat you can easily stumble upon Al Pozzo. With a 10€ lunch or dinner deal (which draws the wrath of competitors!) you can have an entry, a main dish and a second course. Great value for money, but do not expect things out of the ordinary; perfect if you want to have a sit end enjoy your lunch in a warm place. A la carte menu is also very reasonable: saffron risotto with sausages for 10€, Ossobuco with risotto (Milanese traditional dish of cross-cut veal) 15€. Also, it is very pleasant to be sitting outside on the pedestrian passageway in San Carpoforo area.
D’Karbon & Limon – viale Tibaldi, 10 (Romolo)
I am an avid lover of Peruvian cuisine, from ceviche to rice. I love everything. D’Karbon & Limon is the place I go when I feel like having roasted chicken: savory, juicy and tender. You can get to choose in the menu if you want a quarter, a half or a whole chicken. Always served with french fries, salad and delicious homemade sauces, plus a soft drink. I can’t remember the price, but I can assure you that your taste buds will rejoice slurping down their dishes. I would say a low cost for a high value. I often do take away, when I don’t feel like cooking.
Mi Casa Toasteria – Piazza Berlinguer (Savona) or Piazzale Governo Provvisorio, 5 (NoLo)
In her latest article, Valentina recently talked about Mi Casa Toasteria. You can get a toast for 5€, and desserts are very good. A cozy atmosphere welcomes you with a nice staff, quality food and you can enjoy your meal at your ease, without spending more than 15€. A true budget-friendly place.
Pizzium – via Procaccini, 30 (Sempione\Chinatown) or via Anfossi, 1 (East Milan)
Pizzium offers a really good quality pizza for an awesome price, especially for Milan, where it is extremely difficult to have a pizza and spend less than 20€. Pizzium is a new pizzeria and it is worth a mention. You can have an entry dish and a drink, without still getting to 20€. The only black mark: they don’t accept bookings. However, the staff is young, and able to manage the tables fastly.
If you are looking for some other low cost place, you can have a look in the “low cost” section of the blog, you will find other suggestions about where to eat well and cheap.
This post was translated by Alessia
