It’s hard to find an Italian restaurant in Milan that doesn’t serve pasta. We are famous for our love of pasta, and we eat it often.
On average, we eat almost half a kilo of pasta each week (that’s 5 times per week)!
From the classic spaghetti al pomodoro to seafood or meat sauces, stuffed pasta like tortellini, and baked dishes like cannelloni or lasagne, you could try one pasta dish every day and have something new for a long time.
Considering how important it is to Italians, there are plenty of places to get a delicious, freshly made plate of pasta in Milan.
Even though it’s true that most Italian restaurants in Milan serve pasta, some of them are a little more special: like in the good old days, they make pasta by hand using only the finest ingredients and time-honored techniques.
Here’s a selection of the best places to eat pasta in Milan.
Related:
🍕 The best pizza in Milan: top pizzerie by pizza type
Best pasta near Duomo
Pasto – Laboratorio di pasta con cucina
Pasto is a fresh pasta shop-turned-restaurant serving some of the best pasta in Milan near Duomo.
Four or five different pasta dishes are served daily in rotation, with prices ranging from 10 to 15 Euros, in addition to appetizers, bread, and dessert.
Since there aren’t a ton of options on the menu, you can be sure that everything is made from scratch and with care, and will be served quickly.
If you are unfamiliar with the pasta types they offer that day, your waiter will be pleased to explain them to you and provide further information about each dish, including wine pairing recommendations.
Pasto is only open for lunch (12 to 3 PM).
It’s best to be there before they run out of the most in-demand items on the menu. Considering the strong success it had, due to its unrivalled value for money, this restaurant is often packed.
And if you’re looking for more affordable options like this, why not head to one of the authentic and fairly priced gems in Milan we talked about here?
Trafilata
Via Santa Tecla, 4 (Duomo)
Trafilata is a pasta lab/restaurant that makes bronze drawn fresh pasta daily, with an excellent value for money. Pasta dishes typically range from €10 to €15, with appetizers and salads starting at €5. Desserts are also reasonably priced, typically between €5 and €8. A glass of wine typically costs around €5, and a bottle of wine costs around €25.
Trafilata’s menu features a wide variety of pasta dishes, all made with fresh, homemade pasta. Some of the most popular dishes include:
- Spaghetti pomodoro
- Pasta with pumpkin and gorgonzola
- Pasta alla carbonara
- Pasta alla gricia
- Pasta with pesto and zucchini
The restaurant also offers a selection of appetizers, salads, and desserts. Their menu changes frequently to showcase seasonal ingredients, which also includes an array of appetizers and other main courses.
If you don’t have a reservation, wait times can vary depending on the time of day and day of the week. During peak hours, the wait can be up to 30 minutes. However, the reviews suggest that the wait is worth it.
Trafilata is open for lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Lunch is served from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, and dinner is served from 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
Aldente
Via dei Bossi 7 (Duomo)
As the name suggests, their specialty is pasta cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of bite.
With a vast range of dishes, they cater to all palates, from classic Italian staples to more innovative creations. If you’re looking to indulge in your favorites, they have Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Linguine alle Vongole, Tagliatelle al Ragù, Pesto alla Genovese, Paccheri alla Norma, and many more.
If you’re in the mood to broaden your culinary horizons, Aldente’s menu has some enticing options. Their Lobster Ravioli is a must-try, showcasing homemade delicate pasta stuffed with succulent fresh lobster meat, served in a luscious creamy tomato sauce. For an even more distinctive experience, indulge in their Squid Ink Linguine – made with black pasta infused with squid ink, served alongside sautéed shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and a spicy tomato sauce.
Aldente’s menu isn’t just limited to pasta – they also offer a tempting variety of antipasti to whet your appetite. You can start your meal off with their Caprese Salad, a delightful dish featuring fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant basil. And if you’re looking to end your meal on a sweet note, their Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert that never disappoints. Alternatively, you could try their Nutella Calzone, a warm pastry that’s stuffed with creamy Nutella and generously dusted with powdered sugar – playful take on the traditional calzone and is guaranteed to please any sweet tooth.
Best pasta in Sant’Ambrogio / Last Supper area
Zibo – Campo Base
Zibo Base Camp serves some of Milan’s best stuffed pasta, halfway between Duomo and Navigli, near the Basilica of St. Ambrose.
Zibo started off as a gourmet food truck with the goal of serving tasty dishes that were well-made and, most importantly, reasonably priced.
However, they soon they settled on a permanent spot. But, staying true to their origins, they still have a window facing the street from which you can buy their amazing dishes and eat them on the go.
Their ravioli, which are inspired by the most well-known Italian pasta dishes, are their true specialty.
Carbonara, pesto, and norma sauce (made with tomato sauce, eggplant, and ricotta salata) are just a few examples of the fillings of their delicious ravioli.
The quantities are on the smaller side, but they’re well-proportioned and packed with flavor, and you’ll enjoy every mouthful.
Prices range from moderate to expensive, with appetizers costing roughly 10-12€ euros, main dishes costing 11-15€ , and wines starting at €20.
The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, perfect for enjoying dinner with friends.
But make sure you make a reservation if you’re going on the weekend or at night because it gets quite busy.
Best pasta in Navigli
Pasta d’Autore
Fusilli, ravioli, pappardelle, tagliatelle, and square spaghetti are just some of the many pasta types you can try here.
Pasta d’Autore makes fresh pasta from scratch every day, so out of the dozen types you can see on the menu, around five or six are available each day. One more reason to go back and have more
After you pick your favorite pasta, choose a sauce to go with it. You can choose one from the selections of the day (which are written on a chalkboard) or the great classics on the menu, which are always available.
Prices for pasta dishes range from about 10€ to 16€, which is reasonable considering the high quality. While pasta may be the star of the show, they do make more than just that: their oven-baked pizza is just as fantastic as their pasta.
Here is a selection of the absolute best pizza places in Milan, for an authentic Neapolitan style pizza
Pasta d’autore doesn’t take reservations, but there are plenty of seats inside, so you won’t have to wait too long. If you want to try some of the special dishes of the day, it’s best to get to the restaurant right when it opens.
Pasta Fresca Da Giovanni
Via Ascanio Sforza, 31 (Navigli)
This simple and unpretentious eatery is situated in a quaint and cozy area of Navigli.
The inside of the restaurant is small, with only a handful of tables, but the intimate setting adds to the charm of the place.
The menu is simple and constantly changing, with just a few types of pasta and sauces to choose from, and each dish is made fresh to order and is clearly prepared with love.
You’ll have all the classic options like rigatoni alla gricia, tagliatelle alla bolognese, ricotta and spinach ravioli with butter, or fancier options like tagliatelle with gorgonzola cream and hazelnuts, or cream of butter and anchovies with lime and parsley.
The portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable, particularly for the quality of the food.
Reservations are recommended, given the limited seating and popularity of the restaurant.
Best pasta in Brera
Osteria Da Fortunata
Da Fortunata is a Roman osteria that has become very popular in Milan, in the beautiful Brera neighborhood.
If you’re in the mood for a REAL roman plate of pasta when in Milan, this is the place to go.
The dishes made here are incredibly authentic and for a bit, they will make you feel like you’re in the capital. And to top it off, are served in generous portions.
Regardless of the dish you’ll end up choosing, the pasta is so good and cooked to perfection it nearly melts in your mouth.
The restaurant has a charming, homey atmosphere thanks to its decor and the open kitchen. From there you can see the pasta maker knead pasta while you eat, which is really an interesting sight.
The prices are on the higher end and not those of a typical “osteria”- a dish of pasta can go up to 17€.
However, they are still completely fair given the restaurant’s position: it’s definitely the best pasta you’ll have in Brera.
The FisherMan Pasta
Corso Garibaldi, 12 (Brera)
The FisherMan Pasta specializes in seafood pasta, with a variety of fresh, high-quality ingredients used in every dish.
Some of their options include the linguine allo scoglio (linguine with seafood), spaghetti with clams, and the black sea bass ravioli, but there are also a few meat-based dishes available.
The FisherMan Pasta has an excellent value for money. The menu is reasonably priced, with two portion options available for most dishes (regular and large).
Reservations are recommended, as the restaurant tends to fill up quickly.
La Fabbrica del Grano
This Brera pasta restaurant is not like any other. In fact, they make pasta of the highest quality using a special ingredient: ancient grains.
Unlike wheat you can buy in stores, the flour used here comes from a very high-quality type of grain, called ancient because its nutritional value has not changed in the last thousands of years.
This makes the pasta lighter and easier to digest, as well as tastier and more fragrant.
They are served with rich, freshly made sauces. Given the owners’ Sicilian heritage, you can expect to find Sicilian ingredients and dishes throughout the restaurant’s menu.
Their pesto made with Sicilian pistachios, for one, is incredibly tasty. Caponata also deserves an honorable mention.
The vegetables in this regional delicacy (with eggplant being the star) are cooked to perfection, and the dish has a unique sweet and sour flavor.
All pasta dishes come in three sizes: small, medium, and large, with prices ranging from 13€ to 21€. Even so, they all tend to be on the smaller side, which makes their prices a bit high – but still reasonable considering it’s located in one of the most expensive districts of Milan.
The quality of the food and the care shown in preparation, in combination with the inventiveness of their idea, make this restaurant worth trying.
Featured photo by montatip lilitsanong
