Modern Milanese restaurant in Isola, Milan

Ratanà

Risotto for the Healer Priest

3.5 of 5

Ratanà is named for El Pret de Ratanà, Giuseppe Gervasini, a priest born in 1867 who grew up in Isola and became famous across Milan for his herbal remedies and ointments. The restaurant sits in that same neighborhood, on Via de Castillia, now ringed by the glass towers of Porta Nuova. Old Milan underneath, new skyline on top. It suits the cooking.

Cesare Battisti and his brigade cook Milanese and Lombard food with a modern hand, and Slow Food holds the place up as a model of how to buy from producers. The menu turns over month by month with a few evergreens. This autumn there is risotto alla vecchia Milano with gremolata and roast jus, mondeghili (the city's meatballs) in a paper cone with gremolata mayo, tripe alla milanese, and vitello tonnato with Salina capers. Start with the grissini. The menu itself admits they are addictive.

The tasting menu is €85 and shared at the center of the table, the same for everyone, which is how a Lombard family lunch works anyway. At weekday lunch there is the schiscèta, Milanese for a packed lunch: one dish, a glass of wine, water and coffee for €24. The kitchen is open every day. Sit outside when the weather lets you.

Order this

Risotto alla vecchia Milano with gremolata and roast jus, Mondeghili in a paper cone with gremolata mayo, Tripe alla milanese, The house grissini

The damage

$$$

Go

Any day; weekday lunch for the schiscèta, or dinner on the terrace when it is warm

Find it

Via Giuseppe de Castillia 28, 20124 Milano

Website

ratana.it