Starita

What’s the vibe? 

A bit of a legend when it comes to pizza (it was first established in Naples in 1901), the Milan outpost of Starita does some of the best pies in the northern city. The atmosphere is simple – brick walls, a smattering of colourful tables, some cheesy paintings on the walls – but that doesn’t really matter: you come here for the food, not the ambience. Expect families, gregarious groups of friends out on Friday night, and a very Neapolitan-style approach to hospitality. 

What are the prices like? 

In a city like Milan, where pizza night now often costs as much as a gourmet meal in a fancy restaurant, Starita is delightfully easy on the wallet. Prices hover around €10 for a pie, with starters equally cheap and cheerful. This is the perfect spot for a casual lunch or a chilled dinner before an evening out. 

What should I order? 

Get the fried zucchini flowers and mini fried pizzas to start – a Neapolitan classic – then opt for a mix of classic pies like Margherita, decadent fried pizzas and Starita specials, like the Montanara Starita, which, besides being fried and then baked, features Naples-style ragout, smoked provola cheese, and PDO pecorino romano cheese. Enough said. 

What’s worth visiting nearby? 

Starita is a stone’s throw away from Arco della Pace (Milan’s smaller version of Paris’s Arc de Triomphe) and Parco Sempione, the city’s most beloved park, where you’ll also find the Triennale design museum. From there, it’s an easy stroll to Castello Sforzesco, another of Milan’s main landmarks. Here for dinner? Make your way to close-by Chinatown for karaoke afterwards.