Milan has a soul that can be described as Italian, European and cosmopolitan so… whatever type of cuisine you’re in the mood for - be it Eritrean, Peruvian or Chinese - you’ll find a restaurant in the city and you won’t be disappointed!

Here are our insider tips for three areas off the beaten tourist track to help you delve into some great global cuisine without leaving Milan.

 

Via Paolo Sarpi

You could start your food itinerary from ​​via Paolo Sarpi, the Milanese Chinatown, an ethnic enclave bordered by Parco Sempione, Corso Como, Corso Garibaldi and Piazza Gae Aulenti. The district is perfectly integrated into Milanese life but still delightfully retains the characteristics of Chinese culture. Strolling around the now-pedestrianized area you can enjoy some window shopping or stop to taste the zesty Chinese cuisine: in addition to the many restaurants you’ll also find takeaways selling Chinese dumplings and finger food prepared according to traditional recipes. Amongst the many shops there are two that merit a visit:  the five-storey Oriental Mall with its display of wellness products, clothing, toys and hi-tech gadgets and Kathay Food, the largest ethnic supermarket in Italy.

 

Porta Venezia e la cucina africana

Then continue into the Porta Venezia district where you can literally find food for every taste because the area boasts the highest concentration of ethnic restaurants in Milan.

The largest foreign communities are Ethiopian and Eritrean renowned for their spicy meat and vegetable dishes.

Porta Venezia has now also become the epicentre of the large gay community in the city which has some of its meeting places around Via Lecco and Via Melzo.

 

Via Padova e il Perù

If you prefer the taste of Peruvian cuisine, considered one of the most varied in the world on a par with French, Chinese and Indian cuisine, another area you need to get to know is via Padova, or as it has been recently renamed, NoLo (North of Piazza Loreto).

Via Padova is a major thoroughfare lined with shops starting from Piazzale Loreto.

This neighbourhood hosts an eclectic mix of cultures and the vast immigrant community of Peru also resides here.