We’re deciding where to go for a pizza. We will be driving.
He said, ‘I know a great pizza place in a flower shop’.
I say, incredulously, ‘in a flower shop?’
‘Well,’ he responds, ‘it’s a very big flower shop’.
‘So, more like a garden centre?’ I ask.
When we have parked, on the way to the pizza-place-in-a-flower-shop we pass another pizzeria where, I am told, you get the best pizza in the whole of Milan (it’s not the first time I’ve heard this statement but always for different restaurants. In fact, it’s not the first time I’ve heard this statement from the very person that I’m with – and still for different pizzerias!)
We go to the garden centre and, sure enough, although the garden centre is closed, right at its heart is a restaurant which does pizzas!
It is expensive and, apparently, the pizzas are OK but nothing special. We return to the best-pizza-in-the-whole-of-Milan place.
The waiter suggests that I don’t look Italian. Admittedly I have no colour but that will change soon. I find myself slightly offended by the fact that I don’t look Italian. I have no idea why.
We order. The wine list is OK but nothing great. A particular name is ordered. I point out that, as it wasn’t specified whether the wine should be the ‘fermo’ (still) or ‘frizzante’ (sparkling), which both have the same name, we shall probably get the sparkling. I am told that if you don’t specify then you get the still variety. The waiter, I point out, is not Italian.
The fizzy wine comes. It is sent back to be replaced with the still wine.
The pizza is OK but, in my mind, not that special. My favourite place is still Fabbrica (there are at least three of them in Milan but the best, for pizzas, is in the Navigli area – address Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 70 ).
The pizza in the garden center isn’t any good. The other you mention, I wouldn’t know. About Fabbrica: for some reason (bad interior structure of the building or something) it is way way too noisy, don’t you think?
What’s funny of Milano is that you always hear these statements floating around, the best of this and that, and, seriously, they are NEVER true. They are just a innocent way people have to look experienced and a step ahead, which is very important for the milanese.
Off the top of my head (maybe you know these places): “Ischia” in via morgagni (if I remember well), “OK pizza” in regina Giovanna (really good despite the ugly name and interiors) and possibly a small pizzeria in via Sabotino next to the PAM, whose name I can’t remember. All personally tested NOT following rumors.
Ico, you are so right about Fabbrica. It is very noisy – but I really like their pizzas, especially the hot ones (Diavola, Messicano). Yes Ischia is good (I live near it) but I prefer thinner pizzas. OK Pizza (or is it Pizza OK) (I live even closer to that one) is very good and the pizzas are very thin, which I do like. They used to do a Pear and Grana pizza which was ‘unusual’. I don’t know the pizza place in Via Sabotino – I should look next time I’m in the area.
I should have taken a card for the one we actually went to. It was, sort of, across the main road and slightly away from town, just past a petrol station.
I love the way you write “pizzeriaS”.
sounds better than pizzerie.
Hi Bianca,
Sorry about that. As I write in English for an English audience, it’s how we do it. What is very funny (now that I know better) is cafes in England that sell panini. In the UK a panini is a single roll (sandwich). If you want two or more you ask for x number of paninis!