Just outside the center of town (close to the Wagner metro station), this restaurant is a fun, lively place to sample Apulian specialties like homemade orecchiette (a small, ear-shape pasta) with a variety of sauces. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Aug. and late Dec.-early Jan.

Al Tempio d'Oro
Via delle Leghe 23, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/2614-5709
Under EUR23
Milan
Italian

It may be noisy, it may have the ambience of an Italian pub, but the food is very good, filling, and - for Milan - surprisingly cheap. It is also near the train station, which makes it a great place to eat before embarking on a journey or, indeed, before beginning your visit to Milan. The food is hardly haute cuisine, but here you'll find an excellent selection of Mediterranean dishes, ranging from a plain pasta to a more exotic couscous. The paella is delicious. DC, MC, V, -nc-. Closed Sun. and 2 wks in Aug.

Antica Trattoria della Pesa
Viale Pasubio 10, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/655-5741
EUR23 to EUR62
Milan
Italian

Fin-de-siècle decor, dark-wood paneling, and old-fashioned lamps re-create the atmosphere of this restaurant at its opening more than 100 years ago. This is authentic Old Milan, as the menu confirms, offering risotto, minestrone, and osso buco. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun., Aug., and Dec. 24-Jan. 6.

Boeucc
Piazza Belgioso 2, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/7602-0224
Over EUR41
Milan
Italian

Milan's oldest restaurant, opened in 1696, is not far from La Scala. Subtly lit, with cream-color fluted columns, chandeliers, thick carpets, and a garden for warm-weather dining, it has come a long way from the time when it was simply a basement "hole" (boeucc, pronounced "birch," is old Milanese for buco, or hole). You'll savor typical Milanese and Italian dishes like penne al branzino e zucchini (with sea bass and zucchini sauce) and gelato di castagne con zabaglione caldo (chestnut ice cream with hot zabaglione). Reservations essential. AE. Closed Sat., Aug., and Dec. 24-Jan. 2. No lunch Sun.

Giannino
Via Amatore Sciesa 8, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/5519-5582
EUR41 to EUR62
Milan
Italian

Giannino is over 100 years old, and it has been a very successful century by any standards. This restaurant is beautiful, with the kitchen on view and a winter garden among its aesthetic attractions. You would be hard pressed to find a better version of the Milanese classic, cotoletta alla milanese (breaded veal cutlet), anywhere in the city. Giannino also serves a particularly fine risotto, but you'll find other regional dishes on the vast menu, including some excellent Florentine dishes, among them a succulent version of the bistecca alla fiorentina (grilled Chianina beef). Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No lunch Mon.

Joia
Via Panfilo Castaldi 18, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/2952-2124
EUR41 to EUR62
Milan
Vegetarian

At this haute-cuisine restaurant near Piazza della Repubblica, delicious vegetarian dishes are artistically prepared by chef Pietro Leemann, who creates a new menu every three months. Dishes might include ravioli with basil, potatoes, pine nuts, and crisp green beans, or purple taglioni with spring vegetables. A fish menu is also available, and there is a no-smoking dining room. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed weekends, Aug., and Dec. 24-Jan. 8.

L'Antica Osteria del Ponte
Cassinetta di Lugagnano, Italy
Phone: 02/942-0034
Over EUR62
Milan
Italian

Rich, imaginative seasonal cuisine at the whim of chef Ezio Santin is reason enough to make your way 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Milan to one of Italy's finest (and most expensive) restaurants. It is set in a traditional country inn with attractive ceiling beams; a blazing fire makes the interior especially cozy in chilly weather. The menu changes frequently depending on seasonal specialities. In the autumn, prized wild porcini mushrooms are among the favored ingredients. Reservations essential. Jacket and tie. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun., Mon., Dec. 25-Jan. 15, and Aug.

La Bruschetta
Piazza Beccaria 12, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/869-2494
Under EUR41
Milan
Italian

This tiny, bustling, first-class pizzeria near the Duomo features specialties from Tuscany and other parts of Italy. The wood oven is in full view, so you can see your pizza cooking in front of you, although there are plenty of nonpizza dishes available, too, such as spaghetti alle cozze e vongole (with a clam and mussel sauce) or grilled and skewered meats. AE, MC, V. Closed Mon., 3 wks in Aug., and late Dec.-early Jan.

La Capanna
Via Donatello 9, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/2940-0884
EUR23 to EUR41
Milan
Italian

Signora cooks and her husband pours wine and sees that everything goes smoothly in this popular trattoria near the Piola Metro stop (and the university). The food is predominantly Tuscan - Tuscan salami, pappardelle, fish, and steak - but some Milanese specialties are also on the menu. Year-round it is possible to dine on the restaurant's veranda. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sat. and Aug.

La Libera
Via Palermo 21, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/805-3603
EUR23 to EUR41
Milan
Italian

Although this establishment in the heart of the Brera district bills itself as a birreria con cucina (beer cellar with kitchen), its young clientele comes here for the excellent food and convivial atmosphere. A soft current of jazz soothes the ripple of conversation amid restful dark green decor. Sample the creative cooking, which varies from season to season but might include dishes like the insalata esotica (avocado, chicken, rice, and papaya salad) or rognone di vitello con broccoletti e ginepro (veal kidneys with broccoli and juniper berries). AE, DC, MC, V, -nc-.

Nabucco
Via Fiori Chiari 10, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/860663
EUR23 to EUR41
Milan
Italian

This smart, tasteful restaurant in the Brera offers such delights as risotto con porcini, an excellent range of salads, and homemade pastries and desserts. AE, DC, MC, V.

no name
Via Pietro Calvi 2, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/7602-4261
Over EUR41
Milan
Italian

At this elegant restaurant, specialities include spaghetti con sminuzzata d'astice (with lobster bits), filetto di orata croccante con gamberi (crisp gilthead bream fillet with shrimp), and cotolette di agnello gratinate con salsa olandese e tartufo nero (lamb cutlets with Hollandaise sauce and black truffle). Meals are accompanied by delicious, freshly baked rolls and are served by an extremely attentive and friendly staff. Complete your memorable dining experience with mousse al cioccolato con salsa al cocco (chocolate mousse with coconut sauce). In summer, dine in the covered garden. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun., Jan. 1-8, and Aug. 8-Sept. 2.

Pizza Ok
Via Lambro 15, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/2940-1272
Under EUR23
Milan
Pizza

Pizza is almost the only item on the menu at this popular spot near Corso Buenos Aires, but it's very good and the dining experience will be easy on your pocketbook. Possibilities for toppings seem endless. No credit cards. Closed Mon., Aug., and Dec. 24-Jan. 7.

San Tomaso
Via San Tomaso 5, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/874510
Under EUR23
Milan
Italian

The informality of a beer hall, a trendy young clientele, and a self-service counter add up to pleasant, easy eating here. Very busy at lunch, it's usually quieter at night. No credit cards. Closed Sun.

Savini
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/7200-3433
Over EUR62
Milan
Italian

.The Savini, in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, is a Milanese institution, with red carpets and cut-glass chandeliers characteristic of its late 19th-century roots. The Milanese specialty risotto al salto (rice cooked as a pancake, grilled in the pan) is excellent here, as are the cotoletta di vitello (veal cutlet) and osso buco. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. and 3 wks in Aug.

Taverna Moriggi
Via Moriggi 8, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/8645-0880
Under EUR23
Milan
Italian

Near the stock exchange, this dusky, wood-paneled wine bar is the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine with cheese and cold cuts. At lunch, pasta dishes and select entrées are available, while pasta is the only hot dish served in the evening. Reservations essential. DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. and Aug. No lunch Sat.

Trattoria dei Magnani Al Cantinone
Via Agnello 19 , entrance on Via Ragazzi del 99, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/8646-1338
EUR23 to EUR41
Milan
Italian

Between La Scala and the Duomo, Cantinone's bar is a relaxing place to sip a glass of wine. The decor is classic Milanese, the service is fast, and the food is homey and reliable. Try the cotoletta al Cantinone (veal cutlets with mushrooms, olives, and a cream-and-tomato sauce) accompanied by one of the some 300 wines the proprietor stocks. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun., Aug., and Dec. 23-Jan. 3. No lunch Sat.

Trattoria Milanese
Via Santa Marta 11, Milan, Italy
Phone: 02/864-5199
EUR23 to EUR41
Milan
Italian

Between the Duomo and the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, this small, popular trattoria has been run by the same family in the same location since 1933. The trattoria is crowded with businesspeople for lunch and with regulars, and the occasional Milanese celeb, at dinner. Food is authentic regional; good choices include risotto and cotoletta alla milanese. DC, MC, V. Closed Tues., Aug., and Dec. 24-Jan. 6.