Trattoria Masuelli San Marco

Nestled on the wide, tree-lined Viale Umbria, Trattoria Masuelli San Marco has been quietly serving Milan since 1921. Family-run and wood-panelled, it has the sort of atmosphere that makes you immediately slow down.

The veal with tuna sauce — finished with caperberries and crisp crackers — is essential, whether taken as a starter or a lighter main. The cotoletta alla Milanese is among the best in the city: generous, golden, and handled with care.

For those inclined, there are more traditional offerings — including fried veal brains with pomegranate mayonnaise — executed with a level of precision that reflects the kitchen’s confidence.

Masuelli has been my neighbourhood trattoria for over six years. It is the sort of place one hesitates to recommend too widely, for fear of losing it. But good places endure, and this one has done so for more than a century.

Originally featured in the Financial Times. Read the full piece here.