Bellariva In Milano

14/01/2025: Perfect balance between tradition and refinement. The cuisine ranges between Lombard and Piedmontese flavours, making guests feel at home but with a touch of class. Ideal both for a business lunch and for a dinner on special occasions. The environment is refined and relaxing, the service is attentive and professional, with staff who know what they are doing, a rarity nowadays. The presence of ownership adds further reliability. Among the unmissable dishes are the artichoke salad and the onion soup, authentic musts regardless of the rest of the menu. The wine list is well selected, with honest mark-ups.

27/12/2024: Maybe the stereotype about Milan people is not so far fetched after all? The food was good, it’s the service my family did not appreciate. We went there for a family dinner and called beforehand to make a reservation. The lady on the phone had a particular tone, one that you might use with your kid after they called you for the twentieth time in two minutes to show you something. When we were ordering, after my partner asked the second question about a plate he was thinking of ordering, the Italian waiter that was serving us started having an attitude towards his questions. We later continued to order and the waiter explained that we had to wait extra because mum’s choice of food would take longer to be ready. I asked the waiter to bring my plate immediately and he replied “Are you seriously going to eat alone? And what is your family supposed to do? Stop and watch you eat?” My dad ordered meat and the waiter went on the give us a whole lecture about how meat should be eaten “in the right way”, because according to him only Italians and French can eat meat ‘the right way’. When dad’s meat came, he asked for salt, pepper and olive oil, to which the waiter replied “you’re exaggerating now”. When the waiter came to pick up the plates, he told my mum that she should eat all the meat around the bone. We never understood the condescending tone the waiter used all through dinner with us. I am aware that I am writing my experience, but in my opinion his attitude was inappropriate and unfortunately impacted our overall dinner experience.