[MILANO, ITALY] — I was sitting in a farmhouse in Provence reading Maisons Cote Sud thinking about where I wanted to go next. There was an article about this restored abandoned farmstead in the middle of Milan. I thought “wow, this is so cool.” I tore it out and added it to my Milan list.

You’d never think there’d still be an old farmstead smack in the middle of Milano, but there is. Cascina Cuccagna is an old abandoned 18th Century agricultural complex that a group of local food lovers got together, hauled away the junk and turned the place into a cool food-centric hangout. It’s a culinary cultural center: a bar/cafe, a bookstore, a nice restaurant, an event space and an educational garden, all in one place in the middle of the city. Walk outside and there are buses and trams, cars and mopeds and Porta Romana right down the street.

It’s a culinary cultural center: a bar/cafe, a bookstore, a nice restaurant, an event space and an educational garden, even a hostel and guesthouse, all in an oasis in the middle of the city.

Cascina Cuccagna & Un Posto a Milano

A little country in the city: an educational urban garden to teach kids where their food comes from. All the restaurant’s ingredients come from nearby farms or other small producers.

Un Posto a Milano — literally “A Place in Milan”– is the groovily elegant restaurant and coffee bar and cafe part of the complex and what I specifically came to Milano check out. Seeing it in the French magazine, I just instantly fell in love with its simple design and how elegant they made a raw space appear.

Un Posto a Milano Bar & Coffeeshop

There’s a more casual all day cafe in the complex. A perfect place to duck into on a hot sweltery summer morning. Like every coffeeshop in Milan, great coffee and pastries.

Un Posto a Milano Restaurant

I’ve read different things, or’ve tried to translate badly, but I think at one time this was an old school house and there’s a very subtle nod to that with chalkboard tables, schoolhouse looking chairs and other simple design elements. Yet it also has a timeless, not of-the-moment design sense that hit straight into my heart.  Check it out.  You should go here for a pause in the city.

Here’s more info from TimeOut. And a listing in the Michelin Guide. Here it is listed in AFAR, and Conde Nast Traveler. And here it listed in Cote Maison website.

— Last Visited July 2015 —