Ristorante Erba Brusca

"In Northern Italy, an extensive network of canals flows from the lakes, under the streets, and into hundreds of rice fields, producing the supreme carnaroli Italian risotto rice that you’ll find at restaurants like Erba Brusca. This spot is south of the Naviglio Pavese canal, but well worth the 15-minute taxi ride from the Porta Genova metro stop. On most nights, you can walk in uninvited, pull up a chair at the communal table, and feel like you've escaped the city for a countryside trattoria. Go in hungry for the tasting menu to experience the versatility of the kitchen—you’ll get things like eggplant risotto with sour cream, basil, dukka, and pickled raisins. At lunchtime, the outdoor garden is a highly-coveted reservation for in-the-know Milanese." - elizabeth de filippo jones

"In Northern Italy, an extensive network of canals flows from the lakes, under the streets, and into hundreds of rice fields, producing the supreme carnaroli Italian risotto rice that you’ll find at restaurants like Erba Brusca. This spot is south of the Naviglio Pavese canal, but well worth the 15-minute taxi ride from the Porta Genova metro stop. On most nights, you can walk in uninvited, pull up a chair at the communal table, and feel like you've escaped the city for a countryside trattoria. Go in hungry for the tasting menu to experience the versatility of the kitchen—you’ll get things like eggplant risotto with sour cream, basil, dukka, and pickled raisins. At lunchtime, the outdoor garden is a highly coveted reservation for in-the-know Milanese." - Elizabeth De Filippo-Jones

"You’ll find Erba Brusca alongside the Naviglio Pavese canal, where the city begins to blend with smaller towns. The restaurant has an expansive on-site vegetable garden and an overall radical-chic vibe to go with the hyperlocal, seasonal tasting menu that changes weekly. Chef Alice Delcourt takes influence from her youth, split among France, the U.K., and the U.S. Options might include braised octopus with preserved sweet peppers, olives, capers, and fresh chickpea pancake, or kale risotto with sun-dried tomato pesto, sunflower seeds, and lemon." - Elizabeth Jones, Angelica Frey

"Set on a bucolic canal on the outskirts of the city (read: a decent taxi ride), Erba Brusca is run by French-US chef Alice Delcourt, whose previous positions include a stint at The River Café in London. A mainstay of the menu is the pasta with clams, truffles and wild erba brusca (sorrel). As with many of the ingredients that end up in Delcourt’s colourful dishes, the sorrel is plucked directly from the adjoining garden: come in the warmer months when the tables spill out onto the patio. Delcourt’s partner – sommelier and maître d’ Danilo Ingannamorte – will help you to navigate the natural wine list."

The menu changes quite frequently here based on the season, but you can expect the ingredients to be incredibly fresh. Just note that options for vegetarians (and especially vegans) can be limited here despite the restaurant’s large garden, as there’s a focus on meat and fish. Desserts like the poppy seed cake are especially good. -- FLAWLESSlife.