Al Mercante in Gambero Rosso: the new life of a historic Milan address
Al Mercante Gambero Rosso: Among the publications that have told our story is Italy’s most authoritative food guide. On 5 February 2019, Gambero Rosso devoted a long feature to Ristorante Al Mercante. The occasion was our move to the new premises on Via Cesare Cantù, just steps from the historic Piazza dei Mercanti. The article was written by Emilia Antonia De Vivo.
The Gambero Rosso feature by Emilia Antonia De Vivo
The piece is more than a simple listing. Indeed, it tells the story of a pivotal moment in the restaurant’s life. After roughly a century in the fifteenth-century Palazzo dei Panigarola, Al Mercante left Piazza dei Mercanti to open a new address in the city’s Ambrosian heart. The guide frames our restaurant as a culinary landmark of the Cordusio district. It was, and still is, a favourite for business lunches and a fixed point for the Teatro alla Scala crowd. Among its regulars, the article recalls, was the ballerina Carla Fracci.
Al Mercante: from Piazza dei Mercanti to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana
Gambero Rosso places the move within a broader change. The Cordusio area, in fact, shifted from financial district to high-end shopping quarter. The new venue faces Piazza Pio XI, opposite the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. As the guide writes, this setting opened a direct dialogue between art and food. Here the restaurant reinterprets Milanese tradition in a more contemporary guise. Yet it never loses its roots. The Bottega Storica di Milano designation, awarded in 2010, remains the thread that connects the two locations.
The interior designed by Nicola Gallizia
A large part of the article focuses on the new concept by Milanese designer Nicola Gallizia. Above all, Gambero Rosso describes a project in close relationship with its urban context. Wide windows reveal the building’s stone pilasters. The classic interiors follow a chiaroscuro rhythm with a Caravaggesque feel. Meanwhile, the lighting is designed to highlight the white tables and, most of all, the food. The wooden boiserie evokes a contemporary, New York–inflected elegance. Finally, three works by Achille Funi mark the walls as a tribute to twentieth-century Milanese culture.
Claudio Romanini’s kitchen at Al Mercante
The feature also traces the family history. Al Mercante was taken over in 1976 by Corrado and Margherita Romanini. Today it is run by their children, Simona and Claudio, who carry its values forward. Gambero Rosso dwells on Claudio’s philosophy: a daily search for the best ingredients, and a surprisingly long menu. The list is shaped in part by daily specials, inspired by what the market offers. Asked why it is so extensive, his answer in the article is disarmingly direct:
“Perché siamo pazzi!” — Because we’re crazy!
Claudio Romanini, Gambero Rosso — 5 February 2019Behind the joke lies a clear method. On one side stand the signature dishes our regulars would never give up. On the other, seasonal plates available only while they last. These are simple recipes that respect the raw material, with the occasional contemporary take on the great Milanese and Mediterranean classics.
Suppliers of excellence
Gambero Rosso also highlights the direct relationship with producers and farmers that Claudio has built across the territory. For example, the article mentions the stone-ground flours of Petra–Molino Quaglia for our house bread and fresh pasta. It cites the Carnaroli rice and Limousine-breed bresaola from Cascina Gaggioli. It recalls the meats from Macelleria Masseroni and the cheeses from Giuseppe Zen’s Resistenza Casearia. Lastly, it notes the extra-virgin olive oil from the family estate on Lake Trasimeno. The same attention to sourcing still guides our kitchen every day.
Why the Gambero Rosso feature matters
Being covered by Gambero Rosso means entering the authoritative narrative of Italian dining. The article does not merely record a change of address. Rather, it recognises the ability to innovate while staying true to tradition. It is an acknowledgement that confirms our path. You will find it alongside the other titles in our press & media coverage, in the historic heart of Milan, a few steps from the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana and the Duomo.
Source: Gambero Rosso — “La nuova vita di Al Mercante di Milano”, by Emilia Antonia De Vivo, 5 February 2019.
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