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Best Cafés in Milan (2026)

Coffee in Milan is a quick, sociable ritual, usually taken standing at the bar, and the city has some of the most elegant historic cafés in Italy. Pasticceria Marchesi 1824, now part of the Prada group, and Pasticceria Cova Montenapoleone, founded in 1817, are the grand names, with polished counters, cakes, chocolates and panettone. Both are good stops on a walk between the Duomo, the Last Supper and the fashion district.

For a more local feel, Pasticceria Cucchi on Corso Genova has served breakfast brioches and cakes since 1936 and is open every day. Pavè Milano Casati represents the new generation of Milanese bakeries, with excellent breakfast pastries and contemporary cakes near Porta Venezia, while Orsonero Coffee, opened in 2016, was the city's first specialty coffee bar. For something completely different, Bar Luce at Fondazione Prada was designed by Wes Anderson to evoke an old Milanese café. Remember that a coffee at the counter costs less than at a table, that in many traditional cafés you pay at the till before ordering, and that cappuccino is generally a morning drink. In November and December, the pastry shops are busy with panettone, Milan's Christmas cake, which makes a good gift to take home.

6 places · Updated November 12, 2026

Our top 3 cafés in Milan

  1. Pasticceria Marchesi 1824 Historic pastry shop and café, MagentaA pastry shop founded in 1824, part of the Prada group since 2014, known for its old-world bar, cakes, chocolates and panettone.
  2. Pasticceria Cova Montenapoleone Historic pastry shop, café and tea room, Quadrilatero della ModaMilan's historic café and pastry shop, founded in 1817 near La Scala and on Via Montenapoleone since 1950, with a coffee bar, tea room and restaurant.
  3. Pasticceria Cucchi Family-run pastry shop and café, Porta GenovaA family-run pastry shop and café on Corso Genova since 1936, popular for breakfast brioches, cakes, lunch and early-evening aperitivo.

Café

5. Orsonero Coffee

Specialty coffee bar and micro-roastery$$Porta Venezia

Milan's original specialty coffee bar, opened in 2016 near Porta Venezia, serving espresso and filter brews from a multi-roaster menu.

View details — Orsonero Coffee

Café

6. Bar Luce

Designer café-bar$$Porta Romana / Lodi

The café at Fondazione Prada designed by film director Wes Anderson in 2015, recreating the atmosphere of an old Milanese café.

View details — Bar Luce