Pavè Milano Casati

Pavè is one of the pastry shops that has reshaped Milan's breakfast scene over the past decade, pairing serious baking with a relaxed, informal style. The original shop on Via Felice Casati, in the Porta Venezia area, is the company's home, and the business has since added further pasticcerie around the city. The spaces are bright and contemporary, a deliberate contrast with the formality of the historic cafés in the centre.

Breakfast is the main event. The counter is filled each morning with laminated and leavened pastries, from croissants and brioches to filled pastries, which go with a cappuccino or an espresso. Later in the day, attention shifts to cakes, both traditional sweets and modern creations, such as a rich dark chocolate cake, a pear and chocolate cake and seasonal tarts. Bread is baked too, and in the run-up to Christmas Pavè is known for its panettone, made in traditional, dark chocolate and other versions, including a smaller panettone for two.

Prices are moderate. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal, with a mix of local residents and people working nearby, and at busy times taking your order to go can be quicker than waiting for a seat.

Pavè suits anyone who cares about good pastry, and it is a pleasant alternative to hotel breakfasts for visitors staying around Porta Venezia, Centrale or Repubblica. Families are welcome. Weekend mornings bring queues, so arrive early or go mid-afternoon for a calmer visit.

The Casati shop is open every day from morning to early evening. It is a few minutes' walk from the Porta Venezia stop on metro line M1 and the Repubblica stop on line M3. The surrounding streets are known for their Liberty-style buildings, and the Indro Montanelli public gardens, with the Natural History Museum and the Planetarium, are a short walk away, making it a good start to a morning in the area. As at most Milanese bakeries, you choose at the counter and pay at the till. If you are in Milan in November or December, the panettone makes a good gift to take home, and it is worth asking which versions are available that season, as the range changes from year to year.