Those heading to the Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile Milano will experience Milanese abundance when pondering their dinner options as Milan claims to have the highest density of restaurants in Italy, apparently more than 9,000 in total, with new entries appearing daily.
Milan-based hospitality group Triple Sea Food has taken a special interest in the Brera district where it has recently opened three restaurants, the latest being Trattoria del Ciumbia. Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci of Milan-based Dimorestudio were in charge of creating the eclectic vaguely 60s-inspired interior of the 100-seat trattoria.
Their skilful fusion of styles and objects creates a solid whole that seems “of an era” yet one cannot be exact about what that era might be. On the ground floor, retro newspaper racks and coat hooks are flanked by a series of watercolours of Italian rationalist architecture of the 1930s.
The separate private dining room for 10 guests boasts retro Carimate chairs designed by Vico Magistretti in 1959. And in the basement, a lounge area accommodates private events for up to 50 guests surrounded by deep blue sating wall hangings.
The food is curated by chef Paolo Rollini who has combined Milanese and Lombard traditions.
At Via Fiori Chiari 32, Trattoria del Ciumbia is located in the heart of the artsy and upscale Brera neighbourhood, sometimes described as the Montmartre or the SoHo of Milan.
Ciumbia is a Milanese expression indicating cheerful amazement similar to ma dai (come on) or accipicchia (wow, gosh or damn).
Triple Sea Food hospitality group’s other two recent openings in Brera are fine Mediterranean restaurant Vesta, and gourmet pizzeria, Casa Fiori Chiari.
Dimorestudio is an architectural and design studio working in residential, retail and hospitality projects, in addition to producing furnishings, textile and lighting designs under the name of Dimoremilano. The studio was founded in Milan in 2003 by North Carolina-born, former graphic designer Britt Moran, and former Capellini art director Emiliano Salci who was born in Arezzo in Tuscany. Tuija Seipell
Images by Paola Pansini