Where to Eat at (new) Milan Linate Airport

You only realize how important something is when you lose it. This saying has never been truer when it comes to Linate, one of the two Milan airports in Italy. It closed for two months, throwing serial travelers into despair when they were forced to migrate to Malpensa. But since last October, Milan Linate Airport is back, (almost) all renewed and ready for your next voyage!

What's changed

A little, at first glance. Those who enter expecting to see a new airport will be disappointed, because Linate hasn't actually “redone” its look. The investment of about 60 million euros is only the first step in a renewal process that will be completed in the next couple of years. To date, the most important renovation is the new runway of 2400 meters in length and 60 meters wide. The baggage claim and control area have also been completely redesigned. The main building has been renovated with a new facade designed by Pierluigi Cerri "which, together with the innovative play of ceiling lights designed by lighting designer Cinzia Ferrara, aims to give the Milanese airport a whole new charm,” said the official press release. We didn't notice much of this in the evening. On the ground floor, there was a partial reorganization of the commercial spaces, but we will have to wait until 2021 for the new shopping and catering areas to open.

New menus on offer

From chips to macaroons, Linate's restaurants have been renewed thanks to the investment and the inclusion of new signs under the control of the company Areas, the third global operator of concession catering (Airports, Motorways, Railway Stations and Leisure) present in 14 countries in Europe and the USA. In Italy, it is better known as MyChef. Fifty million customers in over 170 sale points. At Linate, they are behind the opening of Rinaldini, the Briciole shop, the Michelangelo restaurant and the Ferrari Spazio Bollicine. Certainly you can eat better than ever before, and at prices that are not so excessive.

Roberto Rinaldini's new pastry shop

For a quick break and the highest quality of both sweet and salty treats, one of Italy’s best confectioners is now in the Arrivals area of Linate: Roberto Rinaldini. Easy to see, thanks to the black and fuchsia color, Rinaldini offers croissants and brioche for breakfast (we suggest the half-liter Cappuccione as well). For lunch: salads, piadinas, sandwiches and gourmet baguettes prepared with no less than five different types of dough in the bakery's onsite oven. There are also the iconic products of Roberto Rinaldini's original pastry shop, such as MacaRAL® (macaroons interpreted in the Italian style), Chococolour (colored cremini in various flavors), panettone and Rinaldini's pizza, filled with only top quality ingredients and featuring a long-leavening dough that is light and crispy. Open every day from 7:00 am to 11:30 pm.

Gourmet chips

In the departure area, the Patatas Nana corner offers loose chips, served hot naturally or with various combinations: spicy curry, lime and Maricha black pepper, sweet smoked paprika and 3-star PGI Modena balsamic vinegar. Patatas Nana are made with potatoes of the Agria variety only, grown in Spain and processed in a frying pan in Granada: washed, lightly peeled and sliced, before being fried in pure sunflower oil (it’s the best because it is tasteless) and then it’s shipped to Italy. Only three ingredients and excellent consistency from the starch makes them very friable. At 4.50 euros per bowl, served hot.

Next to Patatas Nanas, you can have pizza al trancio (pizza by slice) at the restaurant owned by the Areas-MyChef company, Pizza Chef. Here, pizza is created with Roberto Rinaldini's advice and by chef Michelangelo Citino.

Sandwiches signed by Oldani

In the Departure area, you can eat at Briciole, where you can find sandwiches signed by chef Davide Oldani. The ingredients? Fillet salami, lemon butter and rice bread: a unique and gourmet touch to a limited edition sandwich. The idea behind Areas-MyChef's Briciole format is to offer a "neighborhood bakery" at the airport, and the choice of bread as well as the companatico is wide: seeds, quinoa, rice, etc. The fillet salami is produced by Salumi Pasini, especially for the chef with fine Italian pork fillet, salt, pepper and selected flavorings. This is one of the cold cuts that Oldani created together with the Salumi Pasini Foo'd line. From Briciole, the croissants look almost too good to eat!

Michelangelo: the award-winning restaurant

Michelangelo Citino is the best "Airport Chef" in the world according to the Fab Awards 2019, the "Oscars" of the airport catering world held in Dallas at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. But Michelangelo comes recommended from two other reputable sources, as well: the restaurant is featured on both the Espresso Guide and the Michelin Guide. It is a real restaurant where you can stop between flights without giving up a room and quality service. With a view of the runways, you can have lunch with a bistro menu from 11.30 am to 6 pm – with dishes ready to eat in 10 or 15 minutes. In the evening, it only takes 40 minutes to enjoy a complete tasting menu; and you can even go a little further if you have no time limit. Among the best dishes are, of course, the great classics such as the Milanese cutlet, risotto giallo (saffron risotto), spaghetti with tomato sauce, and chef's creations that change seasonally. Attention to the details is not lacking: furnishing accessories are created by famous design brands such as Kartell, Bonacina, Calligaris, and Gufram. And in the Market, you can buy oil, pasta and Italian products of the highest quality.