In Milan, Da Giacomo is a true institution, ever since Giacomo Bulleri left Tuscany at a very young age and, after having done his apprenticeship in Turin, in 1958 he opened his first restaurant in via Donizetti devoted to the good food and the conviviality typical of his land of origin.

In 1989, when Via Sottocorno was still considered a distant outskirt of the city center, he made a far-sighted choice and moved his restaurant there, already realizing the importance of a “scenic” interior. Thanks to his friendship with Lorenzo Mongiardino, a very famous architect and set designer for cinema and theater, he furnished the rooms of his new restaurant with an original style that was innovative for that time.

Milan taught me that you have to believe in things. It was right: all the things I believed in, dishes, jobs, loves, have always gone well. Because when one believes in it, he is halfway through the work

(Giacomo Bulleri, founder)

In 2007 Giacomo, with a restless character that has always looked ahead of his time, once again dictated a trend. Taking advantage of the hairdressing shop that had closed next to his restaurant, he opened the Bistrot, when this fashion in Milan had not yet begun. This time it was the architect Roberto Peregalli, Mongiardino’s “heir”, who furnished it, inspired by late nineteenth-century cafes.

At the Bistrot you feel at home as if the place has always existed: furniture and objects bring with them, in fact, a “lived in” atmosphere. The tables come from a French bistro, the parquet is antique and all the objects are original, purchased at auctions or in antique shops. Like the beautiful oriental folding screen from the 1700s, the nineteenth-century paintings on the walls and the wooden library full of old books.

The cuisine, coordinated by the Executive Chef Emanuele Settel, is based on traditional Tuscan and Lombard dishes, such as Saffron risotto and Milanese veal cutlet, which in recent years have gradually been enriched with international proposals such as foie gras or ceviche.

The raw material is selected from the best Italian suppliers, such as the Tuscan oil Poggio delle Poiane or the Sicilian Koton, the cherry tomatoes from Piennolo del Vesuvio, the pasta from the Apulian producer Petrilli, the Giardiniera (a pickled veggie recipe) from Cascina Pizzavacca, red prawns from Mazzara del Vallo.
In the style of French bistros, you can also order oysters and champagne, truffle dishes to be paired with important reds (the cellar boasts over 400 wine labels) or finger food to be accompanied with cocktails prepared by professional barmen.

Over the years, Giacomo’s popularity has continued to increase and in 2015 he was awarded the Ambrogino d’Oro, the highest honor in Milan, the culmination of a life dedicated to good food and his “family” of collaborators.

Today it is the third generation, led by Marco Monti and Tiziana Bulleri, together with their daughters and their sons-in-law, who have given new impetus and entrepreneurial vision to what has become a large group operating in the field of high-level catering.

Via Sottocorno, now very famous in Milan, has been enriched over the years by various realities by Giacomo: at no. 5 of the street have opened the Pasticceria and the Tabaccheria, a deli café where you can buy gastronomic products, open, from breakfast to aperitif, right in front of the Bistrot. In 2017 at no. 36 has opened the Rosticceria where you can eat, under a rustic pergola of American grape vines, simple traditional dishes such as lasagna pasta, mondeghili meatballs and rotisserie chicken.

In all the Group’s premises, Giacomo, through a portrait shot by the friend Giovanni Gastel, continues to smile at us under his elegant white Panama hat. A way to keep alive the bond with his loyal clientele and never let us forget that it’s his witty spirit mixed with efficient rigor that still today marks the success of one of the most loved and fashionable places in Milan.

The Secret

Giacomo has a long list of regular celebs: from Barack Obama to Mick Jagger, from Bono Vox to Vladimir Putin. Nevertheless, Giacomo never failed to use his Tuscan joker spirit even with the most famous guests. One evening, seeing Madonna sitting in his Bistrot, he approached her and said “Are you Madonna? Nice to meet you, I’m Giacomo”, managing to snatch a smile even from the very reserved pop diva.

Useful Info

Giacomo Bistrot
Via Pasquale Sottocorno 6
20129 Milano
Tel. +39 02 76022653

Starters: 14 — 25 euro
First courses: 16 — 24 euro
Second courses: 22 — 35 euro