The restaurant is located on the fourth floor of the famous Swiss Centre, made up of the so-called Casa Bassa and the Tower which, with its 80 metres, was the tallest skyscraper in the city from 1952, the year of its inauguration, until 1954, when the construction of the Breda Tower in Piazza della Repubblica interrupted this supremacy and broke the municipal regulation according to which no building could be taller than the “Madonnina del Duomo”.

The business center was born from the need to create a place that brought together and was representative of the large Swiss community in Milan, after a terrible bombing in 1943 destroyed their first headquarters in Via Disciplini. The task was entrusted to the architects Armin Meili and Giovanni Romano who designed a truly avant-garde building, in line with the dictates of Swiss architecture, for which materials of great value were used, such as marble, travertine, granite and maple, which give the building a particular timeless elegance.

A point of reference in the Milanese food and wine scene that overlooks one of the most beautiful green oasis of the city..

It was in the 70s that, right inside the Casa Bassa, the restaurant and location for events Terrazza Palestro was born, creating with great vision for the time the first panoramic gastronomic terrace in the city, decades before the “rooftops” conquered the heart of the Milanese. In the 90s a new restyling by the Campi e Pessina architecture studio gives the restaurant its original identity given by the minimal cherry wood boiserie and the alcoves with comfortable black leather sofas and steel pendant lamps.

The journey through the essence of all the various eras of Milanese design continues today: the restaurant hall has in fact been enriched with various seats by leading companies of the Made in Italy, refined author photos on the walls and a en place featuring the hand-painted dishes of the Paravicini Laboratory, a further tribute to Italian craftsmanship.

The scene of some of the most important events and presentations on the Milanese scene, the lounge area of the terrace is set up with comfortable modular sofas and armchairs upholstered in fabric, one of the few in the city that can be used all year round, thanks to the cover designed to be able to use the space even in case of rain or in winter.

A menu that brings the flavors and aromas of authentic Italian cuisine to the table with a few creative twists that infuse a touch of playful contemporaneity to dishes that rely on absolutely seasonal raw materials that enhance both local products and producers.
Thus, from rigorously homemade pasta to the noblest cuts of meat and the famous Milanese veal cutlet, the Terrazza’s proposal is perfect both for business lunches and for a romantic dinner or dinner with friends.

And from 6.30 pm, the perfect time when the sun’s rays flood the terrace tables with warm light, until 9 pm, the aperitif ritual is served, based on an extensive list of wine and signature drinks, served at the table and accompanied by freshly prepared dry snacks and finger food.

The view of the Gardens, the scent of fresh flowers, laurel and jasmine, and the privileged position complete the magic of one of those very rare places in Milan which, despite the speed with which the city adapts to fashions and trends, has remained a solid point of reference for over 50 years.

The Secret

Even today, Terrazza Palestro remains the only covered rooftop immersed in a green oasis in the historic center of Milan.

Useful Info

Terrazza Palestro
Via Palestro 2
20121 Milano
Tel. +39 02 76028316

Starters: 16 — 19 euro
First courses: 18 — 22 euro
Second courses: 25 — 32 euro