I had already been getting used to cooking on a two range hot plate from when we were in Porto. This place was no different, I say this because calling it a stove top would be generous. I have been becoming increasingly creative when making our meals, in Milan there is an abundance of beautiful produce and hand made pasta, gnocchi and bread. We felt spoiled with the array of unusual cheeses, olives and of course the best wine available for just a few euros.

Eating and drinking out is incredibly expensive so we kept that to a minimum, the exception always was grabbing square slices of pizza with bizarre toppings like potato or zucchini from Alice Pizza. For New Years and Mark’s birthday we went to D’amare, by our standards the best pizza in Milan. The gracious host treated us to an ice cold limoncello after our pizza. There are also tons of places offering Arancini, or stuffed rice balls. All of the small shops offer cold beers to go so you can enjoy your treats walking along the canal.

We also learned that Panini just means sandwich here, there are a ton of panini places in town. If you want one grilled it is called Panino. Needless to say I was surprised when I received my first panini, but it was delicious with bitter turnip greens and stracchino, a soft creamy young cheese on a brioche. The best paninis we had were at Il Panino Igrorante Gourmet, a super hipster spot in our neighborhood on the canal. I had an eggplant parmesan with buffalo mozzarella, while Mark enjoyed a fried chicken panini, something that he hadn’t had since we left the US. The paninis were served with a cross between a chip and a fry, a bias cut potato with thin edges that curl but are gloriously fluffy in the middle.

There are no shortage of places to catch a drink, especially along the canal. Hustlers outside the cafes are constantly asking if you would like an aperitif. Happy hours and cocktails to go are popular here, there are even drink carts that park themselves throughout the city offering mulled wine and spirits. If you are looking for good craft beer, Darsena is the place to go. The staff is knowledgeable and amiable and they serve their beers with complimentary olives and chips, a wonderfully common happening most places you go. The olives are huge and fleshy, unlike anything I have had before.

It was also refreshing to find a good dive bar, Wizard, something that has been missing from our travels so far. It is a small space with downstairs bar and a spiral staircase taking you to more seating upstairs. They blast vintage rock and metal and have wooden booths carved up by past patrons. The bartender has a great memory, not only remembering you, but what you like too drink as well. A truly top notch spot, perhaps with the exception of the bathroom…