Niko Romito's student has grown up: she's running a new restaurant in Milan

Gaia Giordano's menu for Salotto Orsini

The menu created by Gaia Giordano for Salotto Orsini follows the tradition but with creative touches. It's certainly a suitable choice for the area, the needs of its clientele (many tourists in the area), and also those of a contemporary trattoria.

There is a lunch and dinner menu, with many shared dishes available on the website, as well as an aperitif menu and a brunch menu.

The menus, however, are unconventional: at Salotto Orsini, for example, there are only two first courses, gnocchi alla romana and traditional lasagna, for €11. There are meat dishes (from €12 to €16) and fish dishes (from €14 to €65), but nothing complicated is involved. Vegetarian dishes range from €5 to €15, platters and toasted sandwiches from €5, and club sandwiches from €17 to €25.

We highlight the most interesting dishes from Salotto Orsini's lunch and dinner menus.

Brunch costs 42 euros. Average price for a dinner with an appetizer, first course, and second course: 50 euros.

The new Orsini Lounge in Brera

Brera continues to be a crowded tourist and culinary destination, with restaurants always full and long lines. Salotto Orsini joins a string of recent openings, some very recent, that are trying to break away from the tourist-friendly cliché. And while the traditional restaurants, which have been in the area for years, keep their tables full, even the new openings seem to be enjoying a good reception.

For example, this Saturday evening: historic lines, including the perennial one in front of Osteria da Fortunata. Jokingly, you might say they're all extras, but no, it's a real line, long and patient. But there are also lines in front of more recent openings, like Osteria Formentini dei fratelli Borgia, Rivoire Brera, Maccheroni, or Sea, Signora, we talked about here. And it was precisely by observing this line that I noticed the novelty of Salotto Orsini. However, having opened just a few weeks ago, it only had a few tables occupied, no lines.

A handful of tables outside, seating about fifteen, and twenty inside, in an area dominated by the bar. At the end of the lounge is a small room with a staircase leading down to the lower level, where the small PENCE1979 boutique is located. As one might have guessed from some of the items displayed in the window.

“Two worlds meet in a sensory journey that unites materials, textures, and flavors, creating a unique narrative, an expression of sophisticated and refined contemporaneity.”

The chef: Gaia Giordano

A failed magistrate, Gaia Giordano began working at her father's restaurant in Chianti. She later worked at Angelo Troiani's Convivio, at Glass Hostaria with Cristina Bowerman, and at Cuoco Nero with Maurizio Santin. In 2012, she met Niko Romito and followed him in his endeavors, from Rivisondoli to the creation of the Spazio project, to Alt Stazione del Gusto.

The Spazio project was born to provide a workspace for young graduates of the Niko Romito Academy. She will manage Spazio Romito at the Mercato del Duomo in Milan, which closed in 2024, and then in Rome. And in recent weeks, Salotto Orsini has returned to Milan.

The Pence1979 Shop

The Pence1979 boutique, located on the lower level of Salotto Orsini, is an interesting addition. The intersection of fashion and living creates a natural dialogue between style and taste. This creates a personalized experience: you can sip a cocktail while the boutique team guides you through the latest Pence1979 creations.

“Elegance, comfort and exclusive service come together in a moment of pure stylistic pleasure.”

Orsini Salon. Via S. Carpoforo, 4, 20121 Milan, Italy. Phone: +39 380 696 6747. Instagram.