Rumors: Milan's three-Michelin-star restaurant is moving to City Life
Big news: just days after the opening of his new restaurant, Monsieur Dior, in Montenapoleone, news has leaked, still unconfirmed, that Enrico Bartolini is moving his restaurant from the Mudec in Tortona (remember, 3 Michelin stars) to CityLife.
The news could stem from this post from a few days ago on Enrico Bartolini's Facebook page, regarding the reopening of his restaurant at Mudec.
This space is special to me. Here we've seen the dream of the Three Stars come true, we've experienced unforgettable moments that I'll always cherish, but above all, I've shared years of work, growth, sacrifice, and satisfaction with extraordinary people. Each new season, however, challenges everything anew and, as always, calls it into question. That's the beauty of our profession: we don't live by what has been, but by the enthusiasm and curiosity for what we can still build.
Past tense verbs, regrets, curiosity about the future: you'd think Bartolini really wanted to move his restaurant. Yes, but where?
Enrico Bartolini could move his restaurant to the Generali Tower in CityLife.
According to Dominique Antognoni, a critic and researcher of fine dining, Bartolini's new CityLife venture will occupy three floors of the Generali Tower. Here, Antognoni also claims, Bartolini will move the three-starred restaurant (and presumably also the ground-floor bistro) at Mudec, and open a series of other restaurants.
As I was saying, these hypotheses still need to be confirmed. Bartolini is likely moving from the Mudec to read his post. But it's not necessarily the Generali Tower, also known as the Hadid Tower, named after the architect, or rather, star architect Zaha Hadid, who designed it.
The CityLife complex, with its three Towers, is one of the most important architectural works built in Milan in this millennium. Antonioni had initially spoken of the Isoazaki-Allianz Tower, which, at 209.2 metres high (260 m with the antenna), is the tallest building in Italy in terms of number of floors (50). The idea of dining on the highest point in Milan (remember that the Madonnina on the Duomo stands at 108 metres, and all the tallest buildings have a reproduction of it on the roof) would have had an undeniable charm for us Milanese. Enjoying his risotto with beetroot and gorgonzola sauce while enjoying the sunset over the city is priceless… Actually, no, it is (it's on the tasting menu, at 350 euros), but it's worth it.
And then, the Allianz Tower also houses the DaV Milano restaurant, run by the Cerea brothers, on the first floor, with a beautiful hidden terrace. If Bartolini had moved his restaurant here, he would have created internal competition for the Cerea brothers.
No, the Generali-Hadid Tower hypothesis makes much more sense, a beautiful 192-meter skyscraper (antenna included), known as Lo Storto. The other two are Il Dritto and Il Curvo.
It is worth noting that Zaha Hadid did not live to see her work completed: she died in 2016, and the tower was inaugurated in 2017.
Last June, the Generali sign collapsed, but did not fall to the ground. It has not yet been restored.
All of Enrico Bartolini's Michelin Stars
Speaking of stars: if Enrico Bartolini were to move his restaurant from Mudec to Citylife, including pots and pans and chef Davide Boglioli, according to Michelin rules he should retain his recognition.
Let's remember Bartolini's starred list in Italy, remembering that the presentation of the new Michelin edition will be in Piacenza on November 12th.
- Anima Ristorante at the Hotel Milano Verticale | A Michelin-starred experience in Milan.
- Il Fuoco Sacro in San Pantaleo (SS), 1 Michelin star.
- Bluh Furore on the Amalfi Coast, 1 Michelin star.
Enrico Bartolini Restaurant at Mudec. Via Tortona, 56, 20144 Milan MI. Phone: 02 8429 3701 Instagram.