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Brera has long been one of Milan’s most appealing neighbourhoods for an unhurried afternoon or evening. Its galleries, boutiques and handsome streets invite lingering, with restaurants woven throughout the surrounding lanes. On Via Fiori Chiari, Casa Fiori Chiari brings polished Italian cooking to this well-established part of the city.
Set inside a historic Milanese building, the restaurant combines original architectural features with a contemporary setting for lunch, aperitivo and dinner. The menu follows a similarly approachable direction, moving between Italian classics, Mediterranean flavours, Neapolitan influences and pizza.
Historic Milanese Character in Brera
Casa Fiori Chiari sits at Via Fiori Chiari 8, within easy walking distance of Brera’s galleries, shops and cultural landmarks. The restaurant occupies 350 square metres and accommodates around 140 guests, including outdoor seating along the street.
The renovation preserved elements of the original building, including its marble floors and historic columns. Inside, interconnected spaces give the restaurant an open feel, while the overall mood suits the location: polished enough for an evening out, yet comfortable for a long lunch or aperitivo.
Inside Casa Fiori Chiari
There is a distinctly social quality to the restaurant. Tables extend onto Via Fiori Chiari, bringing Brera’s street life into the experience during warmer weather, while the interiors offer a more intimate setting later in the day.
Casa Fiori Chiari favours relaxed Milanese elegance over formality. Its all-day format also gives it flexibility, whether for lunch while exploring Brera, drinks before dinner or an evening centred around the restaurant itself.
Italian Cooking with Mediterranean Influences
The kitchen is led by chefs Massimiliano Marfè and Fabio Carlone, with a menu grounded in Italian tradition and Mediterranean flavours, alongside a clear Neapolitan influence. Parmigiana di melanzane, vitello tonnato, pasta al pomodoro and cotoletta alla Milanese sit alongside seafood, salads and pizza.
The cooking remains deliberately recognisable, built around established combinations and good ingredients rather than unnecessary complication.
A Closer Look at the Menu
Antipasti
The antipasti give a good sense of the kitchen. Parmigiana di melanzane sits alongside polpette al sugo with 30-month Parmigiano Reggiano and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana D.O.P. with cuore di bue tomatoes and basil.
Seafood options include baccalà mantecato with a polenta wafer, sweet-and-sour onions, olives and basil, and polpo all’insalata with datterini tomatoes, olives and datterini gazpacho. There is also magatello di vitello con salsa tonnata, while the fritti include ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers with Cantabrian anchovies and lemon, and calamari tempura with tartare sauce.
Pasta and Risotto
The primi stay close to familiar Italian flavours. Spaghetti al pomodoro “Casa Fiori Chiari” is joined by gnocchetti alla sorrentina, Ravioli Capresi with fresh cherry tomatoes and basil, and tagliatelle alla Bolognese with 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano.
Seafood choices include Calamarata, with mezzi paccheri, cacciaroli squid, red datterini tomatoes, Taggiasca olives and caper powder, and a seafood risotto.
Secondi and Salads
Main courses cover fish, poultry and beef, including tuna with Camone tomato coulis, salmon with roasted lettuce and apple and dill sauce, chicken supreme with herb-roasted new potatoes, and sliced beef fillet with gratinated spinach. The Cotoletta alla Milanese provides the strongest connection to the city.
Lighter options include a Niçoise salad with tuna, eggs, Taggiasca olives and Cantabrian anchovies, and smoked salmon with cucumber, fennel and cherry tomatoes.
Pizza
Pizza has a substantial place on the menu. The selection begins with Margherita, Marinara, Bufala and Napoli, the latter topped with fiordilatte, Cantabrian anchovies, capers and basil. Crudo uses 24-month Langhirano ham, while Patanegra pairs fiordilatte and Ciro Flagella tomato with reserve Patanegra ham.
More distinctive combinations include Forte dei Marmi, with fiordilatte, courgette flowers, Cantabrian anchovies and lemon; Stracciatella, with red datterini purée, stracciatella and semi-dried datterini; and Farcita con Mortadella, finished with black pepper, lemon zest and basil.
Desserts
Dessert returns to Italian favourites. Tiramisù follows the classic combination of coffee-soaked savoiardi and mascarpone cream, while Il Babà di Casa comes with pastry cream and wild strawberries. Delizia al limone pairs limoncello-soaked sponge with vanilla Chantilly cream.
Other choices include a chocolate, pear and ricotta tart, profiteroles filled with hazelnut ice cream, artisan sorbets, gelato and fresh fruit.
Cocktails, Champagne and Wine
The bar gives Casa Fiori Chiari plenty of scope for aperitivo. Signature cocktails include the Penisola Gimlet, with Portofino La Penisola Gin, lemon, basil and salt, and Another 75, combining Hendrick’s Another Gin, Italicus, lime, chocolate bitters and Veuve Clicquot Champagne. The Skinny Chic mixes Grey Goose vodka with lime, raspberry, basil and soda, alongside several spritzes and alcohol-free options.
The wine list is extensive, with Champagne from Dom Pérignon, Krug, Ruinart, Laurent-Perrier and Louis Roederer, complemented by a broad Italian sparkling selection. Italian whites and reds span many of the country’s principal wine regions, with Piedmont and Tuscany particularly well represented among the reds, alongside French and international labels.
A by-the-glass selection covering Champagne, sparkling, white, rosé and red makes the list equally practical for aperitivo or a shorter meal.
Brera Before and After Dinner
Casa Fiori Chiari’s address is a significant part of its appeal. Brera is one of Milan’s most pleasant areas to explore on foot, with the Pinacoteca di Brera, boutiques, design stores and galleries shaping the neighbourhood’s cultural character.
The restaurant fits naturally into an afternoon or evening here. Lunch can follow a visit to the Pinacoteca, while aperitivo or dinner leaves plenty of scope to continue around Brera afterwards. The outdoor tables are particularly appealing when the weather allows.
The Casa Fiori Chiari Experience
Casa Fiori Chiari feels well matched to its Brera setting. The historic building gives it character, while the relaxed atmosphere and broad menu make it work for lunch, aperitivo and dinner.
Its appeal lies in accessible Italian cooking, a substantial pizza selection, a serious drinks programme and one of Milan’s most enjoyable central neighbourhoods. For travellers spending time in Brera, Casa Fiori Chiari is an easy address to keep in mind.
Location: Via Fiori Chiari, 8, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
