Locanda Perbellini Bistrot Milano — Restaurant in Milan

I went there twice for lunch on two consecutive days (and there's a reason I came back on day 2). Before getting to food: the service was incredible - by far the fastest, most attentive, and friendly wait staff I've seen in Italy. First time I was done 3 courses with wine and coffee in under 40 minutes!

As to specific dish reviews: Visit 1: Tartar → stunning flavour, hard to describe how good it is. The crackers add a bit to the presentation but don’t contribute much flavour or texture, a little unnecessary since pistachios already contribute the crunch. (Possibly the best dish on the menu) Pork Belly → Asparagus was the star here for me → The pork belly was crispy and cooked nicely, but still somehow didn’t hit the mark for me as much. Asparagus absolutely rescued it with the flavour and texture. Still a great dish. Millefoglie di Giancarlo Perbellini → The fluffiest french pastry on planet earth. If it was in Toronto someone would try to rent out the space between layers as a 1+1 bed condo. Melts in your mouth. Star of the dessert menu. Visit 2: Ravioli cacio e pepe → Really good, small bites with great flavour. The beans help with texture and add a bit of contrast, I think if they were even crunchier and less cooked the dish could have some more funk to it Braised Veal cheek → Meat was perfect, bed of potatoes as well, The fried leeks were a little stringy instead of crunchy, not as satisfying as I have hoped, but nevertheless a good idea. Solid dish Mascarpone e Caffe → Great dessert, basically a tiramisu. Heavy and satisfying. Good way to end if you don’t intend to walk around too much after. Good Espresso to finish both times

Overall a 10/10 dining experience, there's a reason this place is on the Michelin guide. Worth the money (each lunch with wine and coffee and...

I’m really disappointed with Locanda Perbellini Bistrot. Apart from the tartare which was just ok, otherwise the food was inedible. Carbonara is swimming in sauce, very little guanciale, we were not given parmigiano cheese even if we asked for it (although the table next to the Italian customers got a whole bowl). The waiter rolled his eyes and walked away without a word. Veal cheek, although the meat was tender it was diametrically over-salted, inedible. The same for risotto, pure taste of saffron and salt. Eventually the eggplant parmigiana not very distinctive in taste. All dishes are quite small so 2 starters and 1 main course is the minimum for one person. Not only the food is at a very poor level, but service as well, waiters are sad and unhelpful, we did not get the information on off-card dishes and we were not given parmigiano cheese like other guests. Evidently Italian origin customers are better treated and served, while English-speaking tourists not at all. The decor is quite modest, the restaurant is very cramped, guests sit next to each other and there is a piece of paper on the table instead of...

Locanda Perbellini was a few minute walk from our AirBnb, and it's kitchen had an excellent reputation. Price/quality ratio was purported to be one of the best in Milan. The attractive space was very crowded, a good sign for a cold Tuesday night in early December. Tables were close together, in the European manner, but that allowed us to get "up close and personal" to the fashionable crowd.

Food was excellent, but classic, and when innovation was attempted it didn't work. Thus the cream added to the Saffron Risotto was unnecessary, because the dish was great on its own. The Milanese breaded veal chop tasted superb. Pastas were al dente and cooked perfectly. While the service was professional, there was a frenetic nature to getting the dishes out from the kitchen in a more than timely manner. Several people took care of us, and there was no opportunity to make a connection. However, no one at Perbellini missed a step.

Locanda Perbellini may not have Michelin quality cooking, but it's not too far from that pinnacle, and at the price point, Locanda Perbellini may be the ideal classic Milano...