Brunch is fully booked: a relaxing treat that can cost as much as a Michelin-starred dinner

The Sunday brunch menu is available from 11.30 am to 3.30 pm and includes – at a price of 68 euros per person – a basket of freshly baked pastries, a welcome drink (a glass of champagne, a non-alcoholic cocktail or a Bloody Mary, a hot drink, a choice of two dishes including vanilla French toast with red berries, chocolate waffles with raspberries, avocado toast with salmon, scrambled eggs, omelettes, a club sandwich with chips and a burger.

“For over two centuries, we have upheld a philosophy based on artisanal excellence, the quality of our raw ingredients and the ability to blend tradition with modernity,” explains Diego Crosara, the brand’s Pastry Art Director. Our aim is to preserve the heritage of flavour and savoir-faire that sets Marchesi 1824 apart, interpreting it through a contemporary language, with great attention to the customer experience, hospitality and attention to detail. The shop in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is the most strategically located and generates the largest share of total turnover, amounting to 38 per cent.

“We believe that the fixed-price formula is an important factor in the customer’s choice,” continues Crosara. “Today, consumers increasingly appreciate clear and easily understandable experiences, where the perceived value is immediate and the cost is predictable. Our brunch menu is already well-structured and needs no additions, although customers – precisely because they are enjoying themselves – tend to order extra courses and linger at the table for around an hour and a half.”

Brunch, in fact – with its extra charge which naturally pushes up the bill, making it comparable to a Michelin-starred dinner – can be complemented by a range of dishes such as tagliatelle with melted butter, sautéed rice with Parmigiano foam, and even Milanese-style cutlets, with prices ranging from 22 to 36 euros per course.

“We believe that brunch represents a structural shift rather than a temporary trend,” concludes Crosara. “Consumers are showing a growing interest in concepts that combine quality, flexibility and social interaction. These are trends we are observing not only in Milan, but also in major international markets, and they are gradually transforming the hospitality sector. This is why we believe that brunch will continue to grow and establish itself as one of the most interesting consumption opportunities for the catering and hospitality sector.”

Not just brunch, but rituals too: in the morning, the ‘Coffee Ritual’ featuring Lavazza 1895 speciality coffees, and in the afternoon, the ‘Tea Ritual’ , both at 65 euros per person.

“Today, luxury means time for oneself,” says Crosara. “We bring the Chemex to the table on a trolley and prepare the filter coffee fresh in front of the guest. The blend has been specially created and is available exclusively at our restaurant in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The luxury customer seeks a unique and unrepeatable experience, and these limited-edition, bespoke preparations ensure they return in search of flavours that cannot be replicated elsewhere.”

Portrait di Milano has restored to the city one of Milan’s most extraordinary and historically significant sites: the former Archiepiscopal Seminary at 11 Corso Venezia. Founded in 1565 at the behest of St Charles Borromeo, it was one of the world’s first seminaries and, for almost five centuries, has been an integral part of the city’s history, evolving over time into a boarding school, a ministerial headquarters, a military hospital and a cultural centre. After being closed to the public for over twenty years, the complex reopened in 2022 thanks to a major project promoted by Lungarno Collection, the Ferragamo family’s hospitality group. The project, led by architect Michele De Lucchi and his practice Amdl Circle, has transformed this historic site into a new destination dedicated to hospitality, culture, design, wellbeing and urban life. In this “square open to the city”, with over 2,800 square metres of communal spaces linking Corso Venezia and Via Sant’Andrea, the 10_11 restaurant also offers an increasingly popular brunch menu.

The 10_11 brunch takes place every Sunday from 12 noon to 4 pm. The package includes a welcome drink of your choice – sparkling wine, a Bloody Mary or a non-alcoholic option; a seasonal buffet featuring a selection of cheeses, fresh vegetables, savoury pastries and homemade desserts; two hot dishes of your choice from the menu; a hot drink; water and a cover charge. The price is 95 euros per person, whilst children aged 5 to 12 are charged a special rate of 40 euros; brunch is free for children aged 5 and under. The experience is enhanced by a number of distinctive touches, such as the Bloody Mary trolley service, freshly sliced marinated salmon and cheesecake served with fresh seasonal fruit. The menu combines iconic international brunch dishes with specialities inspired by Italian and Milanese traditions, whilst maintaining a strong focus on seasonal produce and the quality of the ingredients.

“The fixed-price menu is very popular because it allows guests to enjoy a complete, carefree experience,” says Giuliana Piredda, F&B Operations Manager. We have observed a trend towards more relaxed social occasions, where time spent together is the priority. Brunch meets this need perfectly: it offers freedom of choice, a fixed price and flexibility in terms of time and flavours compared to a traditional lunch. The 10_11 brunch attracts an average of around 90 covers every Sunday and has been fully booked every week since its launch in September 2025, as well as on special occasions (1st and 6th January, Easter Monday, ed.)”.

“Brunch attracts a clientele that is somewhat different from the restaurant’s usual diners and those who opt for à la carte lunch, but it is increasingly local,” continues Piredda. “For some guests, brunch is their first taste of the 10_11 experience and of Portrait Milano. Thanks to its accessible and convivial format, it often becomes an opportunity to discover the restaurant and return later at other times of the day.”

Here too, the extras can make a significant difference to the bill: the Lobster Roll, for example, made with artisanal puff pastry, lettuce, lobster and cocktail sauce, is listed on the menu at 37 euros – a sign that luxury diners spare no expense when it comes to brunch. And, indeed, it is the most popular extra.

One of Milan’s most beautiful and historic hotels was bound to follow the brunch trend. Over the years, the concept has evolved, moving beyond the Anglo-Saxon idea of brunch to resemble a Sunday lunch more and more.

The Sunday special – 70 euros per person – includes water, a generous buffet of starters (ranging from cured meats to stuffed hard-boiled eggs), followed by the bakery corner (artisan breads and stuffed focaccia), the vegetarian corner (featuring chickpea balls or artichoke cream puffs). You can help yourself to as much as you like from the food stations, with no limits. A wide selection of raw fish. You can choose one first course and one main course from the kitchen of chef Matteo Gabrielli: options include saffron risotto, Bolognese pasta flan, meatballs in tomato sauce or grilled sea bass fillet. The meal concludes with the dessert corner, featuring a selection curated by pastry chef Passannante. Unlike other Milanese brunches, the bill doesn’t ‘skyrocket’ in price because everything is included here, and the à la carte menu is not available whilst the brunch is on.

“Our brunch is very popular with families who want to combine the experience of fine dining in an elegant setting with the flexibility and informality that suits young children,” explains Federica Ceola, Director of Marketing & Communications. Turnover stands at around 200,000 euros over nine months, as we are closed from June to August inclusive. The average number of covers during the opening period is 55. On most Sundays, we’re fully booked as early as Friday and have to put people on a waiting list. The time guests spend at the table depends on the number of people, ranging from one and a half to two hours.”

“Many of our guests are regulars, but over the years we have welcomed many new guests, including families, tourists and younger customers looking for an affordable premium experience in a luxurious setting,” explains Ceola. “One of the key reasons for choosing us is the freedom to manage one’s leisure time as one sees fit. I believe that brunch will remain an increasingly central part of contemporary hospitality in Italia and will become an increasingly established format, not confined solely to weekends.”

Castiglion del Bosco is a luxury hotel belonging to the Rosewood Group, nestled amongst the hills of the Val d’Orcia and situated in a 12th-century village. The estate comprises 42 suites and 11 villas; once medieval farmhouses, they are now intimate retreats, furnished with carefully selected antiques and unique pieces from across Italia. With a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, a traditional trattoria and a historic wine cellar on the estate, the locally sourced cuisine here is a highlight that makes the journey worthwhile. Today, true luxury thrives on privacy and distance from ‘prying eyes’. That is why at Castiglion del Bosco the brunch trend takes on even more exclusive connotations and is served directly in the villa, at a cost of 210 euros per person (not far off the ‘fine dining menu’ at the on-site restaurant Campo del Drago, which has two Michelin stars and costs 220 euros).

“We are increasingly seeing guests choosing the Villas to celebrate special occasions, spend time with several generations of the same family, or simply enjoy days without any set plans,” says Nicola Migheli, Managing Director of Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel. “This has inspired us to offer a culinary experience that truly enhances these moments.”

Brunch invites you to slow down and experience time in a different way, beyond the conventional routines of the day. It follows neither the rules of breakfast nor those of lunch, but leaves room for spontaneity and the pleasure of sharing. The chef prepares the dishes to order, whilst guests choose where to enjoy the experience: in the garden amidst the scents of the Tuscan countryside, by the pool, under the portico or in the more intimate spaces of the house. Every detail is personalised and tailored to guests’ requests. There is great flexibility. The menu combines sweet and savoury dishes, local ingredients and nods to local tradition, but what makes it truly special is the setting in which it is enjoyed. Food & Beverage accounts for approximately 25% to 30% of the total turnover at Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel. This figure confirms the central role of food and wine within the resort experience, where food becomes a means of discovering the local area and its traditions.

“The Ville di Castiglion del Bosco were designed as real homes, nestled in the Tuscan countryside, places where family and friends can get together and share unforgettable moments,” continues Nicola Mingheli. “In this setting, brunch came about almost naturally. Our clientele at the Villas of Castiglion del Bosco is predominantly international, with a significant number of guests from the United States. This is followed by the main European markets, whilst in recent years we have seen a significant increase in demand from Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. The average length of stay at the Villas is generally around a week, with many guests opting for longer stays to fully experience the local area and the experiences offered by the destination.”

Who says brunch has to be Italian? In Rome, at the Art’otel, a new 5-star hotel just a stone’s throw from the city centre, conceived and designed in collaboration with the artist Pietro Ruffo (whose work ranges from collaborations with Dior to the cover of Jovanotti’s “Disco del Sole”), Sunday brunch takes on an oriental flavour.

At Yezi restaurant, in fact, the “Yum cha brunch” menu features a continuous stream of starters – with no limits – designed to be shared, ranging from tamarind-fried squid to chicken and prawn wontons. This is followed by a choice of main course: beef fillet with black pepper and Merlot, crispy honey and lime chicken, wild mushroom teppanyaki, or vegetarian Singapore noodles. The meal ends on a sweet note with fluffy Japanese pancakes drizzled with maple syrup. All accompanied by a themed cocktail list and DJ sets.
Average bill? 80 euros for around 70 covers between the indoor restaurant and the terrace, adorned with majolica tiles depicting the celestial constellations and zodiac signs for which the artist Pietro Ruffo is famous.