Out-of-home trends

Brunch specialises and moves to Saturdays. And so in the evening there is more room in the restaurant

In meals outside the home, breakfasts and lunches weigh more heavily than dinners: a scenario that favours the growth of the hybrid brunch formula. Here are some places offering this formula in Milan

by Camilla Rocca

15 May 2025

4' min read

4' min read

Brunch is (re)establishing itself as a growing trend in the habits of Italians, who now increasingly prefer it on Saturdays for lunch, in addition to the original Sunday setting. Thus, brunch doubles at the weekend and evening outings are decreasing, especially the great classic of Saturday night dinner.

Confirmation also comes from the latest Fipe Catering Report: compared to a total expenditure of 96.4 billion euro in 2024 (+11% compared to 2019), "visits" to venues in the last year have only increased for breakfast, while in 2023 those for after-dinner had decreased by 12% and lunch had increased (+3%), stable in 2024. Although brunch is not yet such a widespread practice in Italy, current trends indicate a significant growth potential, so much so that it is no longer limited to Sundays.

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A combination of changing consumer habits and new wellness requirements are contributing to the emergence of brunch as a new weekend custom. According to a rdecent analysis conducted by The Fork, consumers are looking for a more agile and accessible dining experience and with a focus on healthy and functional products: brunch seems to fully embody these needs, and precisely because of this it "doubles up". In fact, many prefer to go out on Saturday for lunch in their own town, so as to keep Sunday for lunch with the family or for a trip out of town.

Brunch all day

There are also those who launch the 'all day' brunch. Fancy Toast deconstructs and remixes two iconic moments of conviviality belonging to peoples separated by as much as 9 hours of time difference: brunch and aperitif.

"We began almost ten years ago as forerunners of the brunch and open toast culture in Italy," explains Veronica Giorgi, CEO and co-founder of Fancytoast, "and today we are taking a new leap forward in innovation with this format. The idea is to pay homage, through atmosphere, cuisine and its most popular moments of enjoyment, to two worlds that are physically distant but share the same passion for conviviality, food, good vibes and the discovery of new ways of being at the table. This is realised not only in the moment of having an aperitif in Italy and brunch in California, but also in an extension of the latter to the whole day, contaminating the typical dishes of the Golden State with local ingredients'.

Romito Signature Luxury

"A pleasure too great to be confined to a single day," says chef Niko Romito, who has decided to extend the classic Sunday lunch brunch to the whole weekend. An Italian-style gastronomic experience, with à la carte dishes and a rich buffet, has now become one of the most popular weekend traditions in Milan at Il Ristorante - Niko Romito. From cooked to raw, passing through a corner dedicated to sashimi and seafood crudités and another reserved for selected cheeses, each element reflects the dry and rigorous style of Romito's cuisine. There is no shortage of light, seasonal dishes, nor desserts to end the meal with balance. A sober and sophisticated ambience frames it all, with an internal garden and impeccable service, in what has become one of the most iconic Milanese weekend experiences.

Eastern-style fusion

There is a new brunch aesthetic taking shape in Milan, amidst Japanese influences, auteur design and selected sounds. Starring two addresses destined to leave their mark, both signed by chef Yoji Tokuyoshi and Alice Yamada, already known for having breathed new life into Japanese comfort food in the city.

The first is Pan, in via Cicognara, where every Saturday and Sunday from 11.30 am to 3.30 pm a creative brunch combining oriental flavours and contemporary Italian style is staged. On the menu are chicken karaage, a revisited shakshuka with pappa al pomodoro, and a Japanese crème caramel with kumquat: dishes designed for a curious public, served in an intimate, minimalist setting.

But it is on the more experimental side that now faces Mogo Hi-Fi Bar & Dining, the new venue born from a collaboration with Burro Studio and the music collective Polifonic. Recently opened, it promises to fuse cuisine, design and music into an immersive experience, even for brunch.

Spice Smoke

Mezè, in Viale Sottocorno, brings to the table a brunch with a Middle Eastern flavour, combining simplicity and gastronomic richness. Here, the Lebanese "late breakfast" becomes a journey through aromas and textures, served in a cosy and welcoming space that invites you to take a slow break. For 20 euro, you have access to a proposal that goes far beyond the classic brunch: starting with dried fruit, velvety hummus and homemade jams, followed by hot scones, scrambled eggs, parsley omelette and spiced lamb. All served with care and accompanied by aromatic teas or oriental coffees, for an experience that tastes of authentic conviviality and gastronomic culture.

About eggs

Just a few steps from Cinque Giornate, Cocotte is one of those places that look like something out of a French postcard: retro-style décor, romantic details and an intimate atmosphere that invites you to stop by both Saturday and Sunday for brunch, strictly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All dishes are served in cocotte, the iconic single-portion cast-iron terrines. Alongside eggs, the restaurant's signature dish, there is no shortage of classics that have made brunch history: croque monsieur, avocado toast, and small bistro delights.

Cocktails with tapas

In a Milan that loves to rediscover the rituals of good living, brunch is also combined with cocktails and mocktails signed by Flavio Angiolillo. This is the case at Mag La Pusterla, a well-established address on the city scene, which has long been offering an original brunch in an ambience of vintage charm, with warm wood, retro armchairs and furnishing details that seem to come from a 1960s living room. And then seasonal tapas, designed to be shared, alternate with signature cocktails created ad hoc, in a proposal that changes regularly.