A Glamorous Evening at Gloria Osteria, Milan
On your way to Gloria Osteria in Milan, Italy, you might take a stroll past a medieval castle with a beautiful fountain, and through the desirable Brera district before arriving at the doorstep of this opulent dining experience.
The interior is incredibly vibrant and playful, with an emphasis on 1960’s Italian Glamour and French Bohemia. If La Dolce Vita were a modern-day restaurant, this would be it.
“Best Bread in Milan”
Our waiter was delightfully jovial, competent and conversational. With the full pride of Italy, he confidently declared that Gloria has the “best bread in Milan”. I have not tested all the bread in Milan, but this was certainly a wonderful treat served with olive oil. It was soft, fluffy, and delicious.
An excellent place for drinks
Being in Italy for the first time, I, of course, wanted to try all of the traditional cuisine and fare, so we began the evening with a glass of wine and a classic Negroni.
Traditionally, a negroni is made of just 3 ingredients – gin, vermouth rosso, and Campari served on the rocks and garnished with an orange slice.
Gloria has 4 different takes on the Negroni, but I ordered the most traditional one called “Il Conte”, or “The Count” in English. It’s made with Hendrick's gin, Mancino vermouth rosso, Campari, and olive bitters - garnished with a green olive.
The other 3 variations of Negroni experiment with mezcal, whiskey, rum and a different bitter to pair with each. If you want to try all 4, they offer a degustation of half portions of each.
The Main Course
We decided to forego appetizers and went straight to the entrees, starting with Wellington di Rombo.
Rombo is the Italian name for the flatfish known as Turbot. This fish is in the center of the wellington, surrounded by a fish-cake-like layer wrapped in pastry dough – all covered in beurre blanc with trout roe. Buerre Blanc is French for “White Butter”– It's made by whisking cold butter into a reduction of white wine, vinegar, and shallots, creating a velvety, rich sauce that pairs well with seafood, and vegetables.
Genevieve ordered Cappalati e ricotta e spinachi, that is Cappalati pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach covered with parmesan fondue and spinach cream, then dusted with freshly grated parmesan.
Continuing with the theme of opulence, I don’t think you should dine at Gloria without indulging in their Dolci! These desserts are particularly exceptional.
Decadent Dolci
This overly decadent dish is a profiterole filled with cool pistachio gelato and warm chocolate, then covered with even more hot, rich, chocolate sauce that really takes it over the edge. Every bite pleases the senses with combinations of cool and warm creaminess, rich flavors of pistachio and chocolates, and the fluffy, balancing texture of the profiterole. This dessert is hard to pass up!
However, if you can choose only one, you can’t miss the icon of Gloria Osteria, their signature Tarte Citron XXL.
It begins with a vibrant lemon tart, which is then topped with an absurd amount of sweet, marshmallowy meringue. Despite the drastic difference in volume, the flavor ratio is perfectly balanced. The novelty of this mountainous desert alone is irresistible to the curious–and its delivery doesn’t disappoint.
Big Mamma Group
If you’re in Milan, you’re probably looking for an authentic Italian experience. If so, it may interest you to know that Gloria Osteria is the creation of a French company, Big Mamma Group, with the desire to “transport people to Italy for a meal”. Big Mamma designs and opens restaurants specializing in Italian cuisine, maintaining a sense of authenticity by hiring Italians and sourcing their ingredients from Italian producers. While they have successfully done so with 28 restaurants in 7 countries across Europe, Gloria in Milan is actually their only restaurant in Italy!
The Bathrooms Are a Great Conversation Starter
I would be remiss if I did not mention the bathrooms in Gloria. I had an experience unlike any other when attempting to relieve myself. These bathrooms feature sensual statues and a communal wash area with stalls that feature one-way mirrors. From inside the stall you can see through the door into the wash area. Fortunately, the other patrons only see a mirror on their side of the door.
There is a dash of deviance throughout the restaurant with articles of undergarments framed and hung on the wall. Now that I have informed you, maybe you won’t have the same panic moment that I had when sitting inside the stall without being able to remember whether or not I locked the door. I was a bit alarmed when I was able to see a woman walking toward me attempting to open the door to the stall I was in.
Who Should Dine at Gloria?
Gloria has an extravagant menu that continually features new items along with their signature staples. The food gives Italian dishes a creative flare that matches the decor. If you have an appreciation for extravagant interiors and Italian food that pushes boundaries, Gloria is worth a visit.
