Lombardy's cuisine is heavily based on the region's most famous produce, which is cheese. The multitude of varieties available includes excellent grana padano, mascarpone, gorgonzola, and crescenza. The area of Milan grows its own kind of rice, which is used as a base for delicious Northern Italian risottos. During the fancy and ambitious 1980s, the uncomplicated Milanese cuisine fell into neglect as too meagre. Only recently has it started to regain its status as the northerners' favourite.

Milanese restaurants serve lunch at more or less standard Italian time, which is between 1pm and 3 pm. As inhabitants of the most business-oriented city in the country, the Milanese tend to go against the sit-down-meal tradition and simply grab a quick snack while on the run. Pizzerias, fast food outlets and paninotecas abound. However, those in favour of a more traditional Italian approach towards lunchtime won't find themselves at a loss for options.

The Milanese usually start their midday meals with a popular local aperitif, Negroni Sbagliato, which is a cocktail made with Campari, Sweet Vermouth and Spumante Brut, and decorated with an orange slice. Then comes an antipasti, a cold meat or vegetable starter, followed by the first course, usually a risotto, and the second course, normally meat with vegetables. Dessert and coffee conclude the meal. Dinners, as everywhere else in Italy, are served late – around 9 pm – and are usually very light.

Milan is an important business centre, so expect all of the restaurants in the centre to be very expensive. An average complete dinner costs around 25 Euro per person. Prices are only slightly lower in pizzerias. In order to have a cheap, non-fast-food dinner, join the young Milanese crowd storming local pubs every night for Happy Hour, called Aperitivo. Between 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm, for 5 to 8 Euro you can have a drink and enjoy an open buffet with a large variety of food. Many such places are located near Navigli, Porta Ticinese and Porta Romana.