Itinerari · Ristoranti dal Mondo

Restaurants of the World — A Five-Stage Itinerary

From London to Milan, passing through Paris, Turin, and Venice: five addresses that narrate the taste of our time

18 October 2026

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Restaurants of the World — A Five-Stage Itinerary

Five cities. Five addresses. A single common thread: the pursuit of a taste that tells a story. This is not a ranking.

It is not a tourist guide. It is an itinerary suggested to those who consider travel a form of knowledge, and a dish the place where a culture reveals itself more sincerely than any monument ever could. From London to Milan, passing through Paris, Turin, and Venice. Five stages, five different ways of understanding hospitality.

Stage I — London: KOL Santiago Lastra built KOL around a precise idea: bringing together the Mexican soul and the British terroir. This is not mere rhetoric. It means that the ingredients come largely from the British Isles, yet the language of the cuisine remains deeply rooted in the traditions of Mexico. The result has captured a Michelin star and the attention of those seeking, in a metropolis like London, an experience capable of surprising without sacrificing consistency.

The address is found in the heart of Mayfair, in a curated environment where the atmosphere accompanies the gastronomic journey without overshadowing it. KOL is not a Mexican restaurant in London. It is a London restaurant with a Mexican soul. The difference is subtle but decisive.

Official website: kolrestaurant.com ## Stage II — Paris: All'Antico Vinaio All'Antico Vinaio was born in Florence as a schiacciata shop. Its expansion to Paris represents something more than a commercial operation.

It is proof that a simple product, made well, can cross national borders without losing its identity. The Parisian location is in the 18th arrondissement, on Rue Lepic, a stone's throw from Montmartre and the Moulin Rouge. The schiacciata is filled in front of the customer with cured meats, cheeses, and ingredients that recount the Tuscan tradition in just a few deft moves. It is not haute cuisine.

It is something different, yet no less interesting: the demonstration that the quality of bread and a filling is enough to construct a memorable experience. In a city like Paris, where pastry and baking are a national art, the presence of a Florentine bottega is a silent and fascinating challenge. Official website:

com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">allanticovinaio.com ## Stage III — Turin: Stratta 1836 Piazza San Carlo is the drawing room of Turin. At number 1836, since the distant year of 1836, Pasticceria Stratta has welcomed Turinese locals and visitors alike with an offering that blends pastry, gastronomy, and chocolate-making. To enter is to cross nearly two centuries of history.

The stucco on the ceiling, the marble of the floor, and the central counter recount an era when a grocery store was also a place of social representation. Stratta is not just a pastry shop. It is a piece of urban history that continues to live through taste. Typical Piedmontese products — from gianduiotti to truffles, from paste di meliga to wines — find here a showcase that respects their dignity.

In an era where many historic establishments close or transform, Stratta represents the resilience of a model based on quality that remains constant over time. Official website: stratta1836.it ## Stage IV — Venice: Palazzo Kitchen Table Inside the Aman Venice, chef Matteo Panfilio leads an experience that unites two seemingly distant traditions: Japanese omakase and Italian cuisine.

Eight covers. A single table. A menu that changes with the seasons and what the day's market offers. The form is that of omakase: the chef decides, the guest surrenders.

But the content is Italian: seasonal local ingredients, handled with technique and sensibility. The setting is that of a Venetian palazzo, with the lagoon as a frame. It is not a restaurant in the traditional sense of the term. It is rather an intimate conversation between those who cook and those who eat, where the distance between the two roles is reduced to a minimum.

The experience requires a reservation and represents one of the most interesting offerings in contemporary Venice: the demonstration that Japanese tradition can converse with Italian sensibility without either losing its voice. Official website: aman.

com/venice ## Stage V — Milan: Vess Vess bistrot is located on via Cesariano, in the Porta Romana district. It is not a famous name like the others on this itinerary. But for that very reason, it deserves attention. Vess represents that category of venues that constitutes the true fabric of urban dining: the neighborhood bistro, where quality does not seek the spotlight but daily confirmation.

The menu offers pasta and pizza with an attention to ingredients and execution that goes beyond the expectations of the bistro format. The second life of Vess tells us something important: that a venue can be reborn, relearn its identity, and rediscover its audience without disowning what it was. In a city like Milan, where the opening of new venues follows rapid and often ephemeral rhythms, the ability to last over time is itself a sign of quality. Official website:

instagram.com/vess.bistrot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">instagram.com/vess.

bistrot ## The Itinerary as a Form of Taste Five stages. Five cities. Five ways of understanding hospitality. KOL in London narrates the meeting between two distant cultures that find a point of contact.

All'Antico Vinaio in Paris demonstrates that well-made simplicity can cross frontiers. Stratta in Turin reminds us that taste can have a memory almost as long as that of the city that contains it. The Palazzo Kitchen Table in Venice suggests that tradition can renew itself without betraying its roots. Vess in Milan confirms that daily quality is the most difficult and most necessary form of dining.

An itinerary is not just a sequence of places. It is a way of looking. And when places are chosen with care, the itinerary itself becomes a work of art. --- > This itinerary was conceived as a starting point for reflection and travel.

Hours, menus, and availability may vary. It is always recommended to verify directly with the establishments before planning a visit.

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