Cinzia De Lauri e Sara Nicolosi

Altatto

15, via Comune Antico
20125 - Milan

+393286641670

Vegetal cuisine, feminine, plural. After working together in the starred kitchen of Pietro Leemann at Joia for many years, Sara Nicolosi and Cinzia De Lauri decided to fly solo and opened Altatto in 2015 in the neighbourhood of Greco, north of Milan. A team of only women, completed by sous chef Caterina Perazzi, who also trained with Leemann, and, Miriam Canzi, dining room manager and sommelier, a graduate in Visual Culture and Fine Arts.

A small and informal dining room, but with a warm and elegant atmosphere, Altatto's loyal customers are passionate of veg-friendly food but the restaurant also attract many curious “carnivores” who are ready to be charmed by an unusual experience. It's open only in the evening, with two shifts, seating around 15 people. There are two tasting menus, strictly sustainable and seasonal, that change monthly.

What makes them different? They identify and give value to the deepest nuances of every vegetable and root. They give elegance and lightness to a fried onion as proven by their dish Ueno, a tribute to the park in Tokyo famous for its beautiful water lilies, with a sweet French onion, breaded in chickpea flour and fried, which is transformed into a flower, and seasoned with a tartare sauce, paired with a fresh salad of brassica plants.  

They also pay attention and are curious about different cultures around the world, as shown by the homemade Moroccan bread, filled like a sandwich with grilled artichokes, tahina, harissa (made with chilli peppers), and burnt lemon juice to add a fresh touch. The Middle East often appears in the menu.

In their hands, experiments are a constant, and for quite some time they've been working on making “vegan cheeses” by fermenting nuts. There are strong values in the cellar too, with a selection of organic and biodynamic wines from small producers, a list of alcoholic and alcohol-free cocktails, some drinks like kombucha, to continue the research in the vegetal world.

Has participated in

Identità Milano


by

Identità Golose

This article is curated by Identità Golose, the publication that organises the international fine dining congress, publishes website www.identitagolose.com and the online Guida Identità Golose, on top of curating many other events in Italy and abroad