“Alle otto, da oTTo” (“at eight, at oTTo”): that’s when and where I always meet my best friend for our couple (or more) catch-up drinks and bites whenever I fly back home to Milan from London for the weekend. You will find this plant-filled, laid-back and unapologetically cool little bar where you may least expect it, in the heart of bustling Chinatown. Get off the tram or the metro at Moscova and take a short walk past dumpling-stuffed windows all the way to oTTo, with its wooden chairs and tables full of friends and couples of all ages animatedly chatting over a glass of Aperol, craft beer, organic wine or freshly squeezed juice.
My personal unwind favourite is a simple glass of white organic wine for €6. They change the selection every now and then, but I hope the Passerina or Pecorino will be available on your visit. My best friend is quintessentially Milanese, meaning she will always go for a spritz no matter what, but even she gives in to my wine enthusiasm when we meet there. Food-wise, their menu changes a few times a month, and you can order several Italian bites with a twist.
The essence of oTTo is that it is so Milan. People are rolling small cigarettes in small brown smoking papers out of their small brown tobacco pouches; everybody is gossiping about somebody, potentially about the person sitting two tables away; everyone is dressed with one item from the penny store and one from vintage couture and something last seen at Milan Fashion Week; and everything is so unbothered and exquisite. Top added value: there is no way you will end up spending more than €25–€30 unless you are a on a bender. Top-secret tip: if you go there during the day, the super WiFi means you can work amid the plants, and it will likely be just you and a few hipster designer guys editing skateboard-pattern prints on MacBooks. Website; Directions
— Cristiana Sandeva, journalist, London and Milan
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