Emporio Armani Caffè & Ristorante — Milan, Italy

Milan’s Montenapoleone fashion district clubhouse – the Emporio Armani Caffè & Ristorante – reopens this spring with a nip and tuck designed by the boss himself. Set on the ground floor of the brand’s retail headquarters in an imposing grey stone 1930’s-era block, the café and restaurant takes up renewed residence within the stately complex that also houses the Armani Hotel and flagship store.
The renovation pulls from Armani’s meticulous brand codes — a subdued palette, clean lines, good materials — to stitch up the building’s rationalist bones. The joint café and restaurant’s design centres around a ribbon of pale gold that unfurls from start to finish: beginning at the lacquered wood bar, it leads from the cafe’s coffee counter into the restaurant and up the grand winding staircase to the second floor. Soft-touch walls are upholstered in a slightly iridescent steely-blue tone, while seating, rendered in a similar, leather-like fabric, was custom made for the cafe. Upstairs, a monumental green marble fireplace sits pride-of-place at the terminus of the dining room, winged by panels of Armani Casa textiles printed in a tropical palm motif.
Patrons who want to see, be seen and also eat will find a menu of thoughtfully devised Mediterranean and Northern Italian dishes: spaghetti with tomatoes from the island of Vulcano; homemade Scialatielli pasta with squid; and traditional Milanese veal chop all make the list. Diners can opt for a tasting menu or a la carte for brunch, lunch or dinner; or, if you’re just stopping by for a quick coffee, an Armani-branded cake will surely set you back less than a similarly stamped handbag next door.
ADDRESS
Via dei Giardini 2
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Laura May Todd, Wallpaper's Milan Editor, based in the city, is a Canadian-born journalist covering design, architecture and style. She regularly contributes to a range of international publications, including T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Azure and Sight Unseen, and is about to publish a book on Italian interiors.
-
Fiat’s pint-sized Panda is reinvented for the electric age, albeit as a compact crossover
The new Fiat Grande Panda has arrived, one of a new wave of compact EVs due out in European markets throughout 2025
By Guy Bird Published
-
Inside Joan Didion’s unseen diary of personal relationships and post-therapy notes
A newly discovered diary by Joan Didion is soon to be published. Titled 'Notes to John', the journal documents her relationship with her daughter, husband, alcoholism, and depression
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Jacquemus is officially designing its first beauty line: what will it look like?
French fashion brand Jacquemus announces an official move into beauty with a line of products created in partnership with L’Oréal. Wallpaper* makes some predictions on what they might be
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
A next-generation Milanese members’ club wins Wallpaper* Design Award 2025
The Wilde wins our Best Social Hub award for its embodiment of the cosmopolitan Milanese spirit
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025: meet the travel winners transcending destinations
Discover the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025 travel winners – the year’s places to stay, dine, drink and join – and watch our video to find out why they won
By Lauren Ho Published
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this year
From the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The design-led restaurants to know in 2025
This year’s most read-about restaurant openings to inspire your 2025 cravings, from a playful diner in New York to an art-and-dining hub in Marrakech
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The cosiest alpine retreats to book in Europe
Browse the Wallpaper* edit of European alpine retreats where to fully embrace the ski season
By Nicola Leigh Stewart Published
-
Tour a new Sardinian hotel hidden among sand dunes
Hotel Le Dune Piscinas is a cosy five-star boutique resort surrounded by the untamed natural beauty of Sardinia’s Costa Verde
By Ifeoluwa Adedeji Published
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openings
Explore the best new hotels in the world, from a bijou addition to the London hotel scene to a lush safari adventure in South Africa
By Nicola Leigh Stewart Last updated
-
2,734 metres above the sea, a northern Italian hotel ensures peak happiness
Designed by Senoner Tammerle Architekten, hotel Santnerpass Hütte offers the perfect off-grid retreat amid a Unesco-protected landscape
By John Weich Published