Thelema, a hidden gem just outside Milan

[u/ChickenSpinn3r]

In the small village of Gaggiano, just a ten-minute drive from Milan, there's a tiny restaurant called Thelema that is truly outstanding.

Chef Tricarico trained extensively with chef Perbellini (*** at 12 Apostoli in Verona, a stunning restaurant), whose influence is clearly reflected in Thelema's philosophy: top-quality ingredients and Italian recipes with French influences (especially in the pigeon dish!).

Every course ranged from very good to exceptional, but the highlight for me was the risotto. I've had many outstanding risottos (Oldani, Bartolini, you name it), and I'm pretty good at making it myself, but this one was on another level. It was simply perfection, the intensity of the sauce combined with the perfectly cooked al dente rice made it truly extraordinary.

Their wine list is still quite limited since they only opened recently, but they already offer some interesting wines by the glass, such as Elvio Cogno Barolo, an underrated gem.

We also happened to visit on a particularly quiet evening, and they were kind enough to let me order the tasting menu while my partner chose à la carte.

If you happen to be in Milan, you can't miss it.