An architectural masterpiece of the century, the Duomo di Milano is hailed as one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in the world. However, since tens of thousands of tourists flock here every year, the area around the cathedral square is dominated by restaurants primarily catering to, and priced for, tourists. If a special friend is visiting and wants to experience the magnificence of the Cathedral, then dining around Duomo square requires some good knowledge of restaurants in this area.
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Now the situation hasfurther improved thanks to the opening of Verso, a restaurant sitting in the first row of the square and run by the two brothers and chefs Remo and Mario Capitaneo. It scoped two Michelin stars not long after opening. Therefore, the beautiful historic Cathedral is not only crowned by a 700-year-old humanistic splendour, but now also elevated by Michelin-star-rated culinary experiences.
In the Michelin Guide Italy published in November 2023, there are unprecedentedly two new three-starred restaurantson the list. Not surprisingly, one is Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler, the restaurant built next to a textile factory at the foothills of the mountain by three-starred chef Norbert Niederkofler. Verso received two stars at first entry in the guide. In fact, if you know the chefs' background working in three-starred kitchens, you'll know that Verso was crowned two stars for good reasons. Coupled with the downgrading of Aimo e Nadia, which has been a long-standing two-starred restaurant in Milan for decades, it seems that the Michelin Guide needs to strike a balance of sorts.
Verso was opened by chef brothers Remo and Mario Capitaneo of Apulian origin, the heel of Italy’s “boot”, who moved to Milan at a young age to follow their passion for cooking. In 2006, they joined the team of renowned chef Andrea Berton at Trussardi alla Scala restaurant (2 Michelin stars) before moving on to work in different starred restaurants. The brothers reunited at chef Enrico Bartolini's restaurant Devero – in 2010, becoming his sous chefs and then followed him when he opened Enrico Bartolini Restaurant at Mudec in Milano. In 2019, this very restaurant celebrated the return of the 3 Michelin stars to Milan.
After years of hard work, the two brothers finally opened their own restaurant Versoat the beginning of 2023. Three-starred chefs usually do not want their right-hand men to leave, but working as sous chefs was probably not the final goal for them. After they left the three-starred kitchen, much attention has been attracted to their new project.
As soon as you step into Verso, you can see the combination of chef's tables and itamae counters. The three open worktops exude a metallic feel in the kitchen. Guests are seated towards where the dishes are served, and there are heating lamps at the front of the dining area, allowing the chef to complete the final step of plating in front of the guests and precisely control the temperature of the food.
Mario Capitaneo（Left）Remo Capitaneo（Right）
The openness of the kitchen and dining area, where you can see the chefs' dedication and their trust in their cooking techniques, also provides a space suitable for holding private events. Every time I return to Milan, my other half is eager to take me to new restaurants. It has not even been a year since Verso opened, and I have already visited it three times, with the most recent one just three days before the publication of the Michelin Guide. Two out of the three visits were veritable of two stars. The length of the menu was designed to perfection, which is also my preferred format. More than 70% of the dishes were presented with high quality, without the need for an overly long menu filled with showy techniques.Only minor imperfections on one occasion but possibly due to the size of our big dining group. But let’s keep in mind they opened only few months ago and I have already noticed improvements as it is the case for their wine list which is gradually expanding.
Different from many other Italian restaurants, Verso’s menu is very carb-conscious, more focused on meats and seafood. This may be a result of catering to international guests and the influence of a healthier diet trend. Many fine dining restaurants in Italy seem to provide dishes similar to French cuisine.
One of the dishes that impressed me a lot was the mushroom ravioli with smoked eel. The ravioli was handmade and teemed with aromatic and earthy mushroom. The eel was tender and elevated by the rich umami of the concentrated chicken broth. The portion was not big but enough to make one satiated withrich flavour and mouthfeel.
The animella (or sweetbread), a nice ingredient recommended by Michelin Guide, was crispy outside and tender inside. I’ve always thought it tastes like pig’s brain or shirako. The most amazing part was the pairing with sea urchin and Bearnaise sauce made with coffee and sorrel. The combination of sweet uni and bitter coffee was so nicely balanced. Who would have thought about this?
Sweetbreads with sea urchin and Béarnaise Sauce
The main dish squab was cooked and was served in many different ways. The chef cooked squab skewers in Japanese-style grill, together with delicate squab breast and offal, finally garnished with dried muscat grapes and bay leaves to form a picturesque plating. The Cathedral Square is used to having pigeons flying around, and that day a friend joked about being able to eat pigeon in front of the cathedral. This is exactly what happened on that evening.
The Capitaneo brothers are modest, shy and considerate. They treat people with heartfelt sincerity and haveestablished contacts in the community. Ever since they received Michelin stars, wide acclaim and congratulations followed. When I first visited Verso, I could see the operation pressure was there, maybe because the restaurant was so new. Things are surely different now after it garnered two stars. Verso also has ex three-starred sommelier – Marco Matta – now also restaurant manager, so I believe things will become smoother and smoother in the future.
The Milan Cathedral is made up of white marble of varying hues, and it took six centuries to complete this truly breathtaking Gothic building. It is the largest church in the Italian Republic – the larger St. Peter's Basilica is in the State of Vatican City. There are many historic landmarks around the square, making it a world-class tourist destination. I spend four to five months a year in Milan and the rest of the time in Shanghai. Even so, I never tire of looking at the Milan Cathedral, and every time I pass by, I am still amazed by its beauty and stirred by its grandeur.
Unfortunately, in the past, the area around thecathedral was full of commercial activities for tourists and lacked decent restaurants, and most Milanese would not dine near the area, so there are very few restaurants worth visiting, with Spazio by Niko Romito being one of the very few exceptions. Verso is one place to go for those who wouldn’t want to compromise on food. Verso is planning to launch some private rooms that have a view of the cathedral, but dining in the kitchen is also a warm experience many people like, including me.
White truffle cake
Verso is a new paradigm, a leap of faith for chefs and diners alike. It adds to the stary Milanese culinary scene, offering a complete fine dining experience for visitors coming to appreciate the historical and artistic significance of the Duomo.
Author: Jocelyn Chen
Photo: Peray Hsiao
