Milan | Like Gelateria

The heat is on in Milan. It couldn’t be any other way at this time of Expo year. By way of antidote, what better than some of the best ice cream northern Italy can offer, at Like, smack bang in the city centre. Now if Like is well served by its proximity to a branch of Grom (with all due respect) in Via Santa Margherita, a few steps west of La Scala, it hardly needs the comparison to stand head and shoulders above average. From a superlative, classic granita al limone, through all the time-honoured fruity and nutty flavours that taste exquisitely of fruits and nuts (the pistachio is to die for), to a few more exotic formulas (though nothing ridiculously wacky), it’s hard not to exclaim they’re the best you’ve ever tried. Needless to say they’re all handcrafted, on the premises, from choicest ingredients.

Add the lack of the long queues dogging Like’s lionised neighbour, and the obliging manner of Marina and her staff, and it’s really a no-brainer in this part of town. If you’re passing earlier in the day, bear in mind that Like is not only gelateria but a fully-fledged bar and artisanal patisserie too. The coffee’s good and the croissants superb. Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, they’re preparing savoury snacks for tasty light lunches, and a bounteous assortment of cakes, pastries and desserts with those same standards of excellence.