Is American Cuisine Better in Milan?
Traveling around the wonderful city of Milan and comparing food from the United States of America
By Enza Cilluffo and Gianna Tyahla
Italy’s food is a prime reason travelers are excited to come abroad. Milan’s diversity is highlighted through the population’s various ethnicities, which is reflected in the culinary options offered. Although there are numerous food staples in Milan from places all over the globe, the American options were certainly a pleasant surprise! Milan’s burger joints and American styled bakeries all brought a different experience that made us feel right at home!
Starbucks and McDonald’s are where many Americans find themselves on a daily basis. It is by no surprise that there is constantly high foot traffic in Milan’s Starbucks and McDonald’s as well. Both establishments are American-owned, but what came as a greater surprise were the pleasant menu variations that cater to the Italian experience. In conjunction with the menu variations that are obviously unique to Milan, the comparative atmosphere to the Starbucks and McDonald’s we are accustomed to in America simultaneously provided comfort and introduced us to our new Milanese life.
As two young women from the United States of America, we love our Starbucks. Yes, the stereotype is true! Walking down a busy, city block in Milan and seeing the familiar logo on Via Durini brings a sense of joy and easement which provokes us to walk in every single time. Entering the building, seeing the recognizable furniture, hearing the soft chatter and keyboard clicks, as well as smelling that unforgettable fragrance of coffee, makes it feel as if we are momentarily back on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The food and beverage choices at Starbucks in Milan differ from those found in the United States. The cute packaging and new frappuccino flavors are minor nuances that create a fun and delightful experience. Cake pops, cookies, muffins, scones, loaves of bread, and cheesecakes line the display rack at a typical Starbucks in America. In a Milanese Starbucks, there are prosciutto sandwiches, limonata, turkey club sandwiches, and doughnuts, along with an endless amount of coffee options. The cultural differences shine through in this instance because there are certain products that are customary in the respective countries that would be absent in another location around the world.
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery is extremely beautiful and it is one of only six in the entire world, with the other locations in New York, Seattle, Chicago, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Being from New Jersey, we have never had the opportunity to visit a Starbucks Reserve Roastery, so being able to walk to the Milan location on a daily basis has been such a treat for us! At first glance with its Tuscan marble countertops, it is hard to believe this visually enticing building is simply a coffee shop. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan actually used to be a post office (Rense 2018). There is a large Scolari roaster, located in the center of the roastery, which allows its customers to see the coffee beans actively being roasted. Starbucks founder, Howard Schultz, indicates that during his first trip to Milan in 1983, he was “captivated by the sense of community [that he] found in the city’s espresso bars — the moments of human connection that passed so freely and genuinely between baristas and their customers” (Starbucks Stories & News). This compelled him to create this unique Starbucks experience, as he “pays homage to the Italian espresso culture” by opening the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the historic Poste building in Piazza Cordusio (Starbucks Stories & News). Schultz’s admiration for Italian coffee shines through in the elegance that is presented.
The McDonald’s in Milan looks like any standard McDonald’s that one would find in America, however the ordering system is much more sophisticated compared to the ones in the States. In America, McDonald’s has a “Bacon Cheeseburger”; in Italy, they are referred to as the “Great Crispy McBacon.” Although lately there are more American options on the menu at McDonald’s in Milan, it is typical that burgers can come with “Italian Scamorza cheese” here. Along with a choice of top-quality cheese, there is also the ability to “super-size” your burger in Italy, which is not a possibility in the United States anymore. The supersize option was eliminated in 2004 due to the obesity crisis in America (The Associated Press 2004).
McDonald’s McCafe bar has many more, sophisticated options. In America, there are usually traditional chocolate chip cookies and basic desserts offered, but in Milan there are cheesecakes, doughnuts, cookies, and a variety of Nutella pastries. Ultimately, through Milan’s McDonald’s wide array of mini doughnuts, their gallon tubs of Nutella on display, different cake assortments, as well as advancements in their typical menu options, there is a superiority that is demonstrated. Overall, the experiences in Starbucks and McDonald’s surprised us and were much more pleasurable because of all the new food and drink options that are available to us.
Another American-aimed destination we visited was California Bakery, and the irony is that there are no locations in America (even though we wish there were!). California Bakery’s goal is to “bring the best of the American diner tradition in Italy” and has done so for over twenty years in Milan (California Bakery). They have accomplished this through their featurization of bagels and pancakes on their display rack because American food has been assimilated into the Milanese way of life, especially when paired with an aperitivo! California Bakery does a great job of including a range of flavors from all over the fifty states as they serve lobster rolls from Maine and burgers from California. Also, they advertise that they have the best desserts from the United States: “I dolci dell’America” (California Bakery).
California Bakery was a phenomenal experience. A few fan favorites are the Teriyaki Chicken bowl and the Big Club sandwich. Both options are menu items that can easily be found in the United States, which speaks to the authenticity. Besides it being extremely delicious, it can truly be a transformative experience for those from America trying to find food places that feel like home. The service at California Bakery was also delightful. One of the waiters, after taking interest in our American background, also explained to us that he has family in Florida and has visited his sister in Orlando multiple times. It was really nice to make that connection with someone abroad, allowing our experience at California Bakery to be that much better.
Stumbling across Hamerica’s was the best mistake we have made on this trip thus far. Their compelling tagline, “The United Tastes of Hamerica” is a great marketing strategy that will appeal to all. Whether it be Italians looking for an authentic American-styled menu or Americans looking for something that reminds them of home, all will have a pleasant experience at Hamerica’s. After all, according to The Milan City Journal, “When it comes to burger Americans know better” because they are a huge staple for us! Hamerica’s offers all the burgers one can think of: Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, bacon burgers, chicken burgers, etc. These are all items that are usually seen on a typical diner or restaurant menu in the United States, however Hamerica’s arguably does it better!
With over twenty years of experience and locations throughout Italy (seven of those locations just being in Milan!), Hamerica’s has expanded its horizons from these three restaurants: 212 Hamburgers, 212 Rotisserie and Carolina’s (Hamerica’s). By combining these concepts, Hamerica’s has accomplished bringing together the great cuisine skills of Italy with the American way of cooking in order to create such an amazing atmosphere. The service at Hamerica’s was also something to rave about. They were excited about having American customers and asked if it was okay to practice their English speaking skills with us. While we wanted to practice our Italian speaking skills, it made the experience fun because they asked if what they said was “okay” and they were excited to interact with us.
Being that Milan is such a unique city with inhabitants from all over the globe, it is such a great place to study abroad and gain perspective on different ways of life. There are so many opportunities to embrace not only Italian culture, but numerous others too! Because Italy is the food capital of the world and is known for its fantastic cuisine, it is only appropriate that students studying abroad can learn about various lifestyles through the food that is on constant display throughout the big city. The first thing that comes to mind when people ask about the United States of America is usually not the cooking, however, Milan does a remarkable job recreating the American way of life through its burger joints and American-styled bakeries as well as surpassing our expectations with McDonald’s and Starbucks, places much visited all over the world, especially in the United States! All in all, these Americanized food establishments, whether they were created in Milan or abroad, all brought a sense of comfort in a city far away from home.
