This sparse, old school Italian eatery should be on your Salone del Mobile schedule.
Should you tire of looking at colorful chairs next week at Salone—which would never happen to me—I implore you to go for dinner at Dongiò in Milan's Porta Romana. You’re unlikely to run into anyone you spent all day making small talk with, but that perk even pales in comparison to the unfussy list of dishes that remind you how food should be served. (You may see quirky wallpaper depending on the room you’re seated in, but you should feel no obligation to voice “a take” on it.)
The maccheroni all’uso di Crotone is one clear example: handmade rigatoni-adjacent tube noodles are tossed with a simple tomato sauce, sausage, lots of oil, and plenty of onion. The bitter puntarelle saltate is sautéed just until limp and served in an appealing pile, perhaps intentionally reminding you of its natural form. The parmigiana di melanzane comes in an elegantly compressed square, like a slice of lasagna. The beef polpettine are little and tender— and you should get an order for the table. For dessert, order the tiramisu, and a slice of the gingery cheesecake. You need to get your strength up for tomorrow; the colorful chairs await.
Dongiò, Via Bernardino Corio, 3, 20135 Milano MI, Italy.