Who knew that even the bakeries in Milan are designer? Known as the Armani of bread, ex-pastry chef Rocco Princi’s super-sleek flagship was designed by Armani’s minimalist architect Claudio Silvestrin. His bakers wear Armani-designed uniforms and are visible to all though an internal glass wall that flanks the laboratorio (kitchen) – park up on a red leather barstool with a brioche and a caffè and observe them preparing picture-perfect fruit tarts, pastries and breads.

There is additional seating outside on the bamboo-walled terrace by the Aprile XXV marble arch. A vast variety caters for breakfast, lunch, tea, aperitivo and dinner – from chunky olive bread sticks and hot pasta dishes to tiramisu and panettone (listen for the bell signifying fresh deliveries of warm bread).

The bar serves coffee, spumante, beers and cocktails; by night, Princi segues into an up-market kebab shop as clubbers satisfy munchies on chunky slabs of hot pizza. Princi has four other panetterie around town but none is as chic or as busy as this.