Many nights at the Teatro alla Scala start with an elegant meal at Ristorante Trussardi alla Scala. And there are numerous reasons for this. First and foremost: while the seasonal food at the Trussardi alla Scala is deliciously, decidedly Italian at its core, with the odd French influence, the dishes are playful in their interpretations. The chefs employ great culinary vision and avant garde techniques that reinvent and reinvigorate.

Scanning the menu, diners find that the classics, like cacio e pepe, are served with a spin. In this case, serving the dish with fresh sea urchin. Sicilian red prawns come with almond, lemon, capers and coffee. Sole à la meunière is served with a lime potato puree and sorrel leaves.

The a la carte menu gets plenty of attention here, which isn’t surprising considering the tempting array of choices. But the tasting menus are a knockout, offered in sizes of four, five, and the grandest of them all, 10 courses. The chef creates the menu based around the diner’s choices from the a la carte menu and the fun starts there.

But it’s not just the sensational food that draws diners and theatregoers. There’s also the sleek, modern surrounds. From the gleaming warm wooden floors and lashings of lush greenery to the crisp white lines and clean lines as far as the eye can see, Trussardi alla Scala is a compellingly contemporary space.

And even if diners linger, savouring every last morsel of their meal, there’s still little chance of missing the curtain at the Teatro alla Scala. The Ristorante Trussardi alla Scala is, after all, found steps from the historic theatre’s front door.