Izu

Izu, on Corso Lodi in Milan's southeast, earns a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025; a signal of consistent technical competence rather than fireworks, but meaningful in a city where Japanese restaurants rarely hold sustained critical recognition. If you are planning a special dinner and want something that sits between casual sushi and full omakase theatre, Izu is a serious candidate. The price tier (€€€) positions it below Milan's constellation of €€€€ fine dining rooms, which makes it a genuinely useful middle option for occasions that call for something considered but not ceremonial.

The room itself, after a recent refurbishment, reads as an elegant bistro rather than a traditional Japanese interior. The atmosphere is composed without being stiff, the kind of setting that works for a date, a business dinner, or a quiet celebration where you want the food and the conversation to share equal billing. On the sound front, expect a measured ambient level: not the silence of a tasting-menu temple, not the din of a fashion-crowd izakaya. The post-refurbishment fit-out has clearly prioritised comfort over statement.

The menu covers the expected range, sushi, uramaki, sashimi, alongside a category labelled "Izu special creations" and a selection of dishes that draw on both Asian and Mediterranean references. The ownership is Chinese, the culinary focus is Japanese, the result is a kitchen that works within a defined tradition while leaving room for its own interpretation. That Mediterranean inflection is worth noting: for a Milan audience, it functions as a bridge rather than a distraction, for visitors, it makes the menu more navigable than a strictly orthodox Japanese format might.

The Wine Program: Where Izu Separates Itself

Wine list at Izu is an asset that many Japanese restaurants in this price tier do not bother to develop properly. Here, an experienced sommelier oversees a list that includes both a curated wine selection and, as you would expect, a range of sakes. That combination matters more than it might seem. The ability to match a sake to sashimi and then pivot to an Italian white for a Mediterranean-inflected course is exactly the kind of fluency that makes a multi-course dinner cohere. For a celebratory dinner where you plan to drink well, this is the detail that gives Izu an edge over Japanese restaurants that treat the drinks list as an afterthought.

If wine is a priority for your table, ask to speak with the sommelier directly rather than ordering off the list alone. The combination of sake depth and Italian wine knowledge in a single list is not common at this price point in Milan, it is one of the clearest reasons to choose Izu over a comparable Japanese venue with a thinner drinks program. For context, if you are looking at the full range of what Milan's dining scene offers on the wine front, our full Milan wineries guide gives a broader picture of the region's producers.

Booking and Practicalities

Booking difficulty is rated easy, which is a meaningful advantage for spontaneous occasions or group dinners with less planning lead time. Address: C.so Lodi, 27, 20135 Milano. For planning purposes, see our full Milan restaurants guide, full Milan hotels guide, full Milan bars guide, and full Milan experiences guide.

More to Explore in Italy

For other high-quality dining destinations across Italy, see Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico, Dal Pescatore in Runate, Quattro Passi in Marina del Cantone, and Reale in Castel di Sangro.