UPDATING (December 2022) – The location has definitely been closed.

NEW OPENING – Historical brand Cova opens a new café at the ground floor of the Design Museum. Its tables overlook the green of Parco Sempione, and Giorgio de Chirico’s famed fountain.
A new literary café has opened in Milan: an historical brand, set within the relaxing surroundings of a space that is crucial to Expo 2015. A visit to Cova, one of the oldest cafés in Italy, which has attracted a refined yet artistic clientele since its opening almost two centuries ago, is an absolute ‘must’ for those wishing to sample typical Milanese specialities. It was 1817 when Antonio Cova, one of Napoleon’s soldiers and a pastry chef, opened his shop just moments away from La Scala theatre. Thanks to its strategic position, Cova soon became the favourite haunt of artists, writers, musicians and public figures, a place embracing art, culture and the exquisite offerings of an elite pastry shop. Following the bombings that took place during the Second World War, this luxurious café moved from its original location to via Montenapoleone where, today, you can still get a whiff of its old-world ‘salon-type’ atmosphere and savour the sweet treats of the house. However, for outdoor lovers, we suggest heading to Cova’s new headquarters at the Triennale di Milano where you can sample a selection of the brand’s typical products. From breakfast to brunch, from lunch to an aperitivo, you can relax in the shade of its canopied terrace in the magnificent garden of Palazzo dell’Arte, set against the enchanting backdrop of the museum’s contemporary art installations. A unique atmosphere reminiscent of The Picnic by Monet, a place in which a love for sweet treats espouses that of art. The café will remain open from 10am to 11pm until the end of Expo 2015. However, by the end of the year, other openings are scheduled to take place in Beijing, Bangkok, Dubai and Taiwan, meaning that you’ll soon be able to satisfy your cravings for typical Milanese sweet treats even beyond the confines of Italy.
Open daily 10am-11pm. Until 31 October.

Cova in Triennale
Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6
M1-M2 (red and green lines) Cadorna FN
www.pasticceriacova.it

After sipping a cup of tea at Cova in Triennale, make sure to head to the ‘Arts & Foods’ exhibition: a trip back in time amidst foodart and sensory perceptions. Spread out over roughly 7,000 sq.m., it features more than 2,000 works displayed in both chronological and thematic order. Fifteen different spaces are given over to the reconstruction of places in which food takes centre stage with the display of decorative objectspaintingselectrical appliances and other items.
Ticket Price: €12, €10 reduced. Free admission for Expo ticket holders.
Open Mon-Fri 10am-11pm 

By Valentina Saracco