Caffè Fernanda by Filippo La Mantia, at Pinacoteca di Brera

The new face of Caffè Fernanda

The fact that the Pinacoteca di Brera has always focused particular attention on the relationship between art and taste is not surprising since Caffè Fernanda, the museum’s café, located in the last room of the Pinacoteca, is an integral part of the museum tour. Now, just a few months after opening, the gourmet bar located in the heart of the Pinacoteca has been revamped to host a restaurant-bistro, as a result of a partnership with Palermo-born chef and restaurateur Filippo La Mantia. This new dining option includes a selection of vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian dishes, where the colours and scents of Sicily, including citrus fruits, basil and mint, combined with Spanish, Norman and Arab influences, with a special focus on couscous. To meet the requirements of the Pinacoteca’s General Director James Bradburne, whose mission is to make Caffè Fernanda “a place where you can sample the flavour of the Pinacoteca”, the culinary offerings include dishes created ad hoc to pay tribute to the masterpieces hosted in the space, including Piero della Francesca’s Brera Altarpiece, transformed into a culinary work of art, featuring a poached egg supported by a shell-shaped puff pastry wafer on a bed of Swiss chard topped with a lemongrass sauce. In addition to traditional Sicilian desserts, there is also a selection of sandwiches dedicated to people who have played a key role in the history of the Pinacoteca, including Donato Bramante, Ettore Modigliani, Bernardino Luini and Fernanda Wittgens.