Bagutto is Italy's oldest trattoria, established in Ponte Lambro in 1284: "The sense of home reigns here."

Historical testimonies speaking of the post office and refreshment point for travelers on the outskirts of Milan, Gemma Bosoni has been running it for 40 years: "And as long as I can, I won't leave it"

The oldest trattoria in Italy - and the second in Europe, after the Stiftskeller St. Peter restaurant in Salzburg - is in the heart of Ponte Lambro, at Via Vittorini 4. And its history, the history of the Antica Trattoria Bagutto - recently recognized among the historic shops of Milan - begins as early as 1284. Originally founded as a post office, a place for changing horses for caravans and a refreshment point for travelers, the trattoria owes its name to a Lombard word meaning "place where one eats". And as a reminder of those origins, the outside still features the iron rings used to tether horses during breaks.

It's run by Gemma Bosoni, who took over the establishment forty years ago from her partner Fernando Cedrone, who owned it with other partners. "To make others burn it, it's better if you burn it yourself," she told me. "And yet, in the end, it worked out well," she says proudly today. Perhaps also because of the unchanged formula, the homely atmosphere that pervades. At the entrance, a framed notarial deed attesting to the inn's existence since 1284, discovered by Milanese scholar Giuseppe Girosa Bricchetto, is displayed. On the right, the kitchen pass offers a glimpse of the cooks at work. "They are the real secret of a good restaurant," says Bosoni. "Years ago, I was also in the kitchen, today I dedicate myself to the dining room and taking care of the customers." The cuisine is traditional Lombardy, featuring risottos, mondeghili (a kind of pasta made with rice and vegetables), and braised meats, which have received other accolades in the past: in 2025, it won an episode of the cooking show Foodish, managing to transport judges Joe Bastianich and Benedetta Parodi "straight back to their grandmothers' meals," says the owner.

A few steps from the entrance is the inn's smallest and oldest room. Between the enormous wooden beams of the ceiling, there's still a small peephole with a lock, once used by the women who stayed upstairs to check on the presence of men in the shop. On the left, a stone basin, already used for washing dishes and glasses, was recovered by the owner after being dug up. Adding to the atmosphere are the photos lining the walls: from tables with Adriano Celentano and Ligabue, to Fernando Cedrone, who passed away last year. "The secret of this place is its identity. It has always been a place of refreshment, from when we ate small fish caught right across the street from the Lambro River to what we cook today," says Bosoni, looking at a vintage photo of the inn. The streets aren't as busy as they are today, and there aren't any cars, but the trattoria has remained very similar to what it once was.

Helping Gemma Bosoni every day in the dining room is Mary, the chef's wife: "We are like yin and yang," she says, dressed in black, looking at the owner, dressed in white: "I'm more stern, while she embraces the customers." "The sense of home reigns here," Bosoni continues. "My greatest satisfaction is when customers feel welcomed. That's what drives me to keep going." The future of the trattoria, however, is still uncertain: "I feel a huge responsibility. I'm no longer young, and I don't know what will happen when I decide to give up." Her daughter, in fact, doesn't work there, and "running a historic inn requires passion and total dedication," explains Bosoni. However, she remains certain of one thing: "As long as I can, I have no intention of leaving this place."

Link to the website: https://milano.repubblica.it/c...