• Private Experience
• Carbon Neutral

Instead of going to a restaurant, enjoy a delicious home-made meal at a local's place! Enjoy a traditional Italian dinner with local foodie Francesca, a passionate home cook who loves preparing delicious dishes after her family recipes.

Destination

Milan, Italy

Category

Home Dinners

Duration

3 hours

Cuisine

Italian

Available languages

English, Français, Italiano

Included

• Equipment

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Francesca.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at approximately Milan to start your culinary journey.

   View on Maps

2. Example menu

   This is what our dinner could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Primo

   Pasta, risotto, ravioli

4. Secondo

   Fish, meat or vegetable (eggplant parmigiana)

5. Dessert

   Tiramisù, panna cotta, torta paesana etc

6. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the menu? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Karen🇺🇸 United States

1 November 2024

Francesca was a friendly host, but we found the overall experience disappointing for the price that we paid. She made us a nice risotto to start and a very good tiramisu for dessert, but the main course of chicken marsala and potatoes was not so interesting. The bottle of wine that we were offered was nothing special and probably a rather inexpensive one. There was no fourth course of limoncello or liquor offered as advertised, but we did have a coffee. Visitors should also know that she has a dog which was lying on the couch while we were there. This may be fine for dog lovers, but the dog vomited a bit while we were eating, which was not so appetizing. It's probably best to put the dog in another room while offering this experience. For the price that we paid, we expected a higher level experience.Didn't meet expectations

Norman🇺🇸 United States

31 October 2024

Francesca and her sister were delightful company and we greatly enjoyed spending time talking about food throughout Italy with authentic Italian foodies! Wonderful People

David🇺🇸 United States

13 October 2024

We had a fantastic dinner with Francesca the day after our arrival in Milan. She is a talented cook so the food was superb and she very willingly worked with us to come up with a menu that we LOVED. But the evening was so much more than just the food. Francesca has a beautiful home, a wide variety of interesting experiences and speaks English extremely well. She is conversant on many topics, not the least of which was being a wealth of information about Italy and Milan. We peppered her with questions about where to go, what to see, how to get there, and she contributed so much to what has been a wonderful stay in Milan. It was truly making a new friend. It was our first experience doing something like this, but based on it will NOT be the last. I cannot recommend spending an evening with Francesca (and friends, we met her boyfriend and her brother) more highly!! You won’t be disappointed.Dine with a local, make a friend

Ian🇬🇧 United Kingdom

27 September 2024

As it happens this was very near our hotel so a very short walk to a superb evening at what felt more like a close family meal. Food was exemplary, with Francesca ensuring she was cooking to our taste before hand. The conversation flowed and we now know all the benefits of air fryers, travel guide options and even book reviews. Superb wines to accompany too, great choices. Absolute high light was a perfect Tiramasu to finish.Gosh what a brilliant find great food

lisainny🇺🇸 United States

19 May 2024

So you think you’re just going for a meal but it’s so much more! First, you can’t imagine how a local lives no less to be welcomed into their home and make you feel so special! Next, you see the beautiful surroundings and a spectacularly made table, with original Italian porcelain dishes that you don’t want to make dirty, then a meal prepared to YOUR liking, Wow!!! It’s an experience not to be missed! The food is Michelin quality made at home. We had no idea !! We went on every tour , saw every sight, ate everywhere, and this was our most memorable experience! THANK YOU TO OUR HOSTS! YOU ARE AMAZING!Beyond any possible expectations! Amazing!

GILL🇬🇧 United Kingdom

16 March 2024

We enjoyed a delicious meal at Francesca’s and had a most interesting discussion with her and her family. We also came away with some excellent recommendations for the rest of our time in Milan. Highly recommended! Great evening - with charming hosts!

Raphael

15 March 2024

The experience was told to take 3 hours. How to spend 3 hours for a Risotto ? It was reffered as "cooking class", by chance I arrived early änd was able to watch Francesca prepare my Risotto and ask questions otherwise it would have been a "pay way too much, take a seat at my place and eat what I cooked" kinda Thing. The rating of 7 is only because Francesca and her husband were really nice and we had a good chat with some suggestions about places to see in the city. Really bad price/value ratio

kai

18 October 2023

The host has been amazing. The food was good. We were late due to late arrival of the arrival flight and the host accommodated the time change at short notice. During the dinner the host shared experience and knowledge ranging from anything in Milan to world politics… you can’t go wrong as a first event in town so you are set with all the right advisesMust have experience in Milan

Christine🇺🇸 United States

26 September 2023

We had a great meal & great visit with Francesca & Alessandra. The food was wonderful & the company even better! Thanks for hosting us!Great local experience

Unknown

26 September 2023

What could be better than to enjoy good food with the Francesca and Alessandra? We learned how to cook risotto, drank wine, and talked about design in Milan. When we travel, we look forward to talking with native residents in that city. We learned about Milan from two very lovely Milanese sisters. A lovely evening. Dinner with The Ladies Mattarello

Walter🇺🇸 United States

3 July 2023

My daughter and I had a wonderful experience with Francesca! She is lovely and we were joined a bit later by her sister (also a top chef!) and boyfriend. We learned so much more about Milan than we ever would have on our own and we were even able to ask Francesca for recommendations the day after. The food was also outstanding: we started with a risotto with peas and then a traditional veal and tuna dish (served cold) followed by a special tiramisu for dessert. Highly, highly recommended if you have an opportunity to do this!A most memorable dinner!

Bradley🇺🇸 United States

28 June 2023

Francesca and Alesandra were amazing hosts who love their city and their food. My wife and I prepared an amazing meal with them and then enjoyed it all together. The food was great, the company even better. First time we’ve made fresh pasta! We cooked something new to us. All of it wonderful. Thank you both for a lovely evening and we look forward to learning more from you the next time we’re in Milan. Fantastico

Kristina

28 June 2023

Francesca and Alessandra provided a WONDERFUL experience! They invited us into their home, taught us how to make fresh ravioli and veal Milanese style. The food was excellent and the company even better. Would highly recommend this experience. Thank you for very much for a wonderful evening!!Amazing cooking experience!

Jose🇺🇸 United States

25 May 2023

I’ve done several with local experiences in different countries. This by far was the best! Francesca and her sister were wonderful hosts and amazing chefs. The food was beautiful and tasted amazing. We got to sit around before and after the meal chatting and it was a friendly atmosphere. The meal they prepared was fantastic and we just loved all the additional recommendations they gave along with the local guidance. If you love food don’t be afraid to try this and have Francesca make you a local Milanese dish. We had the risotto and ossobucco and enjoyed every last bite. Francesca = Amazing!

Susan🇺🇸 United States

3 May 2023

Sharing dinner with Francesca and her sister was a wonderful way to start our trip to Italy. They made some traditional dishes including gnocchi and panna cotta. They also introduced us to some traditional Italian beverages which was fun. Central location, welcoming hospitality, and great food!Great welcome to Milan

Laura🇺🇸 United States

28 January 2023

My 19 year old daughter and I spent the last night of our 10 day trip to Italy having a cozy dinner with Francesca, her partner and their dog in their cool apartment in Milan. They were such wonderful company! It was a treat to be warmly invited in to someone's home and have them lovingly prepare a meal for you. The conversation flowed easily, the food was delicious and it was the most memorable thing we did on our trip. We now have friends in Milan - I can't think of a better souvenir! Francesca, thank you for everything and be in touch if you come to Boston...would love to make dinner for you!Most memorable thing we did on our trip!

Adel🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

17 January 2023

The was Food very poor and tiny amounts for the price she is asking for. She was a friendly host but that was it. Very bad experience sadly.Not as expected at all

Melissa🇺🇸 United States

28 October 2022

Francesca was not only an amazing cook but also a great host! She was warm and welcoming and also gave us good tips about Milan. I would highly recommend this experience!Wonderful food and host!

Albert🇺🇸 United States

18 October 2022

There are numerous aspects of a home-cooked meal that makes it enjoyable: A welcoming home, great food, and memorable conversations, all these were present during our dining experience. The location of the house is way to find; it is located near a hotel, use the hotel as a landmark and you are there. Once inside the home, it is a wonderful, whimsical home. You have to see the artwork and displays, they reveal so much about the inhabitants of the house. To the food, I asked for a risotto and man, did I get what I wanted. The cooks of the house told me the recipes and how easy it is to make. They are very humble and downplay their cooking prowess. There was Ossobuco that melted off the bones and the exceptionally velvety tiramisu. The conversations flowed freely and hilariously. Just like a beautiful household meal, the conversations are not trite. They range from topics of art, literature, travels, pretty much everything. How wide ranging? How about when they sang a Tagalog Folk song that I haven’t heard since I was a kid. Is that diverse enough? Again, it reveals so much about about the level of intelligence between these two sisters and their self-deprecating hilarity is side splitting. If you’ve read my review this far down, I hope that you try this experience. There is no damn way that this value and experience can be achieved anywhere else. Francesca’s Home Away From Home Meal

John🇨🇦 Canada

19 September 2022

We had the pleasure of having dinner hosted by Francesca and her sister after 2 weeks travelling throughout Italy. All 6 of us agreed it was one of the best and most memorable meals of our trip. Thank you to you both for a wonderful evening.A wonderful evening.

Diana🇦🇺 Australia

19 September 2022

Four of us enjoyed a three course cooking class with Francesca and her sister . Francesca was very flexible about what to cook and had done all the preparation She explained everything carefully with very good English.. When one of the guests decided not to eat a course Francesca added some vegetables to the main course. Her kitchen and and apartment are immaculate and very suited to a small class. We are had a wonderful evening and Francesca wouldn’t even let us clean up at the end of it. A fantastic experience Fabulous evening with a generous host

Alex🇺🇸 United States

7 September 2022

Francesca and her sister opened up her home and served a fantastic meal. Great conversation and very welling to accommodate more advice if needed on our journey thru Italy. Feel good

Karissa🇺🇸 United States

7 August 2022

Saying Francesca was amazing is an understatement. Her food, hospitality, and home were beyond our expectations. Thank you so much so a delish Italian home cooked meal! HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Unknown

26 July 2022

I really cannot say enough good things about Francesca. Our experience with her was nothing short of incredible. She was extremely welcoming, kind and amazing. Her meal was prepared so well and absolutely delicious. She was so accommodating and we had the best time. I highly recommend an experience with Francesca and you MUST get the tiramisù... DELICIOUS!!!!Incredible!

Cheryl🇸🇬 Singapore

5 June 2022

My mum had a great dinner with Francesca at her lovely and classy home! Raved about all the delicious food! Francesca gave very good directions to her place as well.Delicious!

Sara🇩🇪 Germany

1 June 2022

Let me start by saying Francesca is an amazing chef! Right away she gave me easy directions to her house, and had good communication with me throughout. Her apartment is stunning. I love having dinners with friends at home, and this felt like I was at home with a close friend. She’s warm, kind, and gracious. It’s no wonder her reviews are so good. We had gnocchi to start it was amazing, with fresh sauce and cheese. Then a typical dish of veal with a tuna sauce. I could have eaten that sauce alone with a loaf of bread it was so good! Then for dessert we had tiramisu. Listen to me when I say I don’t like tiramisu, I don’t, but this was beyond delicious! I wanted to put my face in that tiramisu it was so rich and delicious. I went in blind with this dinner, but I adored everything about it! Oh and she had two kinds of wine to try. The evening was perfect! I highly recommend Francesca. Best Dinner Experience!

Raihan🇬🇧 United Kingdom

28 November 2021

Francesca provided us with an incredible evening of excellent food and conversation. Although we were c. 30 mins late, we were made to feel at home immediately, and introduced to her amazing dog (who we gave our bones to at the end). We gave Francesca free reign with her cooking, only requesting something that is traditional and she did not disappoint, cooking us ossobucco with risotto alla milanese for the main and tiramasu for dessert. Both were exquisite. Throughout the evening, Francesca gave us wonderful conversation, with stories about her time in London, working in Milan and of course her dog. We had a lovely evening and would wholeheartedly recommend this experience to anyone coming to Milan. Incredible food and even better company

Jen🇬🇧 United Kingdom

17 October 2020

Francesca was a fantastic host and had the cutest co-host too (her beautiful dog Thea) the food was delicious and the company even better. She made sure to make us both feel comfortable by wearing mask off the table and social distancing as well as a few great tips on where to visit! Highly recommended experience.One of the best meals i have ever had!

Deborah

3 November 2019

Wonderful host and great foodAbove excellent

Michael 🇨🇦 Canada

18 October 2019

My wife and I visited Francesca back in June while in Milan. We had great conversations with amazing food. Francesca was so accommodating and made us feel right at home in her home. This was our first experience with, WithLocals and we were certainly impressed. If you are in Milan and looking for a great night with a beautiful views of the Dumo, then Francesca would be the one! You will not be disappointed. Mike and RoseAmazing Time in Milano With Francesca

Paulette🇺🇸 United States

13 October 2019

Everything about our evening with Francesca was superb. She greeted us at the door and immediately made us feel welcome. The evening was unhurried, filled with good conversation, excellent food and laughter. We will return if we are in Milan again. Our evening with Francesca

Christine🇩🇪 Germany

25 September 2019

Der Abend mit Francesca war einfach toll: Das Essen war lecker, wir haben geredet und gelacht, Francesca hat uns gute Tipps für Mailand gegeben, wir gingen satt und richtig zufrieden nach Hause. Danke!!!Ein wunderbarer Abend

Rachel🇦🇺 Australia

6 July 2019

Words can’t describe how great this was. We were welcomed into Francesca’s home like old friends, the menu she had prepared just for us was out of this world delicious. Such warmth and generosity made us feel so at home. The food was amazing, the information and stories shared made us feel welcome, the hints of places to visit for foodies were great (we ticked all the boxes the next day). I can highly recommend this experience. Amazing one of a kind experience

John🇦🇺 Australia

5 June 2019

We had a great meal at Francesca's house. She was very accommodating with meal selection due to personal preferences. She is a great host and conversationalist.

Mark🇺🇸 United States

4 May 2019

Got a cooking lesson from Francesca at her beautiful apartment with a view of the Duomo. Joined by wife and friends for a real Italian meal in a great setting. Francesca is knowledgeable, a fine cook/teacher and a great host. Wish there were more stars to give. Would do it again in a heartbeat.Great Dinner and Cooking Lesson

SEE WAI🇸🇬 Singapore

23 November 2018

We just had our home dining experience with Francesca 3 nights ago. She’s a great host. She take cares of very details, from messaging us the location of her house a few days before we arrive, to the kind of food we might like or dislike, right up to helping us to book a cab after dinner. The 3 course meal was wonderful. We started off with baked lasagna which our daughter claimed to be “the best” she had tried so far (she loves lasagna, so if she said it’s the best, I am not going to dispute her). The second course was grilled chicken with prosciutto and sage, which personally was my favorite. It’s very flavorful. We ended dinner with pannacota with berries sauce which was simply heavenly. Two thumbs up and highly recommended. PS: do not be put off with the location. It was one of my main concern during booking. It’s not far at all. And the square that Francesca stays is not as big as goggle map make it out to be.Great host, great dinner

Karen 🇦🇺 Australia

14 October 2018

What can we say! From the moment we met Francesca, we felt as if we had known her for years. The flow of conversation was so natural and easy going. Before meeting, Francesca enquired about our dietary requirements, so as to tailor the meal for us. Such a wonderful and thoughtful meal, which passed all to soon. This experience is why we continue to do these dinners/tours, and with people like Francesca, they will always be a fantastic way to meet like minded people and begin to learn and understand about their city. All we can say is...DO IT!!!A truly Milanese experience

Andrew🇺🇸 United States

6 October 2018

I cannot say enough good things about Francesca. She was so nice leading up to our dinner, asked if we had preferences for the meal or restrictions and provided very clear directions to her apartment. The meal itself was fantastic. The food was delicious and we had a great conversation. Bonus, her dog is amazing. Would recommend Francesca's dinner to anyone looking for a unique dining experience in Milan.Perfect Dinner!

Amy🇺🇸 United States

4 October 2018

Dinner at Francesca’s was a wonderful experience. She was very welcoming and thoughtful and the food was all delicious, the melanzane was a crowd favorite. She shared the background of each dish she prepared and was a lovely hostess. Everything was smooth from start to finish. Don’t miss out on a visit to Francesca’s kitchen.Lovely Home Dinner Experience

Rosy

19 September 2018

Francesca is very welcoming. We lived her red kitchen. The food was excellent! Thank you !Rosy and Patrick’s review

Linda🇺🇸 United States

19 September 2018

While in Milan , my friends and I decided it would be fun to try a dinner with a local. Francesca hosted us in her lovely home. She was warm and welcoming not to mention the delicious meal. Francesca is a fabulous cook. The lasagna was to die for as well as the meatball and vegetables. The dinner was followed by the most perfect tiramisu. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Amazing experience

Christina🇺🇸 United States

5 September 2018

If you are looking for a fabulous meal at a beautiful private home with an outstanding host, look no longer, you found it. It was the highlight of our 4 days in Milan. We had homemade gnocchi, grilled zucchini, roasted peppers, scallopini with ham and sage and tiramisu for dessert. Also included was a very good bottle of wine, homemade limoncelli and two other unusual after dinner drinks. Francesca spoke perfect English and gave easy directions to her home. She also communicated with us prior, if we had any food allergies, dislike special foods or prefer vegetarian dishes. What a great experience!!!! Next time in Milan, we will try one of her cooking classes. Thank you again, Francesca! Best meal we had in Milan!

Mary🇺🇸 United States

8 June 2018

If you are looking for a good Italian dinner look no further than Francesca - her dinner was delightful as was her company - if I’m ever in Milan again I will be visiting Francesca either for dinner or a cooking class. Thanks for a great evening.Super food by a super cook!

nora pat

24 May 2018

We very much enjoyed our evening with Francesca. What a cook! Delicious dinner in a beautiful setting of her beautiful apartment overlooking a piazza. Francesca was very welcoming and interesting. Definitely recommend this as something to experience in Milan. Thanks FrancescaReally nice experience

Chatchai🇹🇭 Thailand

13 April 2018

Francesca was amazing host. The food was very delicious. The cake was very nice. The place was nice and not very difficulat to find. We have a very wonderful time and great experience.Local food with Francesca

john🇺🇸 United States

27 March 2018

Didn't know what to expect but it was a wonderful evening. Despite Francesca being assailed by a cold she prepared a wonderful tasting meal and, more importantly, my wife and I engaged in discursive conversations with her that gave us an eye to the Milanese culture. Francesca was open, articulate and lively in discussing any topic we brought up. And her apartment was strikingly appealing in modern detail. It was also serendipitous that earlier in the day I had visited the Novacento and seen a sculpture with the same name as our hostess however the male form, Francesco. Turns out he was her uncle and she had been to his atelier when he was producing his art. Glad we did the event. j Excellent Evening

Joy🇺🇸 United States

31 October 2017

Having dinner at Francesca’s was a lovely experience and delicios! We were asked if there was anything special we wanted her to prepare and we left it up to her. She made a lovely zucchini cheese torte for our first course and a yummy pasta dish. For dessert her tiramisu was outrageous and the wine was great also. Being in her home and enjoying the conversation was like we were at a friends house. This was a unique experience and it was a nice way to end our trip!Like having Dinner with a friend

Steve🇺🇸 United States

20 October 2017

We had a wonderful experience in the home of Francesca in Milan. It was the last night of our 16 day trip and we coukdn’t have a nicer experience. Francesca was welcoming, friendly and a terrific cook. She also has a terrific dog which we thoroughly enjoyed. Francesca shared rescepies of the meal she prepared and we had great conversation about the customs of Milan snd Italy. Would thoroughly recommend this experience. Dinner in Milan

Martie🇺🇸 United States

6 October 2017

Dinner with Francesca was the highlight of our our trip to Milan, and the perfect ending to our 2 week adventure in Italy. My husband and I were celebrating our 40th anniversary by taking our first trip to Italy with friends. As none of us had ever been there before, it was quite the adventure finding our way through Tuscany, Liguria, and Lombardy by car and train so that we were pretty tired by the time we reached Milan. With just one evening to spend in the city before flying back to the US we might have missed this in favor of getting to Malpensa early, but we are all very glad that we made the choice we did. Francesca's promise to make the evening a memorable anniversary celebration was more than fulfilled. Great food and wine, great hospitality and conversation in a lovely apartment with views of the duomo (and an elevator) were the perfect ending to our Italian adventure, and we all hope for another chance to dine with Francesca, perhaps stateside. The food and wine were skillfully selected in accordance to our discussed preferences, and the market availiability. Each course was presented with an explanation of the choice and the dish. I even learned how to make my pasta absorb the flavor of the seafood! The preparation was wonderful and the meal was served in a leisurely pace, allowing for plenty of engaging conversation throughout the evening. Francesca herself is an amazing, competent woman who runs a business, hosts travelers, and cooks like a chef. Her own world travels and broad perspective seemed to make for endless conversation topics to explore. After dinner, Francesca eased our trip to the airport hotel by calling the cab and speaking with the driver to help us understand the rate. We cannot over-emphasize how accommodating she was, even letting us stash our luggage in her back room for the evening. This is definitely an opportunity not to be missed for anyone who appreciates food, wine, convivial company.A Memorable Evening

Lauren🇺🇸 United States

17 September 2017

Francesca created a dining experience that we can't stop talking about! She managed to create a menu in which we all were trying dishes that we'd never had, but that we all loved. The dinner felt like a dinner at a friend's house. She made us very comfortable, the view of the Duomo from the dinner table is breathtaking and her dog, Thea (sp?) is just the cutest! I would absolutely book her in-home dinner over and over again. She's extremely down-to-earth and her food is fantastic.You HAVE to do this!