Degu’s Drinkeria in Milan

champagne One thing the Italians seem very good at is adopting English words and giving them their own special twist. For instance, yesterday the husband and I stopped into what was billed as a “drinkeria” for an afternoon snack. You’ve heard of “pizzeria,” I imagine, and perhaps even a “gelateria.” So what’s a “drinkeria?” If you’ve figured out that adding “-eria” on to the end of a food-item word makes it a place where you’ll be able to order and eat that food item, then you’re doing just fine.

Degu’s is a “drinkeria e degustazioni,” meaning it serves light appetizer-style plates and has a wide selection of alcoholic beverages to go with them. The plates are divided up into different sections by what the focus is - meats, cheeses, fish, etc. We had a plate of crostini with lardo, a plate of a soft cheese and sausage combination served with strawberry jam, and smoked salmon with toasted biscuits covered in butter. All three were really lovely, and nicely presented, and we washed them down with a glass of champagne each. The service was quick and friendly.

Now for the not-so-great aspects of a stop at Degu’s. There’s a small balcony-sized upstairs area where the tables and chairs looked more comfortable, but downstairs where we sat the tables were far too high for the chairs that went with them. I felt like a kid eating at the grown-ups table. And above all, especially with the current crummy exchange rate, it’s not cheap - our little afternoon snack set us back about €40. I did see a sign on the bar advertising a “Happy Hour” offer of €8 or €12 (I can’t remember which) in the evenings, so that might be worth checking out.

If you aren’t concerned about the price (or you don’t have the dollar/euro exchange to contend with), this is an interesting stop for a light lunch or snack or for a Happy Hour destination at night - especially if you’re looking for a break from the typical Italian pasta menus.

Name: Degu’s Drinkeria e Degustazioni
Location: via G. Washington 52, 20146 Milano (closest Metro stop - Wagner or De Angeli)
Hours: Monday-Friday, 12:00-15:00 and 18:00-02:00; Saturday-Sunday, 18:00-02:00
Contact: tel +39 02 3652 1440 or info@degus.it
Website: http://www.degus.it/

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