ristorazione — Milano · Lombardia
In the Isola district of Milan, where neighbourhood shops still hold their ground against time, Il Forno di Via Pola makes itself known by smell before you even spot the sign. Opened in 2010 by Gianluca Ometto, it has become the local reference point for anyone looking for bread made the way it should be.
At half past six the shutter goes up and the smell of freshly baked bread spreads through via Pola: the signal the Isola district waits for every morning. Gianluca Ometto's bakery stays open right through until half past seven in the evening, marking the neighbourhood's hours with the steadiness of someone who has done this work for over fifteen years.
Behind the counter come the pizzette (mini pizzas) — the speciality that has made the bakery well known in the district and beyond: warm, crisp, made fresh every day with genuine ingredients. Alongside them, filled focacce, seasonal sweets, cereal crackers. The staff serve them with the same courtesy at any hour, from breakfast through to the afternoon snack.
At the heart of production is the wood-fired oven, which gives every piece its character and crust. The work is entirely handmade: mixing, shaping and baking follow timings that no machine can shorten. The calendar also makes room for sweets for special occasions — decorated cakes, hand-wrapped biscuits, pastries for Carnival and Valentine's Day — prepared with the same care as the everyday bread.
The page in the Registro delle Eccellenze Italiane (Register of Italian Excellence) lists all the products, hours and contact details: an address worth keeping in mind in the Isola district.
