Esselunga opened its first-ever bistrot-restaurant in Milan’s Piazza Risorgimento on May 27, merging a LaEsse proximity supermarket with a full-service dining experience. This move marks the company’s first foray into traditional catering as it tests a new model to attract younger demographics and diversify its retail offering.
The transition at Piazza Risorgimento is more than a corporate expansion; it is a symbolic shift in Milanese real estate. The space, owned by the Dolce & Gabbana group, previously housed the luxury Gold restaurant until 2014 and later the establishment of chef Filippo La Mantia until 2020. As Cibotoday notes, the replacement of high-fashion luxury and celebrity chefs with a supermarket format reflects a broader economic trend where Large-Scale Organized Distribution (GDO) finds stability while the luxury dining sector faces volatility.
Piazza Risorgimento’s Shift from Luxury to Retail
cluster (priority): Corriere della Sera
The new site operates as a hybrid. At the street level, customers find a LaEsse—Esselunga’s proximity format designed for pedestrians and cyclists—spanning approximately 430 square meters and stocking nearly 5,000 references. However, the total footprint extends to 900 square meters when including the wine cellar and the upstairs bistrot.
According to Il Sole 24 ORE, the upper floor is dedicated to a premium dining experience featuring a 54-seat dining room, a 12-seat lounge area, and a cocktail bar. This layout connects directly to a 130-square-meter enoteca housing roughly 600 labels, bridging the gap between a retail purchase and an immediate consumption experience.
The investment for this specific location is estimated between 5 and 6 million euros, supported by a staff of approximately 50 employees.
The Menu: Milanese Tradition and Michelin Influence
cluster (priority): La Cucina Italiana
Esselunga is not merely adding a cafeteria; it is attempting to institutionalize regional culinary identity. The menu focuses on Lombardy staples, specifically fulfilling a long-held ambition of the company’s founder, Bernardo Caprotti, to serve traditional dishes like cotoletta di vitello alla milanese (bone-in veal cutlet) and mondeghili (traditional Brianza meat meatballs).
As detailed by La Cucina Italiana, the culinary offering balances these classics with international options, such as Thai mango salad. The high-end positioning is further cemented by the dessert menu, which is signed by Elisenda—a pastry line born from a collaboration between Esselunga and the three-Michelin-starred Da Vittorio restaurant.
“a unique offering within Esselunga that combines the needs of daily shopping with a new taste experience.”
Marina Caprotti, CEO of Esselunga, via MilanoToday
This “new taste experience” distinguishes the bistrot from the group’s existing Bar Atlantic network. While Bar Atlantic focuses on quick-service coffee, sandwiches, and hot plates, the bistrot utilizes on-site chefs and a formal seated service to move the brand into the competitive territory of traditional catering.
Financial Stakes and the 200-Store Milestone
ESSELUNGA PORTA VITTORIA | BIGGEST IN MILAN
The Piazza Risorgimento opening is the 199th store for the group in Italy. It serves as a strategic pilot to see if the bistrot formula can be scaled as a permanent extension of the brand, alongside its pharmacies and Bar Atlantic outlets.
The timing coincides with a period of aggressive growth. Corriere della Sera reports that Esselunga invested 378.4 million euros in 2025 to sustain this expansion. The company is now on the verge of a major psychological milestone: the 200th store.
Late June: Opening in Piazza Piola (likely the 200th store), located in the former Splendor cinema.
July: Reopening in Viale Piave, which will include a Bar Atlantic.
November: Opening in Gessate, featuring a doubled sales area.
By integrating events and dining, Marina Caprotti has signaled a shift toward “experiential” retail. The goal is to transform the supermarket from a chore-based destination into a social hub, particularly to attract a younger clientele who prioritize experience over simple price-point competition.
The Economic Signal: Retail as the New Third Place
cluster (priority): news.google.com
Esselunga’s move is a calculated gamble on the “Third Place” concept—the idea that consumers want a space between home and work to socialize. For decades, the GDO sector relied on flyers and bulk discounts to drive traffic. Now, as the company approaches its 70th anniversary (founded in November 1957), it is pivoting toward value-added services.
If the Piazza Risorgimento test succeeds, it proves that the proximity store format can sustain a high-margin restaurant operation. This would allow Esselunga to capture a larger share of the consumer’s wallet—not just for the ingredients of a meal, but for the meal itself. The risk lies in the operational complexity of managing a full kitchen and professional waitstaff within a retail environment, a challenge that previously saw luxury operators in the same space fail.
The next 30 days will be critical as the group pushes toward its 200-store mark. The success of the bistrot will likely determine whether future “proximity” stores remain simple minimarkets or evolve into these multi-functional culinary hubs.
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