Esselunga is strengthening its presence in Milan with the opening of a new LaEsse store in Piazza Risorgimento, a project that expands the brand's proximity format by introducing a bistro on the first floor for the first time.
The new store represents the eleventh LaEsse location in the Lombardy capital and extends over two levels, with a sales area of 430 square meters and a staff of 51. The goal is to combine everyday shopping with a more sophisticated food offering, strengthening Esselunga's positioning as a "Food Company."
A bistro designed as a contemporary, urban gathering place, open from breakfast to aperitif time, has opened next to the local supermarket. The venue features a 54-seat dining room, a lounge area, and a cocktail bar, continuing the evolution of Esselunga's restaurant scene, which began over twenty years ago with Bar Atlantic.
The gastronomic offering focuses on cuisine that blends Lombard tradition with contemporary recipes, with a focus on seasonality and quality ingredients. The menu features signature Milanese dishes, such as mondeghili (a kind of pasta) and bone-in veal cutlet, alongside more modern dishes like tartare, veal with tuna sauce, and salads inspired by international cuisine.
The experience is completed by table service, dedicated sommeliers, and the Elisenda confectionery selection, the premium brand developed by Esselunga in collaboration with the Cerea family's Michelin-starred restaurant Da Vittorio. The cocktail bar offers signature drinks, wines, and Italian tapas for aperitivo.
The new LaEsse also focuses on telling the company's story through design elements and archival materials. The bistro features placemats reproducing historic advertising flyers from the 1950s and 1960s, photographs celebrating the company's nearly seventy years, and historic posters about "buying savvy."
On the retail front, the supermarket offers nearly 5.000 items with a focus on fresh products, from fish and meat sections to dairy, cured meats, fruit and vegetables, and ready-to-eat deli items. It also features a bakery counter, a flower corner, and the self-service Elisenda pastry shop.
The wine shop on the first floor is also particularly strategic: a 130-square-meter space with over 600 wines and a vault dedicated to the finest labels, supported by specialized staff and a home delivery service.
The new format responds to changing urban consumption habits, integrating self-service checkout systems, a ground-floor cafeteria, and services geared toward speed and convenience. Discounted parking and home delivery are also available.
