The story
At Da Pepen in Milan’s Porta Venezia, the sandwich is a refined evolution of the original Parma outpost. Giuliacrossbow calls the Milan version “more modern, curated,” praising the bread’s improvement and the balance of the horse pesto sandwich, though noting the horse meat itself was fresher in Parma. The carciofa has better dough but less vegetable filling; prices run slightly higher—€23.50 for three items versus €21.50.
Meanwhile, sandrino is unequivocal: Da Pepen Milano serves “incredible raw sausage and horse tartare sandwiches” paired with homemade mayonnaise that he “absolutely loves.” Between the two perspectives, this spot in Porta Venezia offers a polished, pricier take on classic panini, with tartare and sausage earning top marks.
Synthesised by AI from every creator’s review. First reviewed 2025.
Most-loved dishes
AI summary of what 5 dish mentions say about the food
Reviewers rave about the artichoke "Carciofa" as the standout dish, praising its delicate preparation. The overall vibe is one of warm, rustic Italian comfort executed with refined simplicity.
“The appearance is nicer here — more compact, holds together better. There's much more ricotta and less green than in Parma. The dough texture and cooking are better here, but there's less artichoke substance. It tastes mostly of ricotta and parmigiano. Overall it's similar to Parma's, but I prefer the dough here while Parma had more vegetable filling. It's not a product that impresses me either way.”
What creators say
2 creators have covered da Pepen Milano. Most active: Giuliacrossbow, sandrino
Pepen in Milan is a more modern, curated version of the Parma original. The bread is much better, the balance of the horse pesto sandwich is superior, but the horse meat itself was fresher in Parma. The carciofa has better dough but less vegetable filling. Prices are higher: €23.50 for three items vs €21.50 in Parma.
Dishes mentioned
- Carciofi
Spaccaballe
This is the sandwich I used to make in elementary school — ketchup, mayo, and roast pork. The roast is good but a bit dry, luckily there's plenty of sauces. I like that they put mayo both on the bottom and top. The iceberg lettuce and tomato are fresh. But the mayo here doesn't taste homemade, it just seems like regular mayo with the ketchup.
Panino con Pesto di Cavallo
The bread here is much better than in Parma — 10-0 difference. It's not incredible bread, but way better. The balance is much better: the mayo is well-dosed, the spicy kick is right, and I can actually taste the horse pesto. The horse meat itself was fresher in Parma though — here it's a bit more oxidized and less pronounced in flavor. But overall this is more balanced and the bread wins it.
Da Pepen Milano in Porta Venezia serves incredible raw sausage and horse tartare sandwiches with homemade mayonnaise that the creator absolutely loves.
Dishes mentioned
Panino con Salsiccia Cruda
This is a raw sausage sandwich with their homemade mayonnaise. The mayonnaise is incredible, and the whole thing is just beautiful. I'm in heaven.
- Panino con Tartare di Cavallo
