It’s 8 p.m. on a Tuesday night at Al Baretto San Marco, a trattoria modeled after a luxury yacht. The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd. The bartender, who goes by Mr. Jose and is known around Milan for his ebullient personality and bushy beard, serves up his signature aperitif cocktail “Il Solito.” Adorned with a mini glacial ice block, it’s been shaken and cooled just right.

When the Linguina Monograno all’Astic e arrives, there are oohs and aahs as a waiter tosses the pasta in front of guests and finishes with a sprinkling of zest from a cedro, a large Italian citrus. Across town, a waiter in a crisp white jacket at Osteria Serafina is tossing bigoli pasta in a giant pecorino wheel, old style, eliciting the same reaction. The international jetset at Sera

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