This new gourmet restaurant is in a prison and is run by the inmates

By: JACK M.

InGalera is Italian slang for “in prison”. It’s also the name of a new high-end restaurant just outside Milan, Italy. And talking about another great restaurant in Italy would be a bit of a snooze-fest, about as exciting as talking about another great beach in Hawaii. Hawaii is full of great beaches, and Italy is just as full of great restaurants. But InGalera restaurant is a little bit different from your everyday great Italian eatery…it’s actually inside Milan’s Bollate penitentiary, a medium-security prison that houses about 1,100 inmates. And it’s getting rave reviews on social media and on sites like TripAdvisor, where it has garnered an average of 4.5 stars out of five.

Other than some help from an “outside” advisory maître d’ and chef, InGalera is run by the inmates, who can earn a monthly salary of up to 1,000 Euros. The kitchen staff, the waiters and the clean-up crew are all guests of the state, and patrons are greeted and served by former armed bank robbers, muggers and drug dealers. The project itself – the first of its kind in Italy, and maybe in the world – is part of an innovative rehabilitation scheme that the Italian prison system is experimenting with. In addition to the real-world job skills of cooking and serving functions associated with the running of a restaurant, the prisoners are also involved with the marketing and promotion of Milan’s latest “in” place to dine, skills which will help them reintegrate with society when they are released.

Speaking of inmates, check out the Riverside County Inmate Information Search

Designed with the help of donated services of a local architect, the 50-seat restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, and it is well-appointed with a modern kitchen, an ever-changing menu and extensive wine list. And, as an added twist of humour, the walls are decorated with posters of famous Hollywood prison themes like Escape from Alcatraz and The Shawshank Redemption.

Milan’s InGalera restaurant has only recently opened, but it’s proving to be successful beyond everyone’s expectations, successful to the point that it’s booked out weeks in advance. So, if you’re planning a trip to Italy anytime soon, check out Milan’s unique dining experience, but remember…book well in advance. Ciao.