8.48am It's the end of ten gruelling, 16-hour research days when we test drive the resident editor's final draft and double-check all entries. Janice, my assistant editor, and I are knackered and fresh out of outfits. The day starts with a pow-wow over double espressos at Fioraio Bianchi Caffè (Via Montebello 7, 00 39 02 2901 4390), an Arcadian cottage favoured by scruffy stylistas and the ladies who latte.

First stop is Argenteria Dabbene (Largo Treves 2, enter on Via Balzan, 00 39 02 655 4406, www.argenteriadabbene.com). This silversmith's workmanship is exquisite and, better yet, they can make anything to your own design. It's perfect for our artisanal “advanced shopping” section.

10.37am Label-loaded Via Montenapoleone is home to G. Lorenzi (Via Montenapoleone 9, 00 39 02 7602 2848, www.lorenzi.it) It's a knockout of beautiful craftsman-tooled blades, knives, scissors and shaving accoutrements. Just across the road is the Lorenzi vintage collection (by appointment only) - definitely worth a gander.

Nearby Piombo (Via Montenapoleone 23, 00 39 02 7631 4932, www.piomboworld.com) is a candy shop of dandy suits in on-trend plaid and colourful velvets. Janice, meanwhile, trawls DMagazine opposite (Via Montenapoleone 26, 00 39 02 7600 6027, www.dmagazine.it), where the smart money goes for discounted luxey labels - the joint is heaving and cash tills ringing.

12.35pm Lunch! We normally eat one course at a minimum of two venues each. We split up, and my first stop is Da Giacomo, famous for fish and bigwigs. I have an anonymous booking and am ignored by the snooty staff as I enter. Half a serving of flaccid turbot later, I gag on the bill. This place is overrated, overpriced and uninspired, and it's binned on the spot.

Milan is not known for its staggering cuisine, but we have dug up better choices. I walk the couple of blocks to Il Giardino dei Segreti (Via P Sottocorno 17, enter on Via Calvi, 00 39 02 7600 8376). The scampi risotto is a firm-to-the-bite unctuous joy and the queues are well deserved.

2.14pm The entire eastern side of town is not covered by the metro - good planning, guys - so it's another taxi call and I alight at Gold. The epitome of vulgarity, the D&G boys' temple of gilded excess, with its eerie, desperate fashion crowd, is sad and vacuous, and precisely the kind of restaurant entry we loathe.

Nobody is wearing sunnies here - perhaps it's something in the wallet-raping designer water. Across the street is relaxed La Cantina di Manuela (Via Poerio 3, 00 39 02 7631 8892, www.lacantinadimanuela.it), with off-white, bottle-lined walls, and a suave crowd chilling out over chilled vino on the terrazzo. Savvy meets rustic, a great combo.

2.41pm A cab farther south takes me to Dovetusai (Via Sigieri 24, 00 39 02 5990 2432, www.dovetusai.it), designophile destination stocking the likes of D-BROS' plastic bag vases and Giles Miller's cardboard wardrobe.

3.15pm Janice meets me in Vecchia Milano at Paravinci (Via Nerino 8, 00 39 02 7202 1006). This is the by-appointment-only studio of sisters Costanza and Benedetta, who fire beautiful tea and dinner sets with hand-painted floral, figurative and graphic designs. In this age of ubiquitous high street chains, city artisans are where our interest is always directed. Taxi!

3.56pm Our last hotel site inspection of the week has finally come through and we head over to Cocoon (Via Voghera 7, 00 39 02 832 2769, www.cocoonbb.com). This basic, three-bedroom B&B is low on frills, but high on value and loved by design types for its convenience to Salone del Mobile outpost Zona Tortona.

There are a bunch of neat up-comer shops here: Nana's Thrift Store (Via Tortona 12, 00 39 02 832 2770) loaded with achingly hip brands and vintage sunglasses and the Trace concept store (Via Savona 19, 00 39 02 8969 2721), packed with edgy jewellery, clothes and lifestyle, are highlights.

5.48pm Feet throbbing, throats parched, it's back into town as the promise of a Prosecco nears. Salvation is found at Café Trussardi (Piazza della Scala 5, 00 39 02 8068 8295). This glassed-in haven for fashion mavens is always buzzy.

7pm Jumping in a taxi again, we head off to the historic Navigli canals for supper at Tano Passami l'Olio (Via Villoresi 16, 00 39 02 839 4139), where the decor is grandma meets pub, but tonight's special, flambéed goat's cheese with black truffle, is pure mouth magic.

8.15pm One course and a cab ride later we are sitting at Bagutta (Via Bagutta14, 39 02 76000902), despite the protestations from our resident editor that it's stuffed with tourists. The food is fine, the decor is deliciously bo-rustico, but it is infested with tourists. There follows a heated debate as to whether we'll keep it or not. We don't.

11.15pm A gentle stagger up Via Montenap brings us to nightcaps at Nobu (Via Pisoni 1, 00 39 02 6231 2645) our treat for completing the list and our final stop for the night. Getting a decent martini in this town is like finding a shop that isn't Armani, but Nobu (in the Armani building) does a pretty good stab. With morning flights home to Hong Kong, a second Martini would be completely irresponsible. We order another.

Luxe City Guides (01903 828501, www.luxecityguides.com).

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