Italy’s graceful city of Turin
- the county’s first capital and seat of – the county’s first capital and seat of
the royal family – is often overlooked by the royal family – is often overlooked by
travellers. The stylish Turinese are happy travellers. The stylish Turinese are happy
for their city – the home of Nutella, Fiat, for their city – the home of Nutella, Fiat,
Eataly, Cinzano vermouth, Lavazza, Eataly, Cinzano vermouth, Lavazza,
aperitivo culture and the 2006 Winter aperitivo culture and the 2006 Winter
Olympics – to fly under the radar, as the Olympics – to fly under the radar, as the
seductive appeal lies in its preservation. seductive appeal lies in its preservation.
Bars and restaurants flaunt Piedmont’s Bars and restaurants flaunt Piedmont’s
bounty of white truffles, wine, hazelnut bounty of white truffles, wine, hazelnut
chocolate, Fassone beef and exceptional chocolate, Fassone beef and exceptional
cheese, while the Po River and snow-cheese, while the Po River and snow-
capped Alps form a backdrop for elegant capped Alps form a backdrop for elegant
Baroque palaces, modernist architecture Baroque palaces, modernist architecture
and ancient cobblestoned laneways.and ancient cobblestoned laneways.
Relics of Benito Mussolini’s modernist Relics of Benito Mussolini’s modernist
movement harmoniously clash with the movement harmoniously clash with the
royal past and contemporary food and art royal past and contemporary food and art
scene, and you’ll find disused convents or scene, and you’ll find disused convents or
Fiat and vermouth factories transformed Fiat and vermouth factories transformed
into galleries and restaurants. After a few into galleries and restaurants. After a few
days eating your way through the city, get days eating your way through the city, get
out of town to explore the nearby wine out of town to explore the nearby wine
regions of Barolo, Barbera and Asti.regions of Barolo, Barbera and Asti.
BREAKFAST & BRUNCHBREAKFAST & BRUNCH
The Italians seem to have missed the The Italians seem to have missed the
advice to ‘breakfast like a king, lunch like advice to ‘breakfast like a king, lunch like
a prince and dine like a pauper’, starting a prince and dine like a pauper’, starting
the day with hits of caffeine and nicotine the day with hits of caffeine and nicotine
instead. The standard price of an instead. The standard price of an
espresso, or espresso, or caffe normalecaffe normale, is €1 (about , is €1 (about
$1.50); if you prefer yours white, ask for $1.50); if you prefer yours white, ask for
a cappuccino or latte macchiato, as ‘a cappuccino or latte macchiato, as ‘lattelatte’ ’
literally translates to ‘milk’. literally translates to ‘milk’.
Italians dabble in croissants at breakfast, Italians dabble in croissants at breakfast,
but they call them brioche and they come but they call them brioche and they come
stuffed with stuffed with crema pasticceracrema pasticcera (custard), (custard),
marmellatamarmellata (jam) or Nutella. For a classic (jam) or Nutella. For a classic
breakfast, head to historic breakfast, head to historic Pasticceria Pasticceria
Gerla 1927Gerla 1927 (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II,
88; gerla1927.com); 88; gerla1927.com); Caffe Baratti & Caffe Baratti &
MilanoMilano (Piazza Castello, 27/29; (Piazza Castello, 27/29;
barattiemilano.it), famous for its Art barattiemilano.it), famous for its Art
Nouveau bling and handmade chocolates; Nouveau bling and handmade chocolates;
or beautiful Piazza Carignano where you’ll or beautiful Piazza Carignano where you’ll
find find GelatiGelati Pepino Pepino (gelatipepino.it), an (gelatipepino.it), an
old-world cafe-cum-gelateria. old-world cafe-cum-gelateria.
The The bicerinbicerin, a Turinese speciality of , a Turinese speciality of
coffee layered with cream and dark coffee layered with cream and dark
chocolate, is a rite of passage for any chocolate, is a rite of passage for any
visitor. Sit visitor. Sit fuorifuori (outside – the Italians don’t (outside – the Italians don’t
use use al frescoal fresco) at ) at Caffè Al Bicerin Caffè Al Bicerin (bicerin.(bicerin.
it/eng) while you watch the crowds in it/eng) while you watch the crowds in
Piazza della Consolata, or retrace the steps Piazza della Consolata, or retrace the steps
of the city’s intelligentsia and sip your of the city’s intelligentsia and sip your
bicerinbicerin at fancy at fancy Caffè FiorioCaffè Fiorio (Via Po, 8; (Via Po, 8;
caffefiorio.it/en), which opened in 1780.caffefiorio.it/en), which opened in 1780.
Sourdough aficionados will love Sourdough aficionados will love Perino Perino
VescoVesco (Via Cavour, 10; perinovesco.it/en), (Via Cavour, 10; perinovesco.it/en),
where a counter overflows with baked where a counter overflows with baked
goods, from focaccia and ancient-grain goods, from focaccia and ancient-grain
sourdough to raspberry sourdough to raspberry crostatacrostata (baked (baked
tart) and plump cannoli. tart) and plump cannoli.
The city’s hipster coffee award goes The city’s hipster coffee award goes
to to Orso Laboratorio CaffèOrso Laboratorio Caffè (Via Claudio (Via Claudio
Luigi Berthollet, 30; giulianocaffe.it/en), Luigi Berthollet, 30; giulianocaffe.it/en),
a cool space that triples as a cafe, a cool space that triples as a cafe,
coffee roaster and cocktail bar, offering coffee roaster and cocktail bar, offering
a refreshing alternative to all that a refreshing alternative to all that
old-world glamour. Single-origin brews old-world glamour. Single-origin brews
are delivered via siphon, AeroPress, are delivered via siphon, AeroPress,
Moka, Chemex, espresso Moka, Chemex, espresso et alet al., and ., and
homesickness can be cured by a flat white.homesickness can be cured by a flat white.
A few cafes offer weekend brunch: A few cafes offer weekend brunch:
Sweet LabSweet Lab (Via Principe Amedeo, 39; (Via Principe Amedeo, 39;
sweetlabtorino.it) has a kitsch American sweetlabtorino.it) has a kitsch American
gingham vibe and the menu spans gingham vibe and the menu spans
omelettes, eggs Benedict, smoothie omelettes, eggs Benedict, smoothie
bowls and pancake stacks. bowls and pancake stacks. BarbituriciBarbiturici
(Italian for barbiturates; Via Santa Giulia, (Italian for barbiturates; Via Santa Giulia,
21; +39 011 276 7449) has a surgical-chic 21; +39 011 276 7449) has a surgical-chic
interior and the highlight is bagels interior and the highlight is bagels
stacked with classic and Italian fillings. stacked with classic and Italian fillings.
Pai BikeryPai Bikery bicycle garage and cafe bicycle garage and cafe
(Via Cagliari, 18; paibikery.com) does (Via Cagliari, 18; paibikery.com) does
soups, sandwiches and cakes – perhaps soups, sandwiches and cakes – perhaps
almond and raspberry almond and raspberry crostatacrostata or delicious or delicious
blueberry cheesecake – during the week blueberry cheesecake – during the week
and savoury pancakes on weekends. and savoury pancakes on weekends.
Parmigiana pancakes, need I say more? Parmigiana pancakes, need I say more?WHERE TO EAT: CLASSIC WHERE TO EAT: CLASSIC
PIEDMONTESEPIEDMONTESE
ScannabueScannabue (Largo Saluzzo, 25; (Largo Saluzzo, 25;
scannabue.it/eng), a charming trattoria scannabue.it/eng), a charming trattoria
in bustling San Salvario, is an institution. in bustling San Salvario, is an institution.
The classic racing-car-green-and-dark-The classic racing-car-green-and-dark-
wood interior is complemented by a wood interior is complemented by a
menu of Piedmont’s greatest hits – menu of Piedmont’s greatest hits – tajarintajarin
pasta, Fassone beef, pasta, Fassone beef, vitello tonnatovitello tonnato, ,
tripe, and hazelnut-laced desserts. This is tripe, and hazelnut-laced desserts. This is
northern Italian comfort food at its best, northern Italian comfort food at its best,
with an epic list of local wines to match.with an epic list of local wines to match.
In the city’s Roman quarter you’ll find In the city’s Roman quarter you’ll find
Tre GalliTre Galli (Via Sant’Agostino, 25; 3galli. (Via Sant’Agostino, 25; 3galli.
com), the boisterous younger sister of the com), the boisterous younger sister of the
long-established, and far more fancy, long-established, and far more fancy,
Tre GallineTre Galline (Via G. Bellezia, 37; 3galline.it). (Via G. Bellezia, 37; 3galline.it).
The labyrinthine restaurant offers niches to The labyrinthine restaurant offers niches to
settle in with a plate of porcini pappardelle settle in with a plate of porcini pappardelle
or handmade agnolotti (beef-filled pasta or handmade agnolotti (beef-filled pasta
similar to ravioli) and a bottle of nebbiolo. similar to ravioli) and a bottle of nebbiolo.
When it’s warmer, tables spill onto the When it’s warmer, tables spill onto the
street to be topped with glasses of street to be topped with glasses of
prosecco or other drops from the prosecco or other drops from the
1200-bottle wine list. 1200-bottle wine list.
Restaurant CarlinaRestaurant Carlina (ristorantecarlina.it) (ristorantecarlina.it)
at the new NH Collection Piazza Carlina at the new NH Collection Piazza Carlina
hotel (see Where to Stay, p 137) offers two hotel (see Where to Stay, p 137) offers two
menus, one local and another that marries menus, one local and another that marries
chef Vasyl Andrusyshyn’s travels of South chef Vasyl Andrusyshyn’s travels of South
America and Southeast Asia with the best America and Southeast Asia with the best
of Italy. The wine menu, curated by the of Italy. The wine menu, curated by the
same team behind the Tre Galli and same team behind the Tre Galli and
Galline cellars, lists more than 500 labels, Galline cellars, lists more than 500 labels,
so it’s wise to flag down the sommelier so it’s wise to flag down the sommelier
unless you already have a bottle in mind.unless you already have a bottle in mind.
Grouper ceviche with Grouper ceviche with leche de tigreleche de tigre
(a citrus-based marinade) is cleverly (a citrus-based marinade) is cleverly
matched with Fever-Tree elderflower tonic matched with Fever-Tree elderflower tonic
water; octopus with coriander pesto and water; octopus with coriander pesto and
burrata comes with a glass of minerally burrata comes with a glass of minerally
Monte Carbonare soave; and a simple Monte Carbonare soave; and a simple
spaghetti topped with shaved spaghetti topped with shaved bottargabottarga
(cured fish roe) is paired with derthona (cured fish roe) is paired with derthona
timorasso – a rare Piedmontese grape that timorasso – a rare Piedmontese grape that
is notoriously hard to grow but rewards is notoriously hard to grow but rewards