Visitors to Piedmont, in northern Italy, will discover a long gastronomic tradition that combines good food with the region’s local ingredients and signature wines. Add in traditional dishes, café culture and an abundance of excellent restaurants, and you will be guaranteed a culinary experience to remember. Lets look at some of the best ways to eat and drink in Turin and Piedmont.
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The Cuisine Of Turin And Piedmont
Although based on Italian food traditions, Piedmont has a distinctive cuisine of its own. Based upon fresh local ingredients including cheeses, olive oil and the famous white truffles, Piedmont gastronomy features an array of traditional dishes that celebrate the region’s heritage.
Among the most celebrated of these are vitello tonnato, a dish of cold veal topped with a creamy tuna-flavoured sauce, and agnolotti del plin, pasta parcels filled with meat and vegetables. Then there is the trademark Piedmontese green sauce – everyone has their own recipe for this, but it is based upon parsley, oil and garlic, often with the addition of anchovies.
Then there are Piedmont’s particular specialities: chocolate and coffee. Known for its historic chocolate-making tradition, the region produces exquisite confections, including the renowned gianduiotto, a unique blend of chocolate and hazelnut paste. And no visit is complete without trying the local caffè al bicerin, a layered coffee drink with espresso, chocolate and cream that dates back to the 18th century.
Wines Of Piedmont
Something else you will want to try is the local wines: Piedmont is renowned as a top wine region. It is home to some of the finest red wine, including Barolo wine, often dubbed the “King of Wines” for its complex flavours and aging potential. Piedmont also offers popular white wine varieties, such as Gavi and Arneis, which perfectly complement the region’s traditional food.
The advent of the Slow Food movement has greatly influenced Piedmont’s wine culture, with an emphasis upon sustainability, biodiversity and quality over mass production. Wine tours through the hills of Langhe and Monferrato allow visitors to experience these values for themselves. Tastings often include pairing the wines with local cheeses, truffles and other delicacies.
To learn more about Piedmont’s wine culture have a look at this review of David Way’s book The Wines Of Piemonte.
Where To Eat And Drink In Turin
Wherever you go in Piedmont you will find excellent restaurants showcasing traditional Piedmontese dishes alongside innovative interpretations, with an emphasis upon fresh ingredients. And nowhere more so than in Turin, the region’s capital, with its range of dining from haute cuisine to bars and cafés.
It is easy to find Italian staples like pizza or pasta dishes but try to sample the local cuisine if possible. Some of the best places are within the old town Quadrilatero quarter: I had excellent meals at the AM Restaurant in Via delle Orfane and Dume in the Galleria Umberto I (the menu at Dume also includes vegan dishes). But my favourite meal was outside Turin, at La Vecchia Carrozza in Asti which specialises in local mushrooms and truffles.
Café Culture
Over the centuries cafés have been central to Turin’s identity, acting as spaces for intellectual exchange, artistic inspiration, and leisure. These cafés, often adorned with marble interiors and ornate furnishings, were frequented by prominent figures in Italian cultural history, who would indulge in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate while discussing literature, politics and art.
Turin’s café culture remains deeply intertwined with its history and social fabric, and there are still many traditional coffee houses where you can soak up the atmosphere while enjoying a glass of bicerin. Not to be missed are the Caffè al Bicerin, which has been serving up the local beverage since 1763, and the Caffè Fiorio, once frequented by famous writers and heroes of the Risorgimento.
Mercato Centrale
The Mercato Centrale Torino is the largest outdoor market in Europe, attracting around 100,000 visitors every week. It is divided into distinct sections: the must-visit areas for food lovers are the open air fruit and vegetable market brimming with local produce, and the nearby covered hall with meat and fish.
Across the road, the indoor market hall houses gourmet food shops and several bars and eating places. It also features the remains of an 18th century ice house in its basement.
Learning More About The Local Cuisine
If you’re inspired to learn more about Piedmont’s culinary heritage you could visit the Lavazza Coffee Museum or the Guido Gobino Chocolate Factory, both in Turin. Or you could take a food and wine tour, either in Turin or further afield.
Lavazza Coffee Museum
The innovative Lavazza Museum provides a multisensory presentation of the story of Luigi Lavazza and the company he founded. It also explores the history and science of coffee, looking at subjects such as coffee cultivation, roasting techniques, and the evolution of coffee-making machines. And the tasting area allows you to try some of the company’s own creations (I had a spoonful of the bizarre-sounding, but delicious, coffee caviar).
This museum is an essential stop for coffee lovers. But it is also worth visiting for its art: Lavazza is also known for its iconic design, and you’ll see lots of examples of the company’s coffee labels, tins, and advertising campaigns, past and present.
Guido Gobino Chocolate Factory
Guido Gobino is one of Turin’s most prestigious gourmet chocolate makers. You can visit their shops across the city, but real enthusiasts will want to take a tour of the Chocolate Factory on Cagliari Street. Here you can learn all about the production of chocolate and the search for new flavours and, of course, you can indulge in some tasting and shopping.
Wine And Food Tours
Wine and food tours offer an great way to learn more about the region’s gastronomy. You can read about my experience on a Chocolate and Wine Tasting Tour. This was organised by SlowTravel Italia and you can get a 10% discount on any of their tours using the code BEWITCHED10.
Elsewhere in the city you could go on a 3-Hour Gastronomy Tour or a Dining Experience at a Local’s Home. It is also possible to take a wine tasting tour from Turin – have a look at this Barolo & Barbaresco Tasting Tour. And you could even splash out for a Half-Day Truffle Hunting in the Piedmont woodlands.
