Agnolotti del plin, tajarin, Barbera-braised veal cheek, vitello tonnato, salsiccia di Bra, vermouth, gianduja, bicerin… This is Turin, home to a cuisine that, through the centuries, has been impacted by different rulers and religions, from Judaism (the region’s famous salsiccia di Bra, a raw sausage, was originally made without pork for the Jewish community of Cherasco) to the French influence of the royal Savoy family. Today, the city’s bars and restaurants benefit from the quality of raw ingredients from Porta Palazzo, the largest open-air market in Europe. 

Turin boasts both cutting-edge and traditional cuisine (plus some non-Italian spots): it is the capital of the region where the Slow Food movement started, after all. Pick any of these spots for fantastic food, and don’t forget to wash it down with a bottle of Nebbiolo, Ruchè, Barbera, or any of the other spectacular Piedmontese wines.

THE CLASSICS

Pastis – Best for lunch or aperitivo, Pastis encapsulates the early 2000s vibe of Turin’s nightlife and remains one of Quadrilatero’s main references.

Must Order: Fried anchovies and veal meatballs

Pescheria Gallina – Located in Piazza della Repubblica (with a second opening in the San Salvario area) and founded by Beppe Gallina, a fourth-generation fishmonger. When it comes to high quality fish, Gallina is still one of the city’s top addresses. 

Must Order: Fritto misto or literally anything fish- or seafood-based

Unforgettable – A striking, Michelin-starred restaurant by Christian Mandura. The entire restaurant is a 10-seat communal table where the experience itself is a revolutionary philosophy: the focal point of the menu is dedicated to vegetables and animal proteins are served as side dishes–a reflection on and challenge of our typical food consumption.

Must Order: The tasting menu (€110, drinks exclusive).

Razzo – A relaxed, quiet restaurant with a unique and refined menu curated by Chef Niccolò Giugni. With a nod from Michelin, Razzo also offers one of the most complete and jaw-dropping wine lists in the city.

Must Order: Red shrimp taco ceviche with coconut and sambuco; tagliolini with saffron, crab, and lemongrass; Peking pigeon

Tre Galli – Without a doubt a landmark in Quadrilatero: a 25-year-old restaurant filled with dynamism and a traditional Italian menu–the two secret ingredients for this go-to dinner spot. 

Must Order: The unbeatable agnolotti del plin con sugo d’arrosto 

Magazzino 52 – Opened by a team of three friends united by a passion for wine and good food, find a few quaint tables amidst stacked shelves of purchasable wine. You can treat their Piedmontese-inspired dishes as a build-your-own tasting menu, as dishes are priced out according to quantity ordered. Their wine list is equally impressive, with over 1,000 labels mainly from Piedmont, Tuscany, Bordeaux, Rhone, and Champagne. 

Must Order: Cruda di fassona; tagliolini al ragù di salsiccia; animelle di vitello; fegatini di coniglio e timo

La Badessa – One of the most romantic views in Turin can be found at Rossella Ratclif’s restaurant in the heart of Piazza Carlina. The menu comes from deep research of historical Italian monasteries’ recipes.

Must Order: Santissima Annunziata from Fossano’s monastery: braised agnolotti con sugo d’arrosto; S.Pietro & Paolo from Germagno’s monastery: veal cheek in Barolo with mashed potatoes and saffron. 

Piola da Cianci – “Life’s short, free up the table quickly!” is the motto at this no-frills trattoria. Here, stop in for carafes of house wine and generous portions of Piedmontese basics at low, low prices on their ever-changing menu, and don’t plan to linger! Their menu changes everyday.

L’Acino – With an entire front wall as a window, a handful of tables, and a shoutout from Michelin, L’Acino, a self-proclaimed “Restaurant Wine Gallery” is a Piedmontese staple. Expect high-quality classics and a cozy atmosphere. You’ll need to make a reservation in advance. 

Must Order: Cipolla ripiena di salsiccia; agnolotti; carpione piemontese

Goja Ristoro – In the heart of Vanchiglia, Goja is the ideal spot for authentic Turinese food, where the warm ambiance and the house wine can make anyone feel like they’re at a friend’s festive gathering.

Must Order: Sformato di Castelmagno; battuta di carne cruda; tagliatelle con salsiccia

Da Michele 1922 – In a former cobbler’s shop, Michele built a woodfired oven to make and sell farinata and castagnaccio. Fast forward 100 years and this oven is still the star of the restaurant, but now finds a vast variety of meats, vegetables, fish, and even the Turinese “la pizza al tegamino” (pan pizza) also cooked in its embers. Their commitment to sustainability is unwavering: in the kitchen, everything is produced and consumed in one day, and they source all of their produce from one man–Paolo aka Badola–in the Turin hills, all their fish from the historic Pescheria Ferrara, and all their meat from the family-owned Piedmontese farm La Cascinassa. 

Must Order: Farinata and any of the meat cooked in their wood-fired oven

Scannabue – In its 12 years, this local trattoria has progressively become one of the most appreciated restaurants in the city and has been inserted in the Bib Gourmand’s Michelin guide. The decoration is traditional, vintage and cozy and this spot is ideal for both lunch and dinner.

Must Order: Barbera-braised veal cheek; salted cod cappuccino; Val Varaita gnocchi with Castelmagno and powder of Sage; or, the €65 menu for two

Mollica – Here, friends Tommaso and Ubaldo stuff their homemade bread to the brim with ingredients sourced exclusively from small producers in the Italian countryside–farmers, cheesemakers, and breeders whom they personally meet. The hefty, build-your-own sandwiches are the best in the city. Prepare for a long line on the weekends. 

Must Order: Everything is great–but we love getting our sandwiches on the focaccia Barese.

CasaGoffi – Between the Po river and Turin’s hills, Casa Goffi is the summer spot for aperitivo and dinner with creative pizzas. 

Must Order: Veggie tapas; Tomini al semaforo; Bra pizza with stracchino, salsiccia di Bra, and hazelnut

Ristorante Consorzio – This mind-blowing restaurant is renowned for its natural wines list, as well as for its menu focused on produce selected by Slow Food. Their tasting menu (39€) and à la carte options encapsulate all the knowledge of Piedmontese cuisine, and they don’t shy away from spotlighting offal. 

Must Order: Battuta (Piedmontese-style steak tartare); Ruché wine-braised Piedmontese beef and wholemeal polenta; ox bone marrow

NON-ITALIAN

Sedaghat – A great address for an Iranian breakfast (and for shopping, as the store also sells hand-crafted clothes).

Must Order: Their fantastic cakes, especially the saffron with pistachio

Barbiturici – When it comes to weekend strolls and brunches, Alberto Bonetto e Valentina Pozzi’s bar offers one of the best brunches in the city with plenty of gourmet club sandwiches, and bagels–best paired with one of their cocktails during boozy brunch.

Must Order: Scrambled eggs with salmon and toast; the carrot cake; cheesecake; any of the cocktails

Azotea – Chef Alexander Robles has perfectly brought the Nikkei cuisine–the synthesis between the culinary tradition of Peru and Japan–to Turin. Born in Peru, Robles’s great-grandmother was Japanese: he brings both influences to his menus, both a la carte and a tasting menu (with €40 and €65 options). At the restaurant’s bar, Andrea Ghiori and Matteo Fornaro make signature drinks to be paired with the kitchen’s courses for an additional €35. (We even stop in just for the drinks.) 

CAFES

Caffè Al Bicerin – This café is renowned for the eponymous Turinese drink: the bicerin, an evolution of the 18th century bavareisa, a fashionable drink made with espresso, drinking chocolate, milk and syrup. Today, a version is also available with panna (whipped cream) instead of milk. 

Pressato – A historic coffee machine, hand-printed books, and specialty coffee beans: this recently opened specialty coffee and bookshop is the brainchild of coffee enthusiast and publisher Nello Russo and fashion marketer Diego Moriondo. You can enjoy your coffee with a book lounging around furniture made of deconstructed vintage printing presses, or grab a local beer and enjoy the rotating art exhibitions.

Gelateria Miretti – The best tramezzini beside Caffe Mulassano are at this historical cafeteria in the heart of the city. Their gelato is also excellent. 

Farmacia Del Cambio – Farmacia del Cambio, located in the same square as Palazzo Carignano (the first Italian Parliament), is the younger sister of the city’s most historical restaurant, 1757’s Ristorante Del Cambio by chef Matteo Baronetto. Farmacia del Cambio’s marble tables, its impeccable service and the pastries (from chef Fabrizio Galla) will blow your mind and palate. The gianduiotto, made with gianduja mousse, anice bavarese, and a blackberry, orange, and vanilla jelly, is a must order. 

BAKERIES

Cerea Bakery – A leader in the still-relatively new sourdough scene in Italy, this bakery makes a plethora of tasty, digestible, high-quality breads and Italian and Scandinavian sweets from levito madre and stone ground Italian flour. Lovely owner Francesco Gaetano’s commitment to artisanship and high-quality production can be felt with each bite, and it’s a favorite for the focaccia. 

Pasticceria Sabauda – Here, the decadent desserts don’t sacrifice flavor for appearance. The brightly lit dining space–thanks to panels of floor to ceiling windows–is a particularly nice spot to sit on an otherwise gray Turin day. Try their Sabaudo coffee, flavored with Piedmontese hazelnuts.

BARS

Spaccio Vini e Olii – A spot for wine drinkers in Piazzetta IV Marzo, the most suggestive square of Quadrilatero. Highlights include the wooden, simple and intimate ambiance, the vast wine offering and the cheese and meat boards–all their ingredients are high quality and consciously sourced. Order a class of the often-forgotten, rare Beaujolais crus.

Monomono Bar – A multifaceted spot for a coffee, for aperitivo or for late drinks. Here, the curated vintage atmosphere embodies a mix of serene and cool Italian 70’s vibes–a hint of diner from New York’s Lower East Side and a hint of Hopper’s Nighthawks painting nostalgia. The music comes from the original Rock-Ola jukeboxes. Our go-to cocktails are the Timojito (rhum, lime, linden honey, mint, and ginger ale) and Monomono Smash (gin, basil, lemon, sugar, and Cedrata).

Mou Vintage and Bar – You’ll find a hip crowd of young adults flocking to this spot during the day for the prime vintage and handmade shopping and at night for drinks and dancing. Both cocktails and clothing items are written on a chalkboard in the back of the shop, and each is as eclectic as they come.

Isola – A hybrid spot dedicated to food, natural wines, art and even a tattoo studio. This place is the ideal spot for any moment of the day: from brunch to late-night drinks. Our favorite snacks are the burger and gazpacho, and we usually opt for a French wine. 

Bar Briac – Go-to bar around the Gran Madre area and perfect for an end-of-summer aperitivo. Their taglieri boards pair perfectly with their well-researched, always yummy wine list.