Turin food is rich in taste and sophisticated. Like the rest of the Piedmont region, it bears a strong connection with the rural tradition, and at the same time with the refined requirements of the royal palaces. To all this, add some French gastronomy influence. Find out here where to find the best restaurants in Turin for traditional eats, the finest chocolate, and a scrumptious aperitif.
Some of the dishes you will want to try in Turin are vitel tonné (roasted veal slices with a tuna sauce), the garlic-rich bagna cauda sauce with anchovies, veggie flan, agnolotti stuffed pasta, civet game (game cooked with red wine, mushrooms, and spices).
If you have a sweet tooth, the delicious Turin chocolate and cakes will haunt you during your trip. Don’t miss baci di dama, amaretti, marron glacés, gianduia cream and of course a glass of bicerin!
Top Turin restaurants for first-time visitors
From traditional Piedmont and Turin dishes to the cheap local “piola” (Turin-style trattoria), here you will find some of the best restaurants in Turin to please every palate and every budget.
Antica Bruschetteria Pautasso, one of the best restaurants in Turin for traditional cuisine
Hands down one of our very favourite restaurants in Turin was Antica Bruschetteria Pautasso. You can order traditional Turin dishes or more contemporary eats while reveling in the cozy, softly lit atmosphere.
They are particularly famous for the typical garlic-rich bagna cauda (they make it also without garlic) and for a good reason. Here, it’s served with a large plate of fresh seasonal veggies to dip in. I love garlic so I was probably biased, but the dish was absolutely heavenly. No wonder this is one of the dishes that make this Torino restaurant famous among locals.
We tried also another dish from the traditional Turin cuisine, vitel tonné, consisting of thin slices of veal served on a sauce made with mayonnaise and finely chopped tuna. This, too, was excellent.
As it was in season, I had fantastic beetroot dumplings on a pumpkin sauce and chives while my husband ordered a perfectly braised Piedmont veal.
As all the dishes we tried were succulent and delicious, we have no hesitation in recommending it and in going back ourselves next time we are in Turin.
The menu at Pautasso Antica Bruschetteria offers also vegetarian and vegan options. The dishes are made with locally sourced ingredients from the Piedmont countryside and the wine list includes mainly Piedmont wines and caves.
- Where: Piazza Emanuele Filiberto 4/h.
- When: Every day 12.30-2.30 pm and 8-11 pm (very busy, booking is recommended)
- Website.
Da Cianci Piola Caffè, where to eat in Turin on a budget
If you are looking for a very affordable meal in Turin city center, your best bet is to grab a table at one of Turin’s piole. These rustic restaurants are very popular especially among students because super cheap while still serving delicious traditional meals.
Da Cianci Piola Caffè is a popular budget Turin restaurant for many reasons. First of all, it’s a favorite thanks to its mouthwatering traditional recipes served in pretty generous portions. Their cheap fares play also an important role in making it popular among students and young people. Last but not least, its exclusive location in the city center makes it an easy stop for locals and tourists alike.
As soon as we got there, seeing it so crowded with locals was of immediate reassurance. We grabbed a table outdoors and started peeking on the menu.
Our meal started with a fantastic cauliflower flan on cheese fondue. The starter was followed by the typical tajarin pasta for me and lamb with potatoes for my husband. We rounded off our budget Turin dinner with a scrumptious peach mousse as a dessert.
Prices here go from 4€ for the starters to 5 to 6€ for the main courses, be it pasta or a meat dish, and 2 to 3€ for the dessert.
- Where: Largo IV Marzo 9/b
- When: Open daily for lunch and dinner.
- Website.
Beerba, perfect for an aperitif in Turin
Rest assured, you won’t be leaving Beerba hungry. For a delicious Turin aperitif and buffet dinner, this small and cozy gastropub in the San Salvario quarter is a great choice.
They offer a different menu every evening, affordable prices, and an unlimited buffet that makes both vegetarians and non-vegetarians happy with treats such as pizza, lasagna, baked veggies, pasta, pies, and cold cuts.
As the food runs out, new trays are constantly pulled out of the kitchen. Always different recipes for every taste and preference.
We loved also their exquisite cocktails, both alcoholic and alcohol-free. Beer fans can order an artisan ale served on tap.
- Where: Via Sant’Anselmo 13/b
- When: Every day 6.30 pm-1.30 am.
- Website.
Monferrato, Torino restaurant for regional cuisine
For typical Piedmont cuisine, another restaurant in Turin to try is Monferrato. Serving traditional recipes since 1820, it has almost acquired the status of an institution in Turin.
Its exclusive location in the pedestrian street of Borgo Po quarter close to the Gran Madre church makes it a favorite eatery for both residents and tourists looking to discover the regional flavors.
The menu changes often, and some recipes change daily, mainly because dishes are made with seasonal products. So depending on the month, you will find delicacies with asparagus, truffles, porcini mushrooms, and more. The fresh pasta made in-house and the cakes prepared daily add a nice touch to a great menu.
While this is not a cheap eatery, prices are not excessive. Starters go around 10-14€, the first courses are in the range of 10-12€ and the main dishes can cost from 15 to 20€.
- Where: Via Monferrato 6.
- When: Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, closed on Sunday.
- Website.
Tre Galline, one of the oldest Turin restaurants
An old Turin restaurant, Tre Galline claims to be serving the dishes of the tradition for some 500 years. It certainly is regarded as one of the best restaurants in Turin and its central location makes it easy to reach and a pleasant stop after our sightseeing.
Here, historical recipes are served with the personal touch of the chef and made with seasonal quality ingredients. This is definitely one of the Turin restaurants to try if it’s your first trip and you want to tuck into the local cuisine.
Prices are slightly higher than the average Turin eatery, but the quality of the food justifies this.
While recipes change depending on the season, some of the classics are always available. On the menu seirass Piedmont ricotta, herbs tartrà, and Piedmont-style rabbit are among the starters (price range from 15€), and traditional agnolotti, asparagus cream, and pesto risotto among the first courses (prices 13-15€).
The main courses include dishes like mixed stew, lamb with veggies, and fish steak like dentex. Prices for these courses range from 20 to 30€.
- Where: Via G. Bellezia, 37
- When: Monday to Friday 7.45-10.30 pm, Saturday until 11 pm, Sunday open for lunch from October to the end of May. Closed December 25th and 26th and January 8th-15th.
- Website.
Solferino, one of the top Turin restaurants
Famous for its raw Fassona beef meat, Solferino is another historic place and one of the best restaurants in Turin city center. The dishes of the tradition are always available, with the mixed stews and mixed fried offal popular in winter, while summer has different treats made with seasonal produce.
Here, don’t miss one of the dishes made precious by the rare white truffle, be it on top of tajarin egg pasta, risotto, or fondue cheese cream.
Prices are not the cheapest but affordable and worth it for a great Turin traditional meal. Starters are in the range of 11-15€, first courses from 9 to 15€, and main dishes from 15 to 22€.
- Where: Piazza Solferino 3
- When: Every day 12.15-2.30 pm and 7.30-10.30 pm.
- Website.
Ristorante Consorzio, traditional Turin restaurant
Very central and popular for the quality of its traditional dishes and the tempting choice of desserts, Ristorante Consorzio is always on the lookout for high-quality ingredients, lost veggies and local produce, wild herbs, much appreciation and use of offal parts, and a great wine list.
Here Turin gastronomy meets the city’s history and crossroad of cultures and people. And this is how you have a menu that welcomes foreign influences, especially from the Catalonia region, and local products from other Italian regions.
Among the first courses, you have a wide choice between dumplings, agnolotti, risotto, and soups, while the main dishes include braised Fassona beef, veal tongue, and crunchy guinea fowl.
Prices range from 10-14€ for the starters, 11-14 for the first dishes, and 15-20 for the main dishes. They offer also a tasting menu complete with two starters, one first and one main dish plus dessert for 35€.
- Where: Via Monte di Pietà 23.
- When: Daily for lunch and dinner, closed on Saturday for lunch and on Sunday.
- Website.
Top places for chocolate and Bicerin in Turin
Turin is also famous for its chocolate, so if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss Guido Gobino La Bottega chocolate shop in Via Lagrange 1, not exactly cheap (their small takeaway treats are 100€/kg), but it is truly heavenly. Also, for a traditional Turin experience, enjoy a bicerin, a typical drink made with coffee, chocolate, and milk cream.
Where to find the best bicerin in Turin? Try it at the above-mentioned Guido Gobino, at Pasticceria Stratta in the beautiful Piazza San Carlo, and obviously at Al Bicerin (Piazza della Consolata 5), the historic coffee shop where this delicious drink was invented.