11 Best Restaurants in Turin, Piedmont and the Valle d'Aosta

A chocolate lover's pilgrimage to Turin inevitably leads to this café where Nietzsche, Puccini, Dumas, and the political reformer Cavour have all sipped. If you order the house specialty, bicerin (a hot drink with layers of chocolate, coffee, and cream), or a flavored zabaioni (warm eggnog), and browse the collection of chocolate goodies including chocolate-flavored pasta, you'll understand why.

The well-spaced tables and the ancient brick vaulting in this small, bright space set the stage for game, meat, fish, and seafood dishes served with creative flair. The level of service is very high, even by demanding Turin standards.

Tucked away on the third floor of the Green Pea sustainable retail venture (next to Eataly Lingotto), one of Turin's top destinations for fine dining is run by the fourth generation of the Vicina family, with Claudio and wife Anna leading the kitchen and Stefano managing the front of house. Excellent-quality traditional Piedmontese dishes are served with creative style, and the wine list is an encyclopedia, featuring not only the top Barolo producers but also many other small but notable wineries.

Set in a palace dating from 1757, this is one of Europe's most beautiful and historic restaurants, with decorative moldings, mirrors, and hanging lamps contrasted with ultramodern takes on Piedmontese cuisine from young Michelin-starred chef Matteo Baronetto. Order an inventive signature dish such as the Piedmontese salad, with around 24 artfully composed ingredients, and an expertly prepared meat or fish dish, or opt for the eight-course tasting menu to sample more of the chef's innovative cooking.

When you’re not in the mood for an Italian-style lunch or dinner (read: leisurely), head to the Mercato Centrale for a selection of foods—from more than 20 food stands—like fresh pasta, fish, roast meats, pizza, and fried dishes; more international options including ramen and Peruvian plates; and a good choice of cocktails, wines, and beer. But don’t fill up on the mains, as you’ll also find a delightful selection of baked goods and, of course, gelato, for a sweet finish.

The first floor of an elegant town house in the center of Turin makes a fitting location for this sophisticated restaurant. There's an excellent wine list with regional, national, and international vintages well-represented, and tasting menus, including a feast that covers the full range of the restaurant's cuisine and desserts.

Extremely popular for lunch during the week, this lively and informal osteria is in Turin's business district. The service is relaxed, the decor is low-key, the menu highlights organic meats and vegetables from Piedmont, and there's a good selection of natural wines.

Famous for freshly made seasonal pasta dishes since 1872, this shop serves a packed lunch crowd all week long, with outdoor seating in the summer. Secondi and dolci are also available, but pasta is the main event.

If you are hankering for something different from the usual meat-based Piedmontese cuisine, give this simple, extremely popular family-run spot a try. They serve only seafood, and they do it well.

In the glass-roofed Galleria Subalpina, near Via Po, stands one of Turin's charming old cafés. It's famous for its exquisite chocolates—you might want to buy their gianduiotti (hazelnut chocolates) or candied chestnuts to take home to friends. Light lunches are also served.

This tiny café, decorated with marble and finely carved wood panels, is famous for its tramezzini (small triangular sandwiches made with white bread and filled with all sorts of goodies), which they claim to have invented here in the 1920s. Popular with the pre- and post-theater crowd, the café also offers a unique roulette system for clients trying to decide on who pays the bill—ask the cashier for an explanation.