Turin – Italy’s Forgotten Food Capital

by Sofia 

Before we traveled to Turin we knew very little about the city other than that it was known for its car production

Little did we know that Turin is also a foodie’s heaven, something that we discovered during our time there. Not many people seem to know about this great gastronomical treasure of northern Italy – it’s almost as though it as been forgotten of.

The locals claim that the reason is because they don’t brag and tell everyone about how great their food is, they just know it’s the best…

Europe’s Largest Open-Air Market

In Turin you will find the largest open-air fruit and vegetable market in Europe.

Full of life, the bustling market starts in the morning (around 8am) and goes on until 2pm. This is where the locals go to buy their weekly food shopping, and a great place to soak up the Italian atmosphere.

Selling seasonal fruits and vegetables by the kilo, you can easily buy a whole week of greens for €6, and it’s the perfect place to put together a cheap pic nic lunch before heading over to one of the parks nearby.

Giandujotto

If you’re a chocolate fan, prepare to be in for a real treat! What was originally an attempt to “thin out” chocolate to make it more affordable turned into one of the most delicious chocolate treats ever: the Gianduja.

A mixture of chocolate and hazelnuts, the Gianduja comes in bite sized treats called Giandujotto, and can be bought pretty much anywhere in Turin. They’re seriously some of the most amazing chocolate treats I’ve ever had, and I’ve eaten a lot of chocolate in my life..!

To give you an idea of the flavor, Gianduja was the inspiration to the more famous (and cheaper) Nutella spread we all love so much – which in Turin they throw into almost everything, from coffee to snacks.

Bicerin

We’ve written before about Turin’s obsession for chocolate, and the Bicerin is one of its proudest inventions. A hot chocolate/coffee drink, Bicerin is a unique drink of Turin, and a must-try for cool evenings.

Zabaglione

Another warm drink typical for Turin is Zabaglione, an alcoholic type of egg-nod, where the egg is whipped into a foam, and you basically eat the drink with a spoon.
It’s sweet, a little sticky, and has a strong alcoholic liqueur flavor.

Biscotti & Bagnati

To go with their hot chocolate coffee drinks, the Savoy family that ruled Piedmont invented bite sized biscuits to dip in their hot drinks.

These delights made especially to be dunked come in many different flavors and varieties, some of the most famous are Baci di Dama, Canestrelli and Savoiardi – better known as ladies fingers.

Our favorite were Torcetti (in the lower left corner), but there is really an infinite variety of specialities waiting to seduce you and be enjoyed in Turin’s small, traditional patisseries.

At Caffé al Bicerin (famous for their Bicerin) you can order a plate of assorted traditional biscuits for €6 to go with your drink – they’re definitely worth it!

Ferrero Rocher

As if the fact that Turin invented eating chocolate wasn’t enough, one of the most famous gourmet chocolates in the world – Ferrero Rocher, was also invented in Turin.

Wine

The Piedmont region of Turin is famous for their wine, especially of the red sort.

One of the perks of Italy, and especially Piedmont, is that wine can be bought everywhere, and surprisingly cheap.

In some of the cheaper restaurants such as “Brek” you just grab a jug of the size you want and pour wine from a tap lie it was water!

Two glasses can cost as little as €1,70, not to mention the prices of bottles from a wine shop of supermarket.

If you like wine that is a little tangy, you’ll love Italian wine.

Aperitivo

Turin claims to be the inventor of so many things it’s almost a bit of a joke; one cafe even claims the fame for “bite sized sandwiches”, and prize them accordingly…

The city is apparently also where “aperitivo” was invented, a sort of “happy hour” thing when you buy a drink and get a buffet or snacks for free.

Unlike “happy hour”, drinks aren’t usually cheaper, but you get free food included. For a proper buffet expect to pay €9, but if you just want to enjoy a refreshing Aperol Spritz with some peanuts and chips you can get a drink for as little as €4 (at least from our favorite local hangout, Roger Bar at Via Torquato Tasso 9).

Slow Food Movement

The invasion of fast food joints popping up like a plague across Italy in the 80’s gave birth to a new food revolution – the Slow Food Movement.

This new movement began in the Piedmont region (in a town called Bra close to Turin) and was aimed to reclaim the meaning of eating in Italy, and offer the public good food carefully made with love, rather than pre-made reheated burger patties.

While the Supermarket/Restaurant Eataly is the most famous, there are many great slow food restaurants all over Turin.

Truffles

The Piedmont area is not only one of the best wine growing areas in Italy, but also the best for growing the exotic (and expensive) Truffels.

Every year Turin holds a truffle festival where the best chefs from around the world travel to the city to seek out the best truffles for their restaurants.

If you’re interested in visiting Turin and sample their amazing food, Co-op Travel offers some great holiday packages to Italy, where you can easily make Turin part of a day-trip.

Next time you travel through northern Italy make sure you stop over in Turin for a day or two to sample their great food!

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