Turin’s Historic Cafés: A Coffee Lover’s Guide to Italy’s Most Elegant Café City

There’s a city in northern Italy that most first-time visitors skip on their way to Milan or the lakes — and honestly, that’s their loss. Turin (Torino) is one of the most quietly elegant cities I’ve ever wandered, and nowhere is that elegance more delicious than in its historic cafés. This is the birthplace of Italian drinking chocolate, the home of the gianduiotto, and a place where a simple coffee break feels as though you are stepping into a Belle Époque painting.

If you’re travelling in your 40s, 50s or beyond and love the idea of slowing down, dressing up a little, and savouring something beautiful, a Turin café crawl is one of the loveliest ways to spend a day. Here are the six historic cafés I actually visited, what to order at each, and everything I wish I’d known before I went.

• Why Turin is a café lover’s dream
• The six historic cafés I visited
• What to order — Turin’s signature treats
• Practical tips for your café crawl
• Guided food & chocolate tours

Why Turin Is a Café Lover’s Dream

Turin was the first capital of unified Italy and the seat of the royal House of Savoy, and that aristocratic history still lingers in its grand arcaded streets and gilded café interiors. From the 18th century onwards, these cafés were where intellectuals, artists and royalty gathered.

What makes Turin special for a café crawl is that so many of these places are still operating, still beautiful, and still serving the same specialties they became famous for. You’re not visiting a museum — you’re sitting where history was made, with a cappuccino in hand.

1. Caffè Al Bicerin — Where Turin’s Famous Drink Was Born — est. 1763

If you visit only one café in Turin, make it this tiny, wood-panelled jewel beside the Santuario della Consolata. Founded in 1763, Al Bicerin is the birthplace of the bicerin — Turin’s signature drink of espresso, rich drinking chocolate and a soft layer of cream, served in a small glass and never stirred, so you taste each layer in turn.

The café is genuinely small, with just a handful of marble tables, so expect a short wait at busy times. It’s worth it. Order a bicerin, take a seat by the window, and let the morning unfold slowly. It remains one of my favourite café memories anywhere in Italy.

☕ Recreate the Bicerin at Home
Turin’s famous layered drink begins with thick Italian drinking chocolate — pair it with espresso plus a spoonful of cream:
👉 Shop Italian Drinking Chocolate on Amazon →

2. Baratti & Milano — Belle Époque Glamour in Galleria Subalpina — est. 1873

If I had to choose a single favourite café in all of Turin, this would be it. Baratti & Milano is the one I send every visitor to. Yes, it costs a little more than an ordinary bar — but the gilded setting, the impeccable service and those famous chocolates more than earn every cent. For me it is worth the splurge, every single time.

Tucked inside the elegant glass-roofed Galleria Subalpina, Baratti & Milano is pure Belle Époque theatre: mirrored walls, carved wood, chandeliers and glass cabinets full of jewel-bright confectionery. Founded in 1873, it’s most famous for its Piedmontese chocolates — especially the gianduiotto, the smooth hazelnut-and-chocolate treat that put Turin on the map.

Come here for an afternoon coffee and a few chocolates, or treat yourself to a beautifully boxed selection to take home. It’s the kind of place where you’ll want to dress a little nicer than usual — and you’ll be glad you did.

🍫 Bring the Taste of Turin Home
Recreate that Turin café feeling with Venchi, one of Piedmont’s most beloved chocolate houses — its silky gianduja and hazelnut chocolates are lovely with your morning coffee long after your trip:
👉 Shop Venchi Italian Chocolate on Amazon →

🍫 Or Try Classic Piedmontese Gianduiotti
Prefer a box of the traditional foil-wrapped gianduiotti to share or gift? Browse authentic options here:
👉 Shop Gianduiotti on Amazon →

3. Caffè Platti — Belle Époque Elegance on Corso Vittorio — est. 1875

Opened in 1875 on the grand Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, Platti is one of Turin’s most beloved cafés — a glittering Belle Époque salon of mirrors, stucco and warm wood. Over the years it drew writers and thinkers such as Cesare Pavese and the Einaudi family, and it’s even where a group of students famously founded Juventus football club in 1897.

Today it’s a lovely place for a leisurely coffee, a pastry, or an elegant aperitivo. The atmosphere is refined but genuinely welcoming — the kind of room where the Turinese feel right at home.

4. Caffè Mulassano — The Tiny Jewel Where the Tramezzino Was Invented

Right on Piazza Castello, Caffè Mulassano is small but unforgettable — a perfect little Art Nouveau box of marble, brass, leather and gilded ceilings dating to the early 1900s. This is where the tramezzino, Italy’s soft crustless sandwich, was invented in 1925.

There’s almost no seating, so most people order standing at the bar as the locals do — a coffee and a couple of tramezzini make a perfect light lunch between sightseeing stops. Don’t let the size fool you; the craftsmanship here is exquisite.

5. Caffè San Carlo — Grandeur on Turin’s Most Beautiful Square — est. 1822

Facing the magnificent Piazza San Carlo, this café opened in 1822 and was reputedly the first in Europe to be lit by gas lamps. Step inside and you’ll understand why people lingered: soaring ceilings, enormous chandeliers, gilded mirrors and a real sense of occasion.

It’s a wonderful spot for an aperitivo as the afternoon light hits the square. Order a coffee or a glass of vermouth — another Turin invention — and simply soak up the grandeur.

6. Gerla 1927 — A Chocolate & Pastry Lover’s Paradise

Under the arcades of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, Gerla 1927 has been delighting locals since 1927. This is the place for serious sweet-tooths: more than seventy kinds of chocolate, around twenty-five freshly made brioches each morning, and beautiful macarons, all paired with classic Piedmontese coffee.

I loved stopping here for a mid-morning brioche and a coffee, then lingering at the counter to choose a little box of chocolates to take away. It’s polished, generous and utterly delicious.

What to Order: Turin’s Café Specialties

• Bicerin — the layered espresso, chocolate and cream drink, best at Al Bicerin
• Gianduiotto — Turin’s silky hazelnut chocolate, lovely at Baratti & Milano and Gerla 1927
• Tramezzini — soft crustless sandwiches, invented at Mulassano
• Brioche & macarons — a morning treat at Gerla 1927
• Vermouth di Torino — the city’s classic aperitivo

Mulassano’s tramezzini (Sandwitches) — quite literally sublime. Highly recommended.

Sweets and a perfect cappuccino at Baratti & Milano — pure Turin elegance.

☕ Recreate Turin’s Drinking Chocolate at Home
Bring home rich Italian-style thick hot chocolate to make your own bicerin:
👉 Shop Italian Hot Chocolate on Amazon →

Practical Tips for Your Turin Café Crawl

• Standing vs. sitting: standing at the bar is cheaper and very local; sitting buys you the atmosphere.
• Timing: mornings are calmest; late afternoon is perfect for aperitivo and golden light.
• Dress: Turinese style leans elegant, so a slightly smarter outfit feels right in these grand rooms.
• Pace yourself: the cafés sit close together in the centre, so two or three a day is a comfortable rhythm.
• Cash & cards: cards are widely accepted, but a little cash is handy for a quick coffee at the bar.

Take a Guided Food or Chocolate Tour

If you’d prefer a local to walk you through Turin’s café and chocolate history — with tastings along the way — a guided food tour is a wonderful way to deepen the experience.

👉 Browse Turin food & chocolate tours on Viator →

Bring a Little of Turin Home

🍫 A chocolate lover? Don’t miss my companion piece, the Turin Chocolate Guide — gianduiotto, gianduja cream, the finest shops, plus how to order authentic Turin sweets online.

📖 Planning Your Trip? Get a Turin & Piedmont Guide
A good guidebook makes exploring Turin and the Piedmont region so much easier:
👉 Shop Turin Guidebooks on Amazon →

🫖 Make Proper Italian Coffee at Home
A classic stovetop moka pot is the easiest way to bring the ritual home:
👉 Shop Moka Pots on Amazon →

☕ Make Italian Cappuccino at Home
A good milk frother is the secret to a velvety, café-style cappuccino:
👉 Shop Cappuccino Essentials on Amazon →

🫘 Rich Italian Coffee
Stock up on proper Italian coffee for your moka pot:
👉 Shop Italian Coffee on Amazon →

🍬 A Taste of Italy’s Sweets
Bring home classic Italian treats, perfect for gifting:
👉 Shop Italian Sweets on Amazon →

🍫 Authentic Turin Chocolate — Venchi
Founded in Turin in 1878, Venchi’s gianduiotti plus chocolate-covered hazelnuts can be delivered straight to your door:
👉 Shop Venchi Chocolate on Amazon →

🍫 Nutella — A Taste of Piedmont
The world’s favourite hazelnut spread traces its roots to Turin’s gianduja — perfect for gifting or treating yourself:
👉 Shop Nutella on Amazon →

🍽️ Elegant Italian Coffee Cups — Richard Ginori
Beautiful Italian porcelain brings a touch of café elegance to your table:
👉 Shop Richard Ginori on Amazon →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cafés can I visit in one day?

Two or three is a comfortable, enjoyable pace. They’re close together in the historic centre, but the whole point is to linger — so don’t try to tick off all six in a single afternoon.

Is Turin good for solo female travellers?

Yes. Turin is elegant, walkable and generally very comfortable for solo women. The historic cafés are welcoming places to sit alone with a coffee and a book.

When is the best time to visit Turin?

Spring and autumn are ideal for comfortable walking weather. Turin is also magical in the cooler months, when a cup of thick hot chocolate feels especially well earned.

Final Thoughts

Turin rewards travellers who love to slow down. Its historic cafés aren’t just places to grab a coffee — they’re the living rooms of a city that has always valued beauty, conversation and a little daily luxury. Pull up a marble table, order a bicerin, and enjoy. You’ll understand why I keep going back.