5 Best Restaurants in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, Italy

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.

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, along with more international options including ramen and Peruvian plates, along with 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.

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.

This excellent enoteca, with a contemporary casual atmosphere, has a whole range of Piedmont specialties to pair with local wines. You'll find more than 60 labels, as well as grappas and liqueurs, on the menu.