Ristorante Madama Piola

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Behind the market at Piazza Madama Cristina. Giant photos of agnolotti on the walls, soft lighting with table lamps on French-style tables, and an open kitchen. The menù draws on the tradition of the “Piola”, the old osteria. While waiting for antipasti, you can try trout tartare with panna and spring onion, hazelnut (€12), paté della Piola (€12), or insalata russa veg (€14). Then baked onion stuffed with salsiccia, seasonal vegetable flan, and tonno di coniglio (all €14). Tradition also shines in the primi, with homemade pasta: agnolotti and gnocchi served with ragù, sugo d’arrosto, tomato, burro e salvia, or in broth, as well as a hearty minestrone with trippa (€14). Among the secondi: bollito misto with various sauces served hot in a tureen, plus trippa al rosso, cervo with mushrooms, and stewed baccalà (€16-18). Desserts are traditional: tiramisù in a cup, baked pear with chocolate, and zabaglione (€7 each). The wine carta is extensive, from house wine by the glass to a wide range of labels, almost entirely Piedmontese, with pleasant surprises. The menù degustazion5e costs €45; choosing à la carta, the bill does not exceed €50, drinks excluded.

Osteria 12 Arcate

Osteria 12 Arcate

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Inside a renovated cascina, welcoming spaces ideal for families, friends, events and ceremonies. A “convivial cuisine” based on sustainability and seasonality, with simple but authentic traditional dishes and excellent value for money. At lunch, Tuesday to Friday, a smart menu with 1 dish at €12, two at €16 and dessert included at €20, with cover, water and bread included. The primi are generous, the secondi light with seasonal sides, and desserts homemade. In the evening and on Saturdays, the offer expands: antipasto misto piemontese with acciughe al bagnetto, vitello tonnato, trote in carpione, giardiniera and tomino with honey (€15). Among the primi: corn gnocchi with Castelmagno (€14), ricotta cannelloni with a hint of the sea, or chestnut tajarin with ragù of hare (€16), as well as ravioli with three arrosti (€15). For secondi: venison medallion with pomegranate sauce, porcini mushrooms and potatoes (€18), or guancia of suckling pig in red wine with polenta and chicory (€15). Vegetarian options are always available. Desserts range from panna cotta with chestnuts and zabaione to chocolate and hazelnut fondant (€6). On Sundays, fixed menu at €35 (€15 for children), with 3 Piedmontese antipasti, 2 primi, beef brasato and chocolate fondant. Wine cellar with selected Piedmontese labels at affordable prices.

La Taverna di Fra Fiusch

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In the charming village of Revigliasco, just a few kilometers from Turin, inside a late 19th-century cascina, intimate and welcoming, you’ll find Fra’ Fiusch, where chef Ugo Fontanone mentored a generation of young chefs who now work in restaurants of varying fame. On the hillside, it’s always a pleasure to rediscover Piedmontese classics, sometimes joined by more innovative creations. Here you can taste vitello tonnato all’antica maniera, peaches with porcini, or lingua salmistrata with peppers in salsa verde. Not to be missed are tajarin with ragù langarolo of chicken livers and salsiccia, agnolotti del plin with meat and burro d’alpeggio, but also those filled with donkey meat, and risotto with toma di Murazzano, pears, and coffee. For secondi: finanziera, lamb cutlet with raspberries, or seared prawns on hazelnut cream. For dessert: fagottini with apples and cognà, and goat blue gelato with pear sorbet. The carta dei vini is extensive, featuring Piedmontese excellences and a rich selection of Italian wines with a few French gems. Cheese selection also noteworthy. Prices range from €35 to €48

Trattoria l’Oca Fòla

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In the Cit Turin district, among Liberty-style villas and Renzo Piano’s skyscraper near Porta Susa, stands L’Oca Fòla, a trattoria reminiscent of the old “piole”, offering rustic Piedmontese cuisine with innovative touches. Owners Massimo Miglietta and Paola Barberis serve antipasti such as battuta di fassone with citron and bergamot jam, pistachios, seirass and balsamic reduction, crostatina salata with kohlrabi and toma DOP on almond pesto, and tuna carpaccio with citrus, artichoke salad and pomegranate (€14). Among the primi: agnolotti del plin with shiitake mushrooms in porcini broth, and tagliolini with ragù bianco of capocollo and a nest of crispy leeks (€14). For secondi: trippa in white wine with red cabbage, chili confit tomatoes (€22), and finanziera piemontese (€24). Both traditional and creative desserts are available (€6). The cantina, rich in Piedmontese wines, is displayed in wooden niches. Menù settimanale up to €40, and on Sundays menù fisso at €33 with 2 antipasti, 2 primi, one secondo and a dessert. Warm atmosphere with exposed brickwork and wooden furnishings. Massimo, a sommelier, handles pairings, while Paola, a langarola cook, conveys her passion: “food must be a moment of joy.”

 

 

Osteria Rabezzana

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Enoteca Rabezzana, in central Turin near Piazza Solferino, was founded in 1911 when the great-grandfather of the current owner, from the province of Asti, opened a shop for his own wines. After various moves and generations, since 2016 the osteria and enoteca has been located on Via San Francesco d’Assisi, next to Pastificio Giustetti, run by Franco’s uncles, the current owner. The venue is set in a spacious basement room reminiscent of French caves, where guests can enjoy Monferrato specialties enriched with Sicilian influences, linked to chef Giuseppe Zizzo’s origins. On the menu: antipasti such as carne battuta al coltello, vitello tonnato alla vecchia maniera, or tartare of gambero rosa e viola with citrus pan brioche (€13-18). Among the primi: fresh pasta from Pastificio Giustetti, from agnolotti vecchio Piemonte to casarecce alla Norma or tagliolini alle cime di rapa (€13-14.50). For secondi: costolette d’agnello allo scottadito and oven-baked turbot fillet (€24-26). For desserts: bonet and cremino alle nocciole alongside zeppole and strudel (€7). The carta dei vini boasts over 900 labels. Worth noting is the “Buta Stupa” initiative, the custom of resealing an unfinished bottle to take it home. Average spend: €35-45.

Ristorante Monti

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Just steps from piazza Adriano, Ristorante Monti serves genuine Piedmontese cuisine. Their specialties include traditional dishes such as vitello tonnato della nonna, the famous plin alla cordunà (ravioli served in a napkin without sauce), and the classic fritto misto alla piemontese in three versions: regular or vegetarian (16 pieces at €24) and gran fritto misto (35 pieces at €48). On the savory side: chicken and pork loin milanese, veal meatballs, brains, granelle and liver. On the sweet side: semolino, prune, banana and amaretto. A menù degustazione is available at €45. The à la carte menu offers Piedmont classics such as trippa, batsoa (pig’s trotters), filetto Torino (breaded with grissini, also known as Grissinopoli) and finanziera, Cavour’s favorite dish with chicken offal. Desserts feature zabajone, bonet and hazelnut torta from Cortemilia. The wine list includes prestigious regional labels as well as bottles from small producers. The restaurant also joins the Buta Stupa initiative, allowing guests to take home an unfinished bottle.

Le Vitel Etonne’

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Located in the very center of Turin, the sign highlights the house specialty: the cult Piedmontese dish that is always available here. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with two dining rooms, one in the cellar with 300 Italian labels, including many Piedmontese reds. Chef Massimiliano Brunetto offers Piedmontese dishes, sometimes reinterpreted. Among the antipasti: vitello tonnato della casa, glazed animelle with roasted artichokes, insalata di gallina, truset (red radicchio), Castelmagno, hazelnuts and hard-boiled egg (€14-15). Among the primi: classic agnolotti al plin, ravioles della Val Varaita with burro, salvia, fontina and hazelnuts, tagliolini 36 tuorli with artichokes or salsiccia di Bra, vegan ravioli filled with artichokes and potatoes (€13-16). For secondi: ramen of bollito alla piemontese, baccalà with black garlic and kale chips, and the traditional finanziera (€22-23). For dessert: cremoso with gianduia, salted caramel cream and hazelnuts, and Martin sec pears with nebbiolo, robiola di capra cream flavored with cinnamon and crumble (all €7). Excellent value for money. Fresh pasta to take away is made daily, along with various sauces.

Tre Galline

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Behind Porta Palazzo, a restaurant with 500 years of history that has shaped the city’s dining scene. Its dishes, where tradition is reinterpreted with contemporary techniques, continue to attract both locals and tourists. On the carta, among the antipasti: classics such as vitello tonnato with sauce without mayonnaise, braised lingua with salsa rubra, and carne cruda di Fassona with cucumber salad, yogurt, and Pecetto cherries (€16-17). In season, bagna cauda; year-round, baccalà confit. Among the primi: traditional agnolotti ai tre arrosti, tagliolini with zucchini, saffron and salsiccia di Bra, and risotto Acquarello with pea cream, turbot and sweet-and-sour onion (€17-18). For secondi: finanziera della casa (€25), veal shank with nebbiolo (€18), and the classic carrello dei bolliti, with seven cuts of meat and seven matching sauces. Alongside a rich carrello of cheeses, for dessert: the classic bonet della casa and semifreddo with peach, granella d’amaretto and dark chocolate (€7-8). The carta dei vini features the best of Piedmontese production as well as a selection of national and international labels. Menù degustazione €60.

Osteria Antiche Sere

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In the Piedmontese capital, the tradition of piole has always existed: osterie where wine was poured and a few traditional dishes were served. This historic spot on via Cenischia (open only in the evening) is one of the few true “piole” left in the city, with wooden furnishings inside and a beautiful “topia” (pergola) for summer outdoor dining. The meal begins with antipasti misti: peperone with acciuga, tomino elettrico, lingua, and frittatina d’erbe (€16). Also worth tasting: insalata russa (€8) and acciughe al verde (€12). Among the primi: agnolotti with sugo d’arrosto (€14), gnocchi with Castelmagno, and tajarin with ragù bianco (both €12). For secondi: albese with celery and parmigiano, duck terrine with summer truffle (both €16), plus the more traditional coniglio in white wine and guancette di vitello with potatoes (all €15). For dessert, don’t miss the classic bonet, budino with torrone and honey, and zabaione with meringues and cream (all €6). The honest markups on wines in carta stand out. Here you can still dine for €35/37. Booking is recommended, especially on weekends.