Historic cafes
“What news from the cafés today?” King Vittorio Emanuele II would often ask his counsellors when he wanted the low-down on the political situation. If we’re going to be honest, a chapter of Italian history was actually written in Turin cafés. Cavour was a patron of Caffè Fiorio, but Massimo D’Azeglio, Giolitti and Einaudi preferred Baratti&Milano. De Gasperi used to wind down at Caffè Torino. Alexandre Dumas was a habitué of Bicerin (the “snifter”), Guido Gozzano liked the Art Nouveau rooms in Mulassano, but Platti was Cesare Pavese’s favourite.
Things haven’t changed much and the historic cafés are the heart and soul of Turin tradition and culture: a safe bet for tasting some special subalpine pastries in oh-so-chic style.
