Historic Cafés in Turin: How to Live Turin’s Coffee Culture Like a Local

Turin has ten officially recognised historic cafés, the oldest being Caffè Al Bicerin, which opened in 1763. The day runs to a fixed rhythm: espresso or cappuccino standing at the bar before midday, a bicerin in the afternoon, vermouth at aperitivo. Standing at the counter costs less than sitting, where a table on the piazza can reach €9.

Step into a historic café in Turin, and the first thing you’ll notice is the marble and gold. The second is the choreography: waiters sending out coffee after coffee, and the line somehow keeping itself in order.

It’s almost like there’s an invisible conductor orchestrating the whole scene, and in a way, there is: the clock. Turin’s historic cafés have moved to its rhythms for 150 years, serving different drinks for different hours, as people stop by before, during and after work.

This guide walks you through a typical day in Turin’s historic cafés, so you know exactly what to order, and when, to drink like a local.

A Brief History of Turin’s Café Culture

Turin’s grand café culture started with Caffè Al Bicerin, which opened in 1763. As the city grew into the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia and then of a newly unified Italy, these cafés multiplied along its grand arcaded streets, built to serve a city that was rapidly becoming a political and industrial power.

The clientele came from the Savoy court and the new professional class arriving in the city. Stratta and Baratti & Milano both became official suppliers to the Royal House of Savoy, while writers, intellectuals, and the architects of Italian unification treated the cafés as extensions of their offices, meeting over coffee, chocolate, and pastries to debate, write, and do business.

Turin’s cafés were working salons, and today, not much has changed. You’re still likely to find friends greeting one another over an espresso at the bar, business people conferring at tables, and tourists trying to get a taste of Torinese life.

Turin boasts the highest concentration of surviving historic cafés in Italy, with ten official members listed on the national Historic Cafés Route:

Café	Year Founded	Location	What to Order
Caffè Al Bicerin	1763	Piazza della Consolata	The bicerin
Caffè Fiorio	1780	Via Po	Gelato, or the hot chocolate with cream
Baratti & Milano	1858	Piazza Castello	Gianduiotti, or chocolate as a drink
Caffè San Carlo	1822	Piazza San Carlo	Espresso at the bar, or a seat on the piazza
Caffè Stratta	1836	Piazza San Carlo	Marrons glacés, or the Corone Sabaude (hazelnut and gianduja cream pieces covered in chocolate)
Caffè Torino	1903	Piazza San Carlo	Espresso in the grand salon
Caffè Mulassano	1907	Piazza Castello	A tramezzino, any of the 30 fillings
Caffè Platti	1875	Corso Vittorio Emanuele II	Hot chocolate with Cointreau, or the Platti chocolate cake
Caffè Elena	1889	Piazza Vittorio Veneto	A vermouth—the recipe was perfected here
Gelateria Pepino	1884	Piazza Carignano	Gelato—it’s Piedmont’s oldest gelateria

What a Typical Day Looks Like in Turin’s Historic Cafés

Here’s what a day of drinking coffee like a local looks like, from the first espresso to the last.

Morning: Coffee at the Counter

Start your day the way locals do: an espresso or cappuccino with a brioche (what Turin calls a cornetto), taken standing at the bar in the local neighborhood caffè.

Turin is full of neighborhood caffès just as integral to daily life, even if they’re not on the official Historic Cafés Route, like Caffè Roma Torrefazione in the Borgo Dora neighborhood. The counter doubles as a small shop, and if you like what you drink, you can have your own beans ground while you wait and take them home with you.

The decaf is especially good here: so smooth and chocolatey, you wouldn’t even guess it wasn’t the real thing.

Mid-Morning: Sitting in a Grand Salon

For a people-watching spot on one of Turin’s grand piazzas, Caffè San Carlo is unbeatable, though there’s usually a line for it. If you’d rather skip the wait, try Caffè Torino 1903: a few doors down, with the same grandeur and piazza views.

On your way to Caffè Torino, look for the golden bull set into the pavement outside: local tradition says a spin on your heel, grinding into a particular part of the bull’s lower anatomy, brings good luck.

This is your last call for a cappuccino—after midday, it’s espresso only according to Italian coffee etiquette (though you don’t have to take it too seriously if you love an after-lunch cappuccino).

Chocolate lovers should try Baratti & Milano on nearby Piazza Castello, which makes some of the best gianduiotti and cremini chocolates in Piedmont. Here, you can order chocolate three ways: as confectionery, a drink, or in their selection of chocolate cakes.

Afternoon: Merenda

Merenda is an afternoon pick-me-up, usually something small to eat alongside your drink. Caffè Mulassano on Piazza Castello is the birthplace of the tramezzino, a soft, triangular sandwich said to be inspired by the English tea sandwich that’s often eaten in the afternoon.

Here, over 30 kinds of tramezzini are served, with fillings that range from classics like ham and cheese to gourmet variations like truffle and bagna cauda (Piedmontese garlic and anchovy sauce).

Afternoon is also the classic time for a bicerin, especially on a cold winter’s day, when the fog rolls in from the mountains. This layered drink is served with a thick base of hot chocolate, topped with a layer of coffee and a layer of thick cream.

It’s served across the city, but for the original, it’s worth waiting in line at Caffè Al Bicerin: the birthplace of the drink, which still keeps its recipe a jealously guarded secret.

Bicerin’s golden rule? Never stir it: instead, bring the glass directly to your lips and let the coffee and chocolate filter through the cream for a dynamic sensory experience.

Early Evening: Aperitivo

Evening brings the original happy hour: aperitivo, a tradition with deep roots in Turin. Vermouth is the traditional choice for this hour, but nowadays you’ll find people enjoying a Spritz, gin and tonic, or glass of wine, usually accompanied by a selection of local cheeses and charcuterie.

The vermouth recipe as we know it today was perfected at Caffè Elena on Piazza Vittorio Veneto. On a fine evening, take a table outside and watch the piazza come alive as night falls.

After Dinner: Dessert & Digestivo

By the time dinner is over, most of Turin’s historic cafés have closed for the night. Two exceptions are Caffè Torino 1903 and Caffè Elena, which both stay open until midnight.

Many restaurants will offer bicerin as an alternative to dessert, and most locals end the night with one final caffè (or deca, if it’s getting late).

Should I Stand at the Counter or Sit at a Table?

Now that you know where to go, here’s what to do when you get there. Italian coffee culture can catch you out in a few ways, starting with whether you stand or sit for your coffee.

Standing at the bar (al banco) is the default for a quick espresso at any time of day. It’s fast, cheap and social, while sitting (al tavolo) means slower service and a higher price, and is meant for lingering.

To drink at the counter, you usually pay first: get your receipt (scontrino) at the register (la cassa), then hand it to the barista when you order. Some cafés do it the other way round — order first, then settle up at the cassa when you’re done.

You’ll recognise each zone by its décor: the large marble counter, for fast service and drinking on your feet, and the seating area with low tables and velvet banquettes reserved for table service.

If You Want to Sit at a Table

Despite being working cafés, these are historic landmarks that attract huge numbers of visitors, and are usually very busy. Getting a table seat almost always means waiting in line. When it’s your turn, the waiter will show you where to sit.

Service is fast, but the waitstaff won’t pressure you to leave, which is considered rude in Italy. When you’re ready to pay, ask your waiter to bring you the check.

The biggest difference you’ll notice, beyond time and décor, is the price: paying more to sit is standard practice across Italy, and covers the cost of the space and the service.

A seat on the piazza will often cost even more again; expect to pay anywhere from €5-€9 at some of the more famous historic cafés like Baratti & Milano or Caffè San Carlo (but check because prices change regularly).

A Glossary of Turin Coffee Terms

Ready to order? Use the following glossary to make sure you get the right drink:

What to say	What you get
Caffè	Espresso (a shot of strong coffee)
Macchiato	Espresso with a splash of hot milk
Lungo	Espresso made with slightly more water
Caffè deca	Decaf espresso
Un bicerin	Layered hot chocolate, coffee, and thick cream
Marocchino	A layered drink of espresso, cocoa powder, and milk foam

Frequently Asked Questions

How many historic cafés are there in Turin?

Ten are official members of the national Historic Cafés Route: Caffè Al Bicerin, Caffè Fiorio, Baratti & Milano, Caffè San Carlo, Caffè Stratta, Caffè Torino, Caffè Mulassano, Caffè Platti, Caffè Elena and Gelateria Pepino. The oldest is Caffè Al Bicerin, which opened in 1763.

What is a bicerin and where should I drink one?

A bicerin is a layered drink with a thick base of hot chocolate, a layer of coffee above it and a layer of thick cream on top. It is served across the city, but the original is at Caffè Al Bicerin on Piazza della Consolata, where the recipe is still a guarded secret. Never stir it. Bring the glass to your lips and let the coffee and chocolate filter through the cream.

Should I stand at the counter or sit at a table?

Standing at the bar, al banco, is the default for a quick espresso at any time of day. It is fast, cheap and social. Sitting, al tavolo, means slower service and a higher price, and is meant for lingering. At the counter you usually pay first at the register, then hand your receipt to the barista.

Why does it cost more to sit down in an Italian café?

Paying more to sit is standard practice across Italy and covers the cost of the space and the service. A seat on the piazza costs more again. At the more famous historic cafés such as Baratti & Milano or Caffè San Carlo, expect anywhere from €5 to €9, and check on the day because prices change regularly.

Can I order a cappuccino in the afternoon in Turin?

Italian coffee etiquette makes mid-morning the last call for a cappuccino, with espresso the default after midday. Nobody will refuse to serve you one later, so do not take the rule too seriously if an after-lunch cappuccino is what you want.

Which historic cafés in Turin are open after dinner?

Most close for the night once dinner is over. The two exceptions are Caffè Torino 1903 and Caffè Elena, which both stay open until midnight. Many restaurants also serve a bicerin in place of dessert.

Where was vermouth invented?

In Turin. The recipe as we know it today was perfected at Caffè Elena on Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which is why vermouth remains the traditional choice for aperitivo hour in the city.

Drink Like a Local, Travel Like You Belong

Now that you know what to order, when and where to order it, and whether to stand or sit, you’re much closer to experiencing Turin’s historic cafés the way locals do.

If you want to go even deeper, Italy Charme can help, whether that’s through an introduction to the family still roasting behind the counter, a private food tour, or an afternoon with one of the city’s master chocolatiers.

Tell us how you want to experience Turin’s coffee culture, and we’ll build an itinerary around it, so you’re not just drinking like a local—you’ll feel like one.

Photographs: Caffè Baratti & Milano by Basilicofresco, bicerin by Gartxoak, Caffè Mulassano by Bettylella, all CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Piazza Solferino, 1936, postcard, unknown author, via Wikimedia Commons.

Written by Victoria Peel-Yates, a writer based in Piedmont. Prices are those quoted at the time of writing and change regularly. Opening hours vary by season, so check with each café before you go.