Turin’s best 11 “bicerin” according to Gambero Rosso

Bicerin & Turin, a story that begins in the 18th century. Complete with the official year, 1763, the date of the opening of the bar that was created precisely to serve that ineffable drink that has spanned the centuries and is still a ritual/myth in the city. Let's start with the story then. The bicerin is a perfect balance of coffee, chocolate and fior di latte, an evolution of an even older drink, the bavareisa (coffee, chocolate, milk and syrup). There were three original versions pur e fiur (coffee and milk foam), pur e barba (coffee and chocolate) and un poc 'd tut, a little bit of everything, which is the one that ended up prevailing and has survived to this day. In the 19th century, everyone consumed it, from street vendors to lawyers, because it gave energy and warmed souls and bodies, at the price of 3 soldi, affordable across the board. Today it costs €6/7.50, is always served in glass cups, with or without a handle (bicerin, in fact), and since 2001 has been recognised by the Piedmont Region as a “traditional Piemonte beverage”. The ingredients have been codified, but the doses remain secret and each place has its own recipe.

Things not to do concerning bicerin

• Refrain if there is whipped cream: it is a tourist's version of whipped cream, which is why you won't find any excellent addresses among the locals that offer tasty bicerin with whipped cream
• Ditto if it is not served in a glass: call the lawyers
• Never mix the three layers: the flavours must arrive in the mouth separately - you must feel the different temperatures and textures - and blend in the palate. So no spoons!

Where can you find a bicerin worthy of its name in Turin?

Here are 10 addresses to try in strict alphabetical order, plus an unusual final address.

Al Bicerin

"The" place where it all began, since 1763. The bicerin is made with chocolate from sustainably farmed cocoa from the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon and Indonesia, slowly cooked in large copper pots, light, aromatic coffee and fior di latte. Cavour, Dumas, Nietzsche, Calvino, Soldati, Umberto Eco (who mentions it in The Prague Cemetery) used to come here to enjoy it, along with the faithful on their way out of the Consolata church and even during the Lenten fast (as a drink it did not break the fast). Not to miss.

Piazza della Consolata, 5 - bicerin.it

Baratti&Milano

Overlooking the scenic Galleria Subalpina, Baratti, as the Turinese call it, is one of the city's most sumptuous historical cafés, all boiseries, mirrors and gold. The classic bicerin is a must: hot chocolate with a heart of 100% Arabica coffee and milk cream.

Piazza Castello, 27 - caffe.barattiemilano.it

Caffè Fiorio

At Fiorio's, a historic café since 1780, the haunt of reactionaries at first and then the characters of the Risorgimento from Massimo d'Azeglio to Santorre di Santarosa, the most popular bicerin is the classic one, with coffee, chocolate and milk cream. Only a small part of the clientele requests a newer (and unorthodox) version with whipped cream.

Via Po 8/C - Facebook

Caffè Platti

A historic café under the porticoes of Corso Vittorio since 1875, Platti, frequented by Cesare Pavese and Giulio Einaudi, to name but a couple of excellent names, focuses on Savoy rigour: the bicerin here is made with dark chocolate, coffee and milk cream. It is always accompanied by a risotto of dry mignon pastries.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 72 - platti1875.com

Caffè San Carlo

At the San Carlo, which recently reopened after a long and careful renovation, the team led by chef Christian Costardi prepares a classic bicerin, as befits a historic establishment: hot chocolate, coffee, semi-whipped milk cream and, to taste, a dusting of cocoa.

Piazza San Carlo, 156 - costardibros.it/caffe-san-carlo-torino

Caffè Torino

After stepping on the brass bull that stands in front of the entrance and traditionally brings good luck (you will understand where to insist by seeing how worn the silhouette is) you enter the early 20th century rooms of the Caffè Torino where you can enjoy the classic “Bicerin d' Cavour”, prepared with chocolate, coffee and unwhipped heavy cream. The hot chocolate complements the flavour of the coffee and the cooled liquid cream.

Piazza San Carlo, 204 - caffetorino1903.it

Farmacia del Cambio

Here too, in the premises of a former 19th-century pharmacy next to the historic Del Cambio restaurant, 1757, bicerin is the order of the day: coffee, hot chocolate and cream. Perhaps to be accompanied by an excess of greedy lust with the cubrik, the cubic croissant that has gone around the world on social networks and is now a cult.

Piazza Carignano, 2 - delcambio.it

Guido Gobino

In the historic old shop just a stone's throw from the Egyptian Museum, the great chocolatier Guido Gobino has two proposals: the classic Bicerin with classic hot chocolate on the bottom, coffee, and whipped cold milk. At the table it is accompanied by some chocolates. Gobino also prepares the Gianduja version with gianduja ganache, coffee and whipped cream, again served with chocolates.

via Lagrange, 1 - guidogobino.com

Pepino

In the historic establishment where 85 years ago the much-imitated penguin, Italy's most famous covered on a stick, was born, the bicerin is also at home: it is served in a glass with a handle, and prepared with coffee, hot chocolate and milk cream, as per tradition.

Piazza Carignano, 8 - gelatipepino.it

Pfatisch

Under the arcades of Via Sacchi, a celebrated historic venue (it has also been the location for several films due to its unspoilt period setting, such as the fiction on the Grande Torino and the miniseries on Enrico Mattei and Luisa Spagnoli) where the classic bicerin is prepared with coffee, melted dark chocolate, semi-whipped milk and a dusting of dark cocoa, accompanied, of course, by Piedmontese dry pastries.

Via Paolo Sacchi, 42 - pfatisch.com

Mara dei Boschi

If you think that Mara dei Boschi in Piazza Carlina, as the people of Turin call it, is 'only' an excellent ice-cream parlour, you don't know what you are missing: here you can also enjoy an excellent speciality coffee from the roastery in Barolo. And a different, deconstructed, creative bicerin: we make an exception for its originality in that it is served in cups: two red cups, one with specialty coffee, the other with 72% Venezuela hot chocolate, both with milk cream. The reinterpretation is called Perfect Love and is inspired by the work by Félix Gonzales exhibited at the MoMa in New York (Mara's patron Riccardo Ronchi comes from the art world), which depicts the love story of the artist, who died of AIDS in 1996, for his companion Ross through two wall clocks, one next to the other, marking the same time. They seem to be the same, but then they start to drift apart and no longer tell the same time. Just as happens in the 'double' bicerin: the different temperature of the coffee and chocolate causes the cream to melt at different times. In short, the Savoy bicerin remains a classic, but it can also become contemporary without losing its roots: good news!

Piazza Carlo Emanuele II, 21 - maradeiboschi.it