Here are some extraordinary restaurants and the best places for chocolate:
La Gola
It's very near the Porta Susa station and not far from the center of town. Its owner, Domenico Cairola was a famous alpine climber back in the fifties. He had to stop climbing after spending a whole night way up in the mountains at 30 below to help an injured friend: after that night he lost most of his toes from frostbite. He then owned a factory for a while and finally entered the restaurant business.His son, the chef, worked with Paul Bocuse. The cuisine is exceptional and never repetitive or banal. Domenico Cairola chooses all the wines himself and so his clients get to drink wines from vinyards too small to ever reach international fame but soooo good. Prices are very reasonable considering what you get: a dinner for two usually costs me 80 Euro in all, and that includes antipasto, primo, secondo, dessert and a bottle of wine. Many famous/successful but not obstentatious customers go there.
(In case you're wondering, I don't own the restaurant :-): I'm simply
enthusiastic about it).
Corso Matteotti 59, Torino
phone number: 011 5111012
La Prima dal 1979 - Moreno
In the 1970's Moreno was the pioneer of a new type of cuisine here in Turin: instead of à la carte, a series of small quality dishes. Over the years he mercifully reduced the number of dishes, which was excessive. Most restaurants in Turin learned something from Moreno or copied his style altogether. He remains a master in the choosing of quality ingredients. Pricey, but worth it. Good clientele.
Corso Unione Sovietica 244, Torino
phone number: 011 3179191
On the web
email - info@laprimamoreno.it
Mare Nostrum
Seafood only. A relatively new restaurant, very near Piazza Vittorio Veneto / Mole Antonelliana. Creative cuisine, sometimes excellent, very cozy environment. Downsides: service sometimes not on par with price (high).
Via Matteo Pescatore 16, Torino
phone number: 011 8394543
Ristorante Wasabi
(legal name: Parco del Glicine)
The first Japanese restaurant Turin ever had. The sushi, the tendon and the food in general are excellent. The (Japanese) owners are exquisite people. Their style is totally unpretentious and their prices very reasonable. Best Japanese restaurant I tried so far in Europe and on the same level as a few really good sushi restaurants in New York (never been to Tokyo, sorry).
Corso Ferrucci 72, Torino
phone number: 011 4473812
Chocolate
The two best chocolate makers in town are:
-Peyrano - Corso Moncalieri 47, Torino or Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 76, Torino
and
-Guido Gobino - Via Cagliari 15/B, Torino
Above information quoted from Giorgio Pogliano of Torino.
Page 2: Turin Restaurant Recommendations from Luca Signorelli
