Caffè Al Bicerin

The bicerin is the signature drink of Turin: a layered glass of espresso, drinking chocolate, and whipped cream. It was invented in the 18th century at Caffè Al Bicerin, and the same café has been serving it from the same address (Via della Consolata, across from the church of the same name) since 1763. The drink is served in a small glass, the layers visible through the side: a base of thick dark chocolate, espresso poured over it, a cap of cream. You do not stir it: you drink it in layers. Gianduja was invented in Turin in 1852, the hazelnut-chocolate mixture that eventually became Nutella (Ferrero is a Piedmontese company from Alba, 60 km south). The city has chocolate heritage that runs deeper than any tourist attraction: the best serious chocolatiers (Guido Gobino, Peyrano, Stratta) are workshops where you can watch production and buy directly. The bicerin at Al Bicerin costs EUR 5-7. The café itself is small (about 10 tables) and atmospheric: unchanged for 260 years, mirrors, marble tables, the same recipe. Alexander Dumas, Cavour, Nietzsche, and Puccini are all documented as having come here.