You'll find that the food in Turin (Torino) is wonderful. Be sure to spend time enjoying all the local flavors. The region has been credited with being the birthplace of the Slow Food Movement. The dishes often use locally made ingredients and there are very diverse flavors and recipes. Local favorites include antipasto misto, risotto ai funghi (mushroom risotto), and carne cruda (beef tartare).
When dining out, the average daily cost for food in Turin (Torino) is around $80 (€74) per person, with previous travelers spending from $35 to $150. Generally, breakfast and lunch cost less than dinner, but this will depend on the type of restaurant and what you order.
Typical meal prices in Turin (Torino) are as follows:
- Breakfast: $8 to $24
- Lunch: $12 to $32
- Dinner: $24 to $56
- Coffee: $6
- Fast Food or Street Food: $12
Local cuisine of Turin is typical to that of the Piedmont region, which encompasses the area of northern Italy at the foot of the Alps bordering France and Switzerland. Traditional Piedmont cuisine is very sophisticated, encompassing rich flavors, full-bodied wines, and indulgent desserts. Meals are often categorized into antipasti (starters), primi (pasta), and secondi (meats and fish), as well as dolci and formaggi (desserts and cheese). Some local antipasti favorites include items like mixed hors d'oeuvres, tomini (creamy cheeses served with chilli), vitello tonnato (veal in a tuna mayonnaise), marinated anchovies, and grissini (breadsticks). For primi, there are many pastas and risottos that are often creamy and include local cheeses, fresh vegetables, fish, meat, or mushrooms. Truffles are especially popular in this region. Moving on to secondi, visitors can enjoy an assortment of veal, chicken, pork, and offal in a dish like bollito misto. Others include carne cruda (like beef tartare), lumache (snails), and fish such as anchovies, swordfish, salmon, tuna, bream, sole, trout, sardines, herring, cod, and sea bass. Finally, dolci includes favorites like gelati, sorbetti, panna cotta, and tiramisu, while formaggi showcases local cheeses like stracchino, toma, robiola, raschera, and fontina. As a major city Turin will have these local specialties as well as international options including but not limited to Arab, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Argentinian, and Iranian cuisines.
Many hotels include breakfast in their pricing structure, while some charge additional fees for it. The quality and cost can vary significantly by hotel. Knowing this in advance can help you decide whether to allocate more money. It might be worth paying for the delicious hotel buffet, or you could go to a local bakery or cafe that's less expensive.
Why not save some bucks and enjoy the sights by having a picnic? Stop by a local grocery store or market, grab some fresh food, and head to a nice park or beautiful spot to enjoy your meal.
Carry a water bottle with you instead of buying drinks everywhere. It's also good for the environment.
While planning your tour, it's essential to know which meals are included. You may find yourself paying for some meals, which can add to your travel budget.
If you're looking to experience the culinary culture in Turin (Torino), taking a food tour or cooking class is a terrific way to do it. After all, cuisine is one of the reasons why so many people visit. Some of the best food-related activities here include:
- Private Pizza & Tiramisu Class at a Cesarina's home with tasting in Turin for $156 details
- Chocolate and Sweets Tour Turin - I EAT Food Tours & Events for $85 details
- Street Food Tour D'Luxe | Turin Gourmet - I Eat Food Tours for $117 details