The *vitello tonnato* at Osteria Il Cortile

Some of the most famous foods from the region of Piemonte are Vitello tonnato, Agnolotti, grissini, tartufo bianco and finally panna cotta. The vitello tonnato is thinly sliced veal covered in a sauce made from tuna and cappers. It doesn’t sound that appealing by description (depends on your tastes, of course), but the manifestation is quite delicious, and it is a classic Piedmontese dish. You will find this on the menu as a ‘secondo’ in traditional piemontese restaurants, and now in restaurants around the country as well.

Agnolotti is a typical pasta, a popular ‘primo’, from this region; they are plump little pockets (resembling ravioli) which can be filled with meats, cheeses and vegetables. Specifically, you will see ‘Agnolotti del Plin’ on menus around the region.

‘Plin’, in local dialect, refers to the way the chef must ‘pinch’ the pasta together to create the little pouch.

Similar to, but even more popular than, the Puglian taralli, the classic Italian breadsticks (I grissini) come from Piemonte. The story goes that they were invented in the 17th century for the young Duke Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy, as he had trouble digesting traditional breads.

Tajarin pasta with ‘40 yolks’ in butter and white truffle

It would be unjust to discuss the food and wine of this region without mentioning the Tuber magnatum Pico which is the scientific name for the tartufo bianco (white truffle). The ‘diamond of Alba’ grows in the dense forests of the countryside in Piemonte. You can read more about these precious truffles and the festival in their honor hosted in the namesake town of Alba between October and December here in the post specifically on Le Langhe. If you visit this region in the fall, look out for special truffle menu inserts and enjoy!

A breadbasket with *grissini* at the incredible Osteria Boccondivino in Bra

Now, on to the sweets, you might know the cream-based dessert known as panna cotta, and which also calls Piemonte home. Look out for these classics on menus while in the Piemonte region, and give them a try! And for a bit more of the sweet side of Torino, this region has something in common with Umbria as being a siren for chocolate lovers.

How to make Gianduja

The distinctive Gianduiotto chocolates have become another symbol of the capital city, Turin; they are shaped as a ingot (a block of steal, gold or any other metal) and they are made with “Gianduia (or sometimes spelled gianduja) is a sweet chocolate spread containing about 30% hazelnut paste, invented in Turin during Napoleon's regency (1796–1814).” The legend goes that coco became difficult to import from South America during Napolean’s reign; therefore, adding the hazelnut helped the chocolate go further. One of the best places to try the best chocolate Torino has to offer is Guido Gobino. Read more in the cafes and contemporary bars post.

Wine and Regional Features

First, in terms of the wine regions, I have the impression that visiting Piemonte is still (somewhat) reserved for those with intermediate to expert proficiency in wine knowledge. Many American visitors still perceive Toscana to be the primary wine region in Italy, and perhaps it does still offer a more equalitarian and even accessible experience. (That said, I firmly believe every travel experience is ‘accessible’ if you do proper research and approach it in the right way!) To explore the wine region in Piemonte, I have friends and relatives that have taken different approaches. Booking a wine tour or experience is one way. For example, you could explore a number of personal websites such as this one called Italianna.com, cross check reviews on Tripadvisor and Google. Then, contact the guide personally and see if she or he could arrange the type of experience you are looking for.

In any case, with or without a guide, it is best to personally contact wineries in this region ahead of time. It seems the walk-in experience is not common in this wine region, and, depending on the experience you want, this could be an incentive or deterrent.

Check out my post from the fall of 2023 for some more specific recommendations and my personal experience of visiting the wine region of Piemonte.

The celebrity wines in this region are Barolo and Barbaresco, both made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Barolo boasts the lofty moniker ‘king of wine’, and it is full bodied complete with ‘mouth drying tannins’. This wine is also famous for its aging potential and many of them should be aged for 5-10 years to reach their potential.

Gaja is the foremost producer of Barbaresco

The neighboring Barbaresco is made from Nebbiolo grapes that ripen earlier because of the soil and climate; they are generally less tannic but still ‘age-worthy’ with plenty of acidity. While Barolo is gendered as the dominant and robust ‘king’; Barbaresco is oft described with adjectives that have feminine associations such as ‘elegant’, ‘refined’ and even ‘perfumed’. Thus, you will see the latter playfully identified as the Queen.

If you have read some other wine sections, you might know I am partial to whites, although I try to give representation to all colors (red, wine, rose and orange). I am fond of a white from Piemonte called Roero Arneis. The grape is Arneis, and Roero is the small DOCG district. I think they are delicious, and according to the Wine Searcher website, they have ‘earned the nickname Barolo Bianco (white Barolo)’.

Good choices for a base between the regions of Barolo and Barbaresco (the names of wines and the DOCG growing areas in which they are located) would be the cities of Bra or Alba. Read more about the specific areas in my aforementioned post.

Slow Food extends to the ‘dolci’ at Osteria Boccondivino

On the subject of Bra, this town also happens to be the headquarters for the Slow Food movement. The movement was founded by Carlo Petrini and can be defined as “a global, grassroots organization, founded in 1989 to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions.” Thus, be prepared to find delicious eateries that pertain to the philosophy that ‘good’ is wrapped up in ideas of quality and health; the food will be fresh, seasonal but also produced by methods that are ‘good’ for the environment.

In fact, you can visit the restaurant attached the the original headquarters, and I absolutely recommend you do. It is called Osteria Boccondivino, and you can read some of the story in the photo at right.

Additionally, the New York Times has a 36 Hours in Barolo feature, which could be another good resource in planning a trip to this region with offers delights all around in terms of food and wine.

Food and Wine

Introduction to the city of Torino

Restaurants in Torino