In this episode of @BitesofItaly we explore a growing food trend in Turin Italy: piattini — creative small plates paired with wine that let you build your own dining experience. An idea that nods to Spanish tapas but with a distinctly Italian—or rather, Turin—touch.
Forget oversized platters and predictable aperitivo boards. This is something different — a format inspired by sharing, seasonality, and freedom. Order a little of everything, mix and match, and turn the menu into your playground.
In this episode, we visit three unique places that define Turin’s evolving food scene:
🍷 Piattini Caffè e Vini (Quadrilatero Romano)
A stylish wine bar and café combining specialty coffee, natural wines, and seasonal small plates — from vitello tonnato to creative vegetable dishes.
🍝 Barbagusto (San Salvario)
Modern piola (Piedmontese osteria) offering an ingenious “half-portion, half-price” menu hack so you never have to choose just one pasta dish!
🕰️ Caffè dell’Orologio (San Salvario)
A historic restaurant reinvented as a “bottiglieria con cucina,” bringing back the traditional merenda sinoira — a rustic, late-afternoon meal of small plates rooted in Piedmont’s agricultural past.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 – Welcome back to Turin: The “Piattini” Trend Explained
01:51 – Stop 1: Piattini Caffe e Vini (wine bar and café)
02:57 – Small Plates & Natural Wine (& Speciality Coffee)
04:20 – Why You Need to Try Real Artisanal Vermouth
05:31 – Stop 2: Barbagusto (Piedmontese osteria)
06:56 – Piedmontese Classics & The Best “Menu Hack” in Turin
09:07 – The Fascinating 200-Year-Old History of Gianduia
10:42 – Stop 3: Caffè dell’Orologio (restaurant)
11:31 – Exploring the “Merenda Sinoira”
12:12 – Forgotten Piedmontese Dishes & Wines
14:18 – How to Navigate Turin Today
15:14 – Next Episode Tease (Pizza al Padellino)
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