Baratti & Milano — Restaurant in Turin

Nestled in the heart of Turin, I was drawn to Caffè Baratti & Milano by its opulent art nouveau interiors and a rich history dating back to 1875. As a venue that has hosted artists and thinkers over the decades, its decor is a testament to a bygone era of elegance and sophistication. However, despite its visual allure and historical grandeur, my visit was underwhelming in terms of the culinary experience.

I ordered the hot chocolate, hoping for a comforting escape from the chilly, drizzle-laden day outside. To my disappointment, it was excessively sweet, lacking the depth and richness one would expect from such a historic establishment—feeling more akin to an average powder mix. The Bicerin, while passable, did not impress enough to leave a lasting mark or inspire a return visit.

The café's impressive lineage and the promise held within its walls—adorned with timeless frescoes and plush seating—make it all the more regrettable that the drinks did not reflect the grandeur of its setting. For those seeking warmth in a cup on Turin’s rain-swept streets, there are many other venues that better encapsulate the city’s rich culinary heritage.

While Caffè Baratti & Milano might still enchant those attracted to its historic significance and architectural beauty, it falls short in delivering a palatable echo of its past glory. As such, while its doors remain open to those wishing to sip amidst splendour, I find myself inclined to explore other locales in pursuit of that perfect blend of history and taste on my next...

I went there yesterday(03/08/23), expecting to have a pleasant experience of dining in at a nice-looking restaurant. The sandwich was ordinary, the dessert and bicerin were decent. What turned me off was the waiter who served me. From the moment knowing I don’t speak Italian, this gray-haired, middle-aged and glasses-wearing guy was just simply impatient. While he was taking the order from me, knowing I wanted to order sandwich, he then rushed me to the cabinet to make the decision. After returning to my table, I continued on ordering dessert, again, he didn’t even wait for me to tell him what I wanted, he just rushed me to the dessert cabinet and asked me to decide quickly. Later on, while he was pouring the water to my glass, he was just so impatient and spilled water to the table cloth. While wondering this unpleasantness can’t go even worse, he successfully made this feeling continue. He passed by my table and sneakily took the plate away while my hands were literally next to it without saying anything nor making any sound. This guy is simply rude and destroyed my dining experience there. When there were Italian-speaking clients showing up, I absolutely can tell he had different attitudes towards them and me. Other than this waiter, other waitress were nice though. Anyway, for people who don’t speak Italian and want to have nice food/drinks with reasonable price, think twice before you enter. Otherwise, the restaurant looks really nice, good for...

An iconic coffee house right on Turin's main square, Piazza Castello. The decor is amazing and visiting it looks like a time travel to the beginning of the XX Century, and the rather high prices evidently also pay for the experience. Unfortunately, the service level we found was well above par and not at all at the level of the place and its history. The waitress was kind but most of the selection we wanted, including the bicerin, Turin's traditional chocolate with coffee, were not available, as few of the cakes on the menu. In practice, we couldn't chose but had to settle for the few items available, and it was mid-afternoon, not some strange timing! In the end the chocolate was good and the available cakes were tasty, but all in all it was an expensive and disappointing visit to a...