Caffè Torino — Restaurant in Turin

Cafe Torino is an absolute disgrace of a restaurant — hands down the worst dining experience I’ve ever had, in Italy or anywhere else.

I ordered tagliolini alla Nerano with ricci di mare. What I received was a crime against Italian cuisine: overcooked, dry pasta drowned in a repulsive watery green sludge from zucchini, with not a single trace of ricci. I sent it back, hoping for a fix, but what came out of the kitchen the second time was even more disgusting. This wasn’t just badly executed — it was inedible.

Coming from Naples, I know what Nerano pasta is supposed to be. This was pure mockery — a dish that no serious cook, let alone a “chef,” would ever dare to serve. Honestly, my toddler could put together something more respectable.

My husband’s lamb with spinach? Equally pathetic, bland, and uninspired. Overpriced cafeteria food would have been better.

The waiter was kind, but it doesn’t matter when what comes out of the kitchen is this insulting. For a restaurant in such a prestigious piazza, this is a total scam. We walked out with a massive bill and me essentially unfed, because there was no way I’d pay for that disaster.

Cafe Torino is nothing but a tourist trap, serving garbage at premium prices. A complete humiliation for Italian cuisine and the city of Turin. Do not waste your money, your time, or your...

We just visited this place to have a little snack. When we came in, a lady asked us if we want to eat. I said yes and she showed us a place. After being seated I asked for an English menue. They don't have that. Prices are at the upper middle range (Spaghetti something 25 EUR) and therefore I wanted to know what I order. The waiter said, that he can explain, what he did very briefly (pasta, fish, meat, salat - gone)... Thanks, that's what I understood already. We wanted to have a plate with different finger foot, as we saw while entering. I asked for that and suddenly things changed my wife and I felt really uncomfortable because we made a "really big mistake" sitting there. Thus we went over to the other part of the place after we where told to sit (in a not so friendly way). Because it was raining and we needed a short rest we ordered two cappuccino for 5,50 EUR each. In the morning and later afternoon we had one for 1,20 EUR and both times with friendly service. We won't come back. This ist one of this places where the stuff treats you better if you walk in with a suit. But unfortunately we don't wear that...

The bicerin and the hot chocolate were decent, not superb, but acceptable. However the service was very poor. No welcoming or greeting when entering, no smiles or whatsoever kindness, feeling like we were just a number bringing money. The cashier was talking on the phone and barely paying attention to us while paying the bill, as if we were a nuisance. At the end, given me trying to catch her attention, she saluted us with a "ciao", when a "buongiorno" would have been way more appropriate. As a Torinese I am appalled and disappointed that such a traditional place has become so detached from the welcoming culture the city had in the past. That is all without even mentioning the outrageous prices: Euros 16.50 for a bicerin and a hot chocolate. I will not go back. Not...