{"id":730,"slug":"bicerin-coffee-turin-historic-cafes","title":"Bicerin Coffee Turin: Best Historic Cafes & Famous Drink Spots","excerpt":"Bicerin coffee Turin guide: historic cafes, origin, and best tasting spots.","content":"Layered in a little glass, warm and impossibly rich, the bicerin is Turin's most delicious tradition: hot chocolate, espresso, and cream in one silky drink. To taste a proper bicerin coffee, Turin historic cafes have been the place for over 250 years, their marble tables and gilded mirrors barely changed. Here is where the drink was born, the best cafés to try it, and how to order it like a local.\n\n## What exactly is a bicerin?\n>A bicerin is a hot drink of three layers, dense chocolate, strong espresso, and lightly whipped milk cream, served unstirred in a small glass so you see the bands of colour. The name means \"little glass\" in Piedmontese. Invented in Turin in 1763, it was recognised as an official traditional Turin drink in 2001. Expect to pay around 5 to 7 euros.\n\n## The Origin: Caffè Al Bicerin\nEvery pilgrimage starts at Caffè Al Bicerin on the pretty Piazza della Consolata, in the Quadrilatero Romano. Opened in 1763, this tiny, wood-panelled café invented the drink, gave it its name, and still guards the original recipe as a closely kept secret passed down through generations. The bicerin evolved from an older 18th-century drink called the bavareisa, and the surviving \"a bit of everything\" version is what you sip today. Over the centuries its marble tables have hosted Cavour, Alexandre Dumas, Nietzsche, and Hemingway, who reputedly listed it among the things worth saving in the world. For an authentic bicerin coffee, Turin historic cafes rarely come more storied than this one, so expect a queue, or drink it standing outside.\n\n## The Best Historic Cafés for Bicerin\nWhile Al Bicerin is the birthplace, the drink is a ritual across the city's grand cafés, each a jewel in its own right. Baratti & Milano, overlooking the elegant Galleria Subalpina near Piazza Castello, is all boiserie, mirrors, and gold, and famous for its chocolates and gianduiotti. Nearby, tiny Art Nouveau Caffè Mulassano is the birthplace of the tramezzino sandwich, perfect for a savoury pause. Stroll down Via Po to Caffè Fiorio, going since 1780 and beloved for gelato, then finish on opulent Piazza San Carlo at Caffè San Carlo and Caffè Torino. These cafés are among the most atmospheric [things to do in Turin](https://torinocitypass.tripnly.com/blog/best-things-to-do-in-turin/) and a delicious slice of our [best things to eat in Turin](https://torinocitypass.tripnly.com/blog/best-things-to-eat-in-turin/) guide.\n\n## How to Drink It Like a Local\nA few tips make all the difference. First, do not order a bicerin at every stop, as it is very rich, so alternate with an espresso or a pastry, or share one. Second, prices jump for table service, or servizio al tavolo, compared with standing at the bar, al banco, and the touristy spots on Piazza San Carlo can charge 9 euros or more, so a historic café is often better value. Never stir it: the joy is drinking through the warm cream into the chocolate and coffee below. If you visit at a weekend, look out for the Merenda Reale, a revived 18th-century royal snack of bicerin or hot chocolate with biscuits, a lovely [hidden gem](https://torinocitypass.tripnly.com/blog/hidden-gems-turin-local-secrets-unique-experiences/) of Turin's café culture.\n\n## People Also Ask About Bicerin\n### What is in a bicerin?\nA bicerin is made of three layers: hot melted chocolate, espresso coffee, and lightly whipped milk cream, served unstirred in a small glass. The exact original recipe from Caffè Al Bicerin remains a closely guarded secret.\n\n### Where was bicerin invented?\nIt was invented at Caffè Al Bicerin on Piazza della Consolata in Turin, which opened in 1763. The café still serves it today from a secret recipe and gave the drink its Piedmontese name, meaning \"little glass\".\n\n### How much does a bicerin cost?\nAt a historic Turin café, expect to pay around 5 to 7.50 euros for an authentic bicerin. Tourist-heavy cafés on Piazza San Carlo can charge 9 euros or more, often for lower quality.\n\n### Do you stir a bicerin?\nNo, you should never stir it. The whole point is to drink through the layers, tasting the cool cream first, then the coffee and rich chocolate beneath, which is why it is served in a clear glass.\n\n### What is the difference between bicerin and mocha?\nA bicerin keeps its chocolate, coffee, and cream in distinct unstirred layers in a small glass, while a mocha is a blended coffee-and-chocolate drink. The bicerin is also a specific historic Turin tradition.\n\n## A Sweet Turin Ritual\nFor history in a glass, few experiences beat a bicerin coffee. Turin historic cafes let you taste 250 years of tradition, so start at Al Bicerin, wander between Baratti, Mulassano, and Fiorio, and drink it slowly through the layers. Skip the table service if you are counting euros, and work a stop into your [48 hours in Turin itinerary](https://torinocitypass.tripnly.com/blog/48-hours-in-turin-itinerary/) so this warming little glass becomes your favourite Turin habit.","author":"Yağmur Dudu","authorInfo":{"name":"Yağmur Dudu","bio":"Tripnly Global Ambassador · Travel Writer","avatarUrl":"https://ethical-car-b690d7e735.media.strapiapp.com/Yagmur_Dudu_rounded_b0517b520f.png","role":"","socials":{"twitter":"","x":"","instagram":"https://www.instagram.com/yagmurdudu/","linkedin":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/ya%C4%9Fmurdudu/"}},"date":"2026-08-25T12:27:54.276Z","category":"Food & Dining","imageUrl":"https://ethical-car-b690d7e735.media.strapiapp.com/Strapi_Article_Cover_Photo_91_34caba4e16.png","imageCaption":"","readTime":6,"views":0,"isPopular":false}