Mulassano

Art-nouveau bar with marble, wood and bronze fittings and a tooled leather ceiling. Favourite of actors, directors and singers from nearby Teatro Regio and a good pre- or post-theatre bet.

• Piazza Castello 15, caffemulssano.com

Al Bicerin

A single, snug room with wooden walls and white marble tables that sells bicerin - a thick, sweet drink with the consistency of bitumen but actually made from hot coffee and chocolate with a topping of cream. Nietzsche and writer Italo Calvino were regulars.

• Piazza della Consolata 5, bicerin.it

Baratti & Milano

Art-nouveau jewel set in the stunning Galleria Subalpina, an iron- and glass-roofed arcade. All wood panelling, big mirrors and chandeliers. There's a bar laden with jars of giandujotto chocolates and crystallised violets.

• Piazza Castello 27

Caffe Torino

In the portico of the square known as the "living room" of Turin because everybody passes through it. Favourite of Ava Gardner, James Stewart and Brigitte Bardot when they were in town. An ode to good taste.

• Piazza San Carlo 204

Caffe San Carlo

A Turin institution, unchanged through the centuries.

• Piazza San Carlo 156, caffesancarlo.it

Bar Mokita, Piazza S. Carlo, 217

Guido Gobino

Chocolate & giandujotti.

• Via Cagliari, 15/b, guidogobino.it

Where to stay

Boston Art hotel

It is famous for works by contemporary Italian painters and its Thursday aperitifs party in the private garden, where there is an open-air exhibition.

• Via Massena 70, + 39 011 500359; hotelbostontorino.it; doubles from €115.

Getting there

British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com) flies from London Gatwick and Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted.

What to read

The Pleasures of Slow Food by Corby Kummer, published by Chronicle Books at £32.30