Piedmont

Wealthy, cultivated and gastronomic, Piedmont remains relatively undiscovered by American travelers. Turin, the headquarters of Fiat, belies its reputation as an industrial city by also being notably elegant, with a Baroque center that features miles of shopping arcades. An hour south, the towns of Alba, Asti, Barolo and Barbaresco draw gourmets and oenophiles from around the world.

Editor Tips

World-Class Restaurants

The brilliant contemporary Italian cooking at chef Enrico Crippa’s three-star Piazza Duomo (Piazza Risorgimento 4, Alba. Tel. 0173-366-167) makes it the best restaurant in Piedmont. I also love Trattoria della Posta (Località Sant’Anna 87, Monforte d’Alba. Tel. 0173-78120), a well-run old tavern with a wonderful wine list and a terrace with a view of the Langhe hills.

Wine Abounds

Enotecas offer a library-like selection of the wines produced in the surrounding area. The Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco (Piazza del Municipio 7) is housed in a chapel dating to the mid-19th century and features exhibits on Barbaresco wines. The Enoteca Regionale del Barolo (Piazza Falletti 1) is located in the Falletti Castle and offers a terrific number of wines from the 11 districts that comprise the Barolo wine zone (the property re-opens from its annual winter break on March 1st).

Feast on Chocolate and Cheese

I love shopping for local gourmet delicacies in Piedmont. Bono Nella e Pagliarino (Via Roma 44, Canale) is a cheese-lover’s paradise and a great place for an on-the-spot tasting lesson in Piemontese cheeses. And many chocolate connoisseurs consider the chocolates of Peyrano (Corso Moncalieri 47, Turin), founded in 1915, to be among the best in the world.