The Vitello Tonnato Pilgrimage

Thin slices of cold-poached veal blanketed in a silky tuna, anchovy and caper sauce, served chilled. It sounds like a mistake. It is one of Italy's great antipasti.

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Why this dish?

Vitello tonnato pairs two things that have no business together - tender cold veal and a creamy sauce of tuna, anchovy, capers and (traditionally) egg or mayonnaise - and turns them into something cool, savoury and surprisingly delicate. The veal is poached, chilled and sliced paper-thin, then napped with the sauce and scattered with extra capers.

It's the kind of dish that's everywhere in northern Italy in a so-so version and sublime in a good Turin kitchen, where the veal is properly cooked and the sauce is balanced rather than gloopy. Light, refined and very Piedmontese, it pairs beautifully with the region's crisp whites or a light red. A perfect lunch in a city that does elegance better than almost anywhere in Italy.

Our Picks

Porto di Savona

Address: Piazza Vittorio Veneto 2, Turin
What to order: Vitello tonnato to start, then agnolotti or a Piedmontese main; a glass of Arneis (white) or light Barbera.
Book ahead: Yes for dinner; lunch is easier.
Pro tip: Order it as the antipasto it's meant to be, then keep going - Piedmontese menus reward a slow, multi-course lunch.

Consorzio

Via Monte di Pietà 23, Turin

A modern Slow Food–minded trattoria championing Piedmontese produce, with a natural-leaning wine list locals love.

What to order: Their vitello tonnato and whatever's seasonal.

Good to know

It's served cold and usually as a starter - don't expect a hot main. Quality hinges on the veal and a balanced (not over-mayonnaised) sauce. Turin's aperitivo culture, grand cafés and chocolate are all reasons to linger. (Same city as the agnolotti pilgrimage - make a day of both if you're greedy.)

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