Here, the great tradition of Piedmontese sweet things is recaptured and reinvented. On entering, you will be enveloped and warmly embraced by surprising aromas. Those who wish to experience the latest blends and choose an ancient recipe, will sample sensations that are difficult to describe.
This historic drink of Turin, which has evolved from the eighteenth century “bavareisa”, was created right here in this café of the same name which jealously guards the traditional recipe.  It’s an exquisite, hot drink- a mixture of espresso, chocolate ( the process is a well-guarded secret) and fresh cream. Served in a tall glass so you can admire the mouth watering melange of colours, the bicerin is a pleasure waiting to be discovered by those who love tempting the palate.
In 2001 the bicerin was acknowledged as the “ traditional Piedmontese drink” by the publication – Bollettino Ufficiale della Regione Piemonte .
Though “bicerin” means small glass, it is in fact packed with sustenance with its base of concentrated chocolate, topped with a layer of espresso, covered with cream. It is a power pack of energy.
(Lucia Sollazzo – La Repubblica)
Maritè serves the bicerin in large crystal glasses, in candle light. Simple ingredients, secret potions: home-made chocolate, coffee and cream from the top of the milk. The result is sublime- the hot chocolate melting into the strong flavours of coffee and cold cream.
(Mario Bussoni – Verde oggi)
It’s said that the eponymous drink is served with such finesse here, that many customers would come risking the barrage of machine-gun fire in order to procure a chalice.
(Giuseppe Culicchia – Encyclopaedia dei luoghi comuni, La Stampa)
The bicerin formula- the real one, unique, insuperable, is obviously a secret, even more heavily guarded than the Coca-Cola one.
(Renzo Rossotti- il giornale del Piemonte)
God willing, on Sunday, I can slip down to the old part of the city as per usual and savour the taste of a ‘bicerin’ that is drunk in that Café facing the Consolata, and I don’t look back on the past with regret – I like looking forward to the future as the city does.
(Enrico Paulucci – La Stampa)
They are going to try and steal the formula all-be-it a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). The emplyees are bound by a secrecy contract;.
(Melissa Corbidge e Cristina Pauly – Urban)
The zabaione at the Bicerin is an exquisite drink made on the spot and can be served with whipped cream and lady fingers.  Apart from the classical version, we offer zabaione with marsala or muscatel, lemon, Passito di Caluso, ratafià, walnut wine from Provence, cassis, Ala del Duca di Salaparuta wine, or coffee.
Maritè (…) gracefully serves the finest zabaione too. “ Everything whipped by hand” she smiles “ in flavours like marsala, moscato, lemon rind, passito di Caluso, ratafià, coffee and Ala di Salaparuta wine. And two egg yolks for each portion.”(Mario Bussoni – Verde oggi)
I must mention that Al Bicerin also serves several types of Zabaione using various Piemontese wines, such as Ratafià, Moscato and Passito .
(Jo McKenna – Italy Down Under- The National Magazine of Italian Australian affairs and culture)
The name of this recipe seems to come from San Bayon, spiritual and benevolent father of the Church of san Tommaso who, towards the end of the 1500s handed over to his parishioners, the sweet frothy recipe with the two egg yolk base with Marsala and sugar, which at that time was all the rage.
(Milena Ercole – La Cucina Italiana)
Intense aroma and an intoxicating flavour…that’s the bicerin hot chocolate, which comes to you today,  from an ancient recipe, a process that takes several hours. A real joy, made from the highest quality cocoa (duly prepared by the Master Chocolatier of the Bicerin), that can also be drunk with a side serving of freshly whipped cream. An ideal way to celebrate chocolate and its extraordinary storia.
Ancora si va, dopo la Prima Comunione, a prendere la cioccolata nella confetteria davanti alla Consolata.
(Carlo Fruttero e Franco Lucentini – La Stampa)
But the Café Al Bicerin isn’t limited to traditional torinese delights. Its spirit of experimentation means it’s a place where you can taste all sorts of original drinks. For example: hot spicy chocolate-a mildly spicy drink with cinnamon.
COLD CHOCOLATE
In summer the Bicerin also serves cold chocolate with cream, a real surprise for the most sweet-toothed who can satisfy their taste buds even when the hot weather means they might not think of having a hot drink.
STRAWBERRIES AND CHOCOLATE
The arrival of spring is celebrated with the new introduction to the menu of items made from fresh strawberries – their smell blends perfectly with that of Cocoa. There you have cold chocolate with strawberries and ground strawberries and chocolate. It’s paired with the grand taste of an unfortunately brief life…only in season, however.
Warm summer days require a cool drink. The Bicerin has created a range of frappés with unconventional flavours, to quench the thirsty and please the sweet-toothed. Among the others, there are the very appealing marsala and ratafià flavoured.
TEAS AND HERBAL TEAS (Infusions)
There aren’t too many places that offer such a variety of teas and herbal teas. You can choose from 38 varieties. Whenever you need to take a break and relax, at any time of day.
Each item on the menu has been carefully chosen according to its particular criteria. Here are some of our recommendations:
All homemade, our cakes and pastries provide something for every taste. Here are some specialities of the house:
The biscuits are akways superb.
(reportage by Corby Kummer – La Stampa)
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