Flavors · Turin

Bicerin

Hot drink served in a small glass cup, in three unmixed layers: thick hot chocolate, espresso coffee and heavy cream. It is Turin’s typical drink, linked to the city’s historic cafés since the 18th century.

Traditional drink from Turin, Piemonte

Also known as: bicerìn, bicchierino

Updated November 2026

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Bicerin — Turin, Italy

The bicerin is served in a short glass so the layers are visible. Thick hot chocolate goes at the bottom; the coffee in the middle; and cold or lightly whipped cream on top. It is not stirred: the custom is to drink the three layers together, experiencing the contrast between hot and cold and between bitter and sweet.

The name, in Piedmontese, means “little cup.” The drink descends from the bavareisa served in Turin in the 18th century, which mixed coffee, chocolate and milk with syrup. Over time, the ingredients came to be served separately in layers. The drink became established in the city’s cafés, which were meeting places for nobles and writers; one of them, near the Santuario della Consolata, became associated with the drink’s name from the late 18th century onward.

The bicerin is a typical drink of Turin and is included on the list of traditional agri-food products of Piedmont. Turin has many historic cafés, and several serve the bicerin, sometimes accompanied by small biscuits.

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Where it comes from

Turin , Piemonte
Hot traditional drink of Turin, served in the city’s historic cafés and registered among Piedmont’s traditional products.

Ingredients

Thick hot chocolate, espresso coffee and heavy cream.

How it is eaten

In a small glass, without stirring, drinking the layers together; sometimes served with biscuits.

When it is eaten

All year round, especially in cold months, in the morning or afternoon.

Your questions

Questions about Bicerin

How is the bicerin drunk?

Without stirring, drinking the three layers together: hot chocolate, coffee and heavy cream.

What does bicerin mean?

In Piedmontese, it means “little cup,” referring to the small glass it is served in.

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