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Turin has been quietly reinventing itself over the last few years, ever since the Fiat factory closed in 1982. Rather than continuing to focus on manufacturing, the city has turned to food and gastronomy, celebrating the incredible chefs, ingredients and dishes that make Italy such a fantastic place to visit. With Bocuse d’Or in June and the next Slow Food Salone del Gusto headlining the foodie events in 2018, Turin (which has always been a great pioneer when it comes to new ideas) is quickly becoming one of the country’s top foodie hotspots.
I am in the city to visit EDIT (Eat, Drink, Innovate Together), a newly-built innovative food hub that combines culinary experimentation with sharing. It was founded by Marco Brignone, a man who has brought together some of Italy’s top foodie influencers (including Paolo Vizzari from L’Espresso) to help put the project together. The hub is situated in the northern suburbs of Turin, so it’s not relying on footfall or passing trade. Instead, it’s somewhere the owners hope people will travel to specifically for a day or evening out. And it looks like it is already proving popular amongst groups of friends and curious travellers.
The renovated factory is spread over two floors. You enter the ground floor with the smell of fresh coffee and bread wafting out of the boutique bakery and Lavazza café. In the evening, the cafe becomes home to experimental coffee-based cocktails which are perfect for those looking for something a bit different.
When the team that created EDIT was deciding on what to put into the building, one of the first ideas was to create everything in-house, from the bread and pastries to the beer. This ambitious concept has now been fully realised; once you venture further inside you can’t help but notice the grandiose brewery, which serves its own beer (that you can watch bubbling away in the fermentation tanks) alongside a selection from around the world (120, to be exact). Not only is this a place to try new beers from a constantly changing selection, it is also a place where passionate beer fans can talk to the producers and experts about the world of brewing.
Then there is the pizzeria, slinging out pizzas made by master chef Renato Bosco alongside vegan dishes from the legendary Pietro Leemann. This combination means there’s something for everyone, from the simple, local delicacies to dishes from Pietro Leemann that will please the most curious of palates. It’s both a fantastic place to visit for a quick lunch and a great spot to spend the evening with friends.
On the first floor there is a cocktail bar run by the young Barz8 team. It’s set to become one of the most popular cocktail bars in the city, serving up next-generation cocktails in a relaxing, fashionable space. This is the place for those who want to kick back and relax after a day in the city. Next to the bar there is also a space dedicated to workshops and tastings where you can try the latest wines, learn about new cooking techniques and get tips from the world’s top bartenders.
Overall EDIT is a magnificent testament to Turin’s contemporary food scene; a gourmet cultural hub for real foodies who love to experience and discover new things. If you happen to be visiting Turin, this is one spot that’s worth travelling out of the centre for.
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