The Antico Caffè Torinese is one of the most fascinating historical venues in Trieste, located at Corso Italia 2, just a few steps from Piazza della Borsa and Piazza Unità d'Italia. Inaugurated in 1919, it represents a rare example of a coffee house that has preserved its original furnishings and atmosphere intact for over a century, becoming a reference point for the coffee culture and Triestine sociality.
Origins and period furnishings
The venue was opened immediately after the Prima guerra mondiale, in a Trieste that had just become Italian, and was furnished by the famous Triestine cabinetmaker Giuliano Debelli. Debelli was known for having designed and created the interiors of famous ocean liners such as the Vulcania and the Saturnia, and he brought the same refined style to the Caffè Torinese.
Distinctive elements include:
- Liberty style counter: central piece of the venue
- Wooden and brass paneling: elegant artisanal details
- Display cases with mirror games: refined optical effects
- Crystal chandelier: sumptuous decorative element
This artisanal care has allowed the caffè to be included, in 1999, in the list of "Historical Venues of Italy" and to receive the gold plaque from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region for the preservation of the original furnishings.
A century of history and innovation
Over the decades, the Caffè Torinese has remained faithful to its vocation as a place of meeting and elegance, frequented by merchants, artists, intellectuals and citizens of all ages. In 2014 the venue changed management, taking on a younger and more contemporary look, but without renouncing tradition.
Today it offers:
- Historical coffee shop and artisanal pastry shop
- Renowned cocktail bar, famous for research mixology
- Liquor cabinet with over 300 references
- Quick lunches, selected wines and innovative drink list with original signature cocktails
The new management has enhanced the history of the venue, keeping the furnishings and atmosphere intact, but expanding the offer.
Curiosities and recognitions
The Caffè Torinese is one of the few Triestine venues to have maintained its appearance unchanged for over a century, so much so that it is considered a real "journey through time" for those who enter it.
Unique features:
- Liberty counter, crystal chandelier and paneling: often compared to the furnishings of the great cruise ships of the early twentieth century
- Included among the most important historical caffè in Italy
- Must-stop for discovering the coffee culture in Trieste, a city that boasts a unique tradition in the European panorama
The Caffè Torinese today
Today the Antico Caffè Torinese is open from breakfast to after dinner, offering coffee shop, pastry shop, quick lunches and a refined selection of cocktails. The elegant and welcoming atmosphere, combined with the quality of the service and the richness of the proposal, make it one of the most beloved places by Triestines and tourists.
The venue continues to be a symbol of cosmopolitan Trieste, capable of combining tradition and innovation, history and modernity.
The Caffè Torinese thus remains a reference point for the culture of coffee and Triestine conviviality, witness to over a century of city history and a tradition that renews itself every day.