In Piobesi Torinese, there is a restaurant that has been run by the same family for 121 years

Not many restaurants can boast over 120 years of family management. One of them is Celestino, in the heart of Piobesi Torinese, just a few kilometres south of Turin.

A long history that begins in 1904 but has roots in the 19th Century

Opened in 1904, it is still housed in a beautiful Gothic brick building dating back to 1458. “The history of this house is intertwined with that of our family,” says Sergio Leggero, the chef who now runs the restaurant. “It was my great-grandfather Celestino, who already managed an inn nearby, who bought it and opened an osteria initially called Trattoria dei Cacciatori. But everyone said they were going to eat at Celestino’s, so over time, the trattoria changed its name.”

Just a 30-minute drive from the centre of Turin, in an area that is both agricultural and somewhat residential, people come here to enjoy traditional Piedmontese cuisine, featuring essential dishes such as agnolotti, meats, finanziera, fritto misto, and zabaione. While the exterior still retains its historical charm, with its small brick portico, the interior has been renovated to offer a modern, bright setting, with well-spaced tables and beautiful paintings on the walls. Sergio Leggero, 59, runs the kitchen, supported by his son Lorenzo, while his wife Daniela Gariglio and daughter Federica manage the dining room.

When customers arrived by carriage

Let’s take another step back in history, as there are many stories to tell. “In the early decades of the 20th century, our clientele was Turin’s bourgeoisie, who arrived by train to Candiolo, a nearby town. My grandfather had the idea of organising an early form of taxi service, using a donkey and a carriage to pick up customers and take them back to the station after their meal,” recalls Sergio Leggero, who has been in the kitchen for 42 years.

These were times when wealthy city customers would also shop before returning to Turin, as the trattoria was long accompanied by a butcher shop and a grocery store. His grandfather later passed the business on to his only daughter, Celestina, Sergio’s mother. When the time came, Sergio continued running the restaurant alongside his sister Vanna, who is now retired. Today, the new generation, Lorenzo and Federica, is already involved in the business.

“I am still attached to long, traditional cooking methods, although my son, having graduated from culinary school, has inevitably introduced some new ideas,” says the chef.

From A for Agnolotti to Z for Zabaione: what to eat at Celestino

We asked what dishes make the journey to Piobesi worthwhile. “Definitely our ‘Agnulot d’Celestin’ with roast sauce—it’s a real team effort: my son makes the pasta, I prepare the filling, and my wife skillfully assembles them.”

When it comes to the filling, they prefer to keep things secret. But we do know it includes two types of roasted meat—pork and veal—along with cooked salami, Savoy cabbage, Grana Padano cheese, and eggs. The chef shares a small secret: “I also add brains sautéed in butter.” The exact quantities remain undisclosed.

For those unfamiliar with Piedmontese cuisine, it’s important to note that these agnolotti are the square-shaped ones, traditional in the Piedmontese plains. The plin version (filled with hare and sautéed in civet sauce), which is also on the menu, comes from the Langhe region, though it has now become popular throughout Piedmont.

There are plenty of other reasons to dine at Celestino: the classic Piedmontese mixed starter (including tomino elettrico, anchovies in green sauce, peppers with bagna cauda, veal with tuna sauce, and Russian salad), raw meat with toasted hazelnuts and truffle, braised meats, bollito misto, and seasonal specialties such as Santena asparagus (we’re not far from there) and Poirino tench when it’s in season. To finish, there’s Marsala zabaione served with Monregalese cornmeal biscuits.

The advice of Turin’s great comedian Erminio Macario for attracting customers

Today, Celestino is frequented during the week by businesspeople from the many companies in southern Turin and at weekends by local tourists on a countryside outing. Sergio Leggero has one more story to share:

“We’ve had many actors and singers dine here, although unfortunately, our archive was lost during the war. My grandfather used to advertise in theatres, especially through Erminio Macario, who would end his shows by saying in dialect: ‘… and if you want to eat and drink well, you must go to Celestino.’”

In Italian, it doesn’t quite rhyme, but the sentiment remains: Celestino is still a place to discover, offering authentic, solid, and honest Piedmontese cuisine, without unnecessary embellishments.

Ristorante Celestino - corso Italia 10 - Piobesi Torinese (To) -011 9650343 - hotelristorantecelestino.it