Latteria Bera

Latteria Bera, best selection of cheese in Turin

A trip to Latteria Bera is like walking back in time to when flavor-rich foods we now consider rare specialty items were in reality the beloved traditional every-day fare.

A short walk from Turin’s Piazza Castello, in the heart of one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, you find yourself on Via San Tommaso. The cobblestoned street invited visitors with its beautiful buildings and intriguing storefronts. It is here that the internationally loved Lavazza got its start, and just across the street, the eye-catching, mouthwatering windows of Latteria Bera, a food-lovers paradise.

“What could be more beautiful than knowing the full story of what you are eating?”

Inside the store, you will be welcomed by the shining smile of Chiara and the attentive service of her long-time friend and assistant Evelin. As you look around you notice the large selection of delicious cheeses, produced all over Italy, or from Switzerland and France. Latteria Bera has always had the best selection of cheese in Turin, but the store is also filled with gourmet Italian products from quality olive oil and traditional pasta to tasty biscotti and Piemontesi chocolate. 

A trip to Latteria Bera is like walking back in time to when flavor-rich foods we now consider rare specialty items were in reality the beloved traditional every-day fare.

The Origin of Latteria Bera

Romola Bera founded Latteria Bera in 1958.  She later engaged the help of her sisters Marta and Bruna. The store was half its present size, and functioned as a true latteria, focusing on cheese and dairy products. Marta eventually decided to open up a bakery across the street leaving Latteria Bera in the hands of Romola and Bruna.

The sisters continued to manage and grow the beautiful little corner store, bringing a complete renovation in the 1960s to create the store we see today.

Throughout the year, the Latteria sourced only the best ingredients for many bars, hotels, and restaurants in the area. Romola said that at that time they sold as much as 600 and more liters of milk per day! Latteria Bera was a favorite of the Agnelli family, chefs of many nobles of “Vecchia Torino” even the former chef to the Royal Savoy family! The founder of the Slow Food movement, Carlo Petrini, dedicated a chapter of his book Gente di Piemonte to the work of my Romola and Bruna.

After fifty-eight years of inspiring work, Romola and Bruna retired, handing the store down to Romola’s granddaughter Chiara.

Latteria Bera Today

Chiara’s philosophy is this: What could be more beautiful than knowing the full story of what you are eating? She believes in telling the stories of her producers and products. Every cheese, every pastry, every wine she chooses for Latteria Bera, is chosen for its narrative, which Chiara never hesitates to share with her customers. Her favorite moments in the store are when she has the opportunity to walk customers through her selection and share the story of her products. 

Today, you can stop by the store for a grocery run, a special gift, or a guided tasting of some of the best cheese of Italy. Since the pandemic has hit, Chiara has made these degustazioni portable, shipping them around the peninsula to be enjoyed by foodies far and wide. 

While we wait to travel again, these unforgettable tasting boxes are a perfect way to experience Latteria Bera, you can have it delivered to your door throughout Italy. Wherever you are, besure to mark Latteria Bera on your maps to come experience the history of this shop first hand.