For ninety years, the two cities have claimed the invention of this famous Italian snack food. The best one? Let’s find out together where to nab it.
19 Feb 2020
Gruppo UNA
Where was the tramezzino sandwich invented? Turin or Venice? Several theories exist about who created the beloved Italian sandwich, but dear people of Turin and Venice, there’s no need to worry, all of Italy’s best tramezzini are at your front door. And here’s where to try them out.
Caffè Mulassano - Turin.
Let’s start at Caffè Mulassano in Turin where, according to Turin townsfolk, the famous sandwich was first invented. An engraved plaque in the Caffè Mulassano, a tiny snack bar just thirty-one meters long, reads: “In 1926, Mrs. Angela Demichelis Nebiolo invented the tramezzino sandwich here.”
Angela and Onorino Nebiolo, who emigrated to New York to make their fortune, came home and bought this historic little snack bar from the Mulassano family. They returned from America with one of the very first toasters, but decided to use soft bread to make a warm, crispy sandwich having previously cut off the crust from each slice to make for a softer, lighter experience.
Ever since then, Mulassano’s sandwiches have been among the most popular snacks in Turin. Offering over thirty different flavours, the most original are their famous lobster tramezzino, the truffle tramezzino and the bagna cauda tramezzino.
Caffè Platti - Turin.
Serving since 1870, Caffè Platti is another historic café in the Piedmontese capital. Walk in and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back a century in time.
Here, there are several different types of bread to choose from: white, wholemeal, tomato, spinach and cuttlefish black, as well as a selection of tasty recipes for the classic tramezzino sandwich, including cooked ham, country-style omelette, crab, and chicken curry tramezzino.
Luigi Einaudi and Cesare Pavese were regulars here. Who knows, maybe they munched on its famous sandwiches just like you!
Trivè Time - Turin.
Tradition and innovation meet at Trivè Time, where the tramezzino sandwich is the absolute star, revisited in interesting new combinations.
Right in the heart of Turin, this restaurant breaks through convention by offering the old recipe in a new guise, transforming the sandwich into the ideal meal for every moment of the day, including vegetarian and vegan variations.
Where to stay in Turin.
To comfortably get to the best places for eating this famous sandwich and enjoying Turin’s stunning sights, there’s no better place to stay than in the heart of the Magic City, at Gruppo UNA historic Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze 5-star hotel, located right in the centre of Turin. Between sandwiches, you can also treat yourself to extra pampering at the facility’s elegant spa and wellness centre.
Bar Filovia - Venice.
The time has come to move on to La Serenissima, as Venice is known, where our first stop is the famous Filovia bar. A stone’s throw from Piazzale Roma, Venetians love this place for the fresh ingredients they use in their stuffed rolls and tramezzini, made on the spot before your eyes.
Managed by Venetians, this place offers the true experience of a real Venice cicchetteria (a local kind of tapas). Locals always stop in when arriving or returning from the station. You may think you’re stopping in for just a coffee, but you’ll end up walking away from the bar with two glasses of wine and several tramezzino sandwiches, considering the vast choice and your desire to sample them all.
Bar Rialto da Lollo - Venice.
At the Bar Rialto da Lollo, a stone’s throw from the Grand Canal, you can get your fill of personalized tramezzini sandwiches that you yourself create... and they’re among the biggest on offer in Venice!
Table space is at a premium here, but it’s always worth a visit to taste the vast assortment of stuffed rolls and tramezzino sandwiches, and perhaps quaff an Venetian aperitif somewhere different.
Bar Rizzo - Il Mago G – Venice.
No Venetian who has had a night out on the town in the Erbaria district will skip a croissant or a night-time tramezzino at Mago G, one of the few places in town where you can get something to eat in Venice after midnight. The Mago [Wizard]’s sandwiches are an institution in the Lagoon.
If in the middle of the night you’re still wandering around calli and campielli, fear not, the legendary Mago G opens its doors at three in the morning (on some days as early as midnight!), offering a vast array of tasty tramezzino to go with any drink.
Where to stay in Venice.
For authentic Venetian style, we recommend you stay at the Gruppo UNA Maison Venezia | UNA Esperienze hotel, right in the heart of the historic Cannaregio district.
If, on the other hand, you are looking for B&B-style accommodation in Venice, we suggest the exclusive Gruppo UNA Residenza Venezia, a prestigious place to stay in a strategic location between Venice Santa Lucia and the Rialto Bridge.
