NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano presents itself under a new guise and with a new culinary offering thanks to La Pista Bistrot and its new menu designed by Michelin-starred chef Fabrizio Tesse.
In Turin, a city considered the little Paris of Italy, amid neoclassical buildings, and wide squares, marked by traditional French elegance, stands NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano, a hotel that fits well into the sophisticated atmosphere of Italy’s first capital.
The landmark of the city’s architecture this Turin hotel was born right here, built at the turn of the century in the district called the “Quadrilatero Romano,” formerly known as “Santo Stefano” – hence the name of the hotel itself. The structure, an 8,000-square-meter complex, is the result of a joint project by the architectural firms Fusari and Gabetti & Isola and is located at the corner of Porta Palatina and Basilica streets, in an area that formerly coincided with the Roman colony and later became the beating heart of the medieval city.
The rebranding and complete restyling of the hotel has given a new edge to the rooms, which have been made even more welcoming through the use of wallpaper, warmer lighting, and renewed sofa and armchair coverings. All this is combined with the “Brilliant Basics” standards typical of the NH Collection brand, which guarantee all of the comforts and make the hotel experience even more special. All of the beauty products offered in every room and which, as of 2022, are of natural origin and have 100% sustainable packaging, are made from recycled and recyclable materials – for a little extra pampering for us and, at the same time, for the environment.
The furnishings in the common areas have also been replaced, to give a more modern and appealing look&feel. One example? The hotel lobby has been renovated thanks to a special setup with plants, forest green, and taupe velvet sofas. Great importance was also given to the new color palette, which was specially created to warm up the rooms and turn them into a real gathering point and relaxation areas for guests.
Also adding to the uniqueness of this rebranding is La Pista Bistrot by Gerla 1927, which together with NH Hotel Group, through experimental cuisine, once again emphasizes Turin as one of the most sophisticated Italian cities on the national gastronomic scene, with an elegance that can enchant anyone.
The menu is created by Michelin-starred chef Fabrizio Tesse and is based on fish, meat, and game. Tesse proposes a journey that knows how to stir the emotion of memories in those who know and live the city but also tells Turin to those who arrive for the first time.
“We are very pleased to add NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano to the NH Collection brand portfolio, in a square like the city of Turin, which is strategic for both business and leisure travel,” says Marco Gilardi, Operations Director NH Hotel Group Italy & USA.
“As NH Hotel Group, we have decided to enhance and improve our offer with the transition of one of our flagship hotels in the city to our upper-upscale brand, thus responding to the need for increasingly customized services and allowing us to stand out even more on the Piedmont scene, adds Gilardi. “Moreover, in order to give a complete and upscale hospitality experience, we have decided to collaborate with the Gerla 1927 Group, an institution in Turin for nearly one hundred years, to propose to our guests and the people of Turin the refined offer of the new restaurant La Pista Bistrot, which well represents our idea of excellence.”
“We begin this collaboration with NH Hotel Group with great enthusiasm,” adds Roberto Munnia, President of Gerla1927. “The Bistrot will be a new, different place, open to hotel guests but also to all Turinese who want to try a different and less formal gastronomic experience than at La Pista. We are sure that Fabrizio Tesse’s menu will speak to everyone’s heart. We decided to open a venue that offers Chef Tesse’s cuisine, which is already so loved by customers and which has allowed his restaurants to win three Michelin stars over the years, in a faster and more pop-culture way.”
NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano: The Hotel
In the shadow of the Cathedral di San Giovanni, at 19 Via Porta Palatina, stands NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano, located in the heart of the city, in the Quadrilatero Romano known for shopping, restaurants, and nightlife. Very close to the Mole Antonelliana and other famous tourist attractions such as the Egyptian Museum, the hotel is strategically located near Turin’s main offices and historic companies and is convenient to the Turin Caselle airport, Porta Nuova and Porta Susa stations, and the Lingotto Convention Centre via the highway.
What immediately strikes guests is the entrance, with its grand wooden staircase that follows on all four sides the progression of the tower and leads up to the top floor of the building, to enjoy a spectacular view of the ancient Roman ruins, the Turin skyline and, in the distance, the splendid peaks of the Alps.
The 134 rooms are soundproofed and embrace the guest in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. In addition, each room – whether Superior, Family, Premium, or Suite – is unique in its design and perfect for every type of travel and need.
The NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano can also accommodate up to 250 people in as many as five meeting rooms: this makes the hotel a perfect space for conferences, meetings, and events. In addition, just a few steps away from the meeting rooms and the restaurant and bar, the hotel has a charming private patio, an oasis of peace and relaxation where you can unwind after a day of work or excursions around the city. During spring and summer in this open-air space, it is possible to have aperitifs while enjoying a refreshing cocktail and organizing special private events.
NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano: La Pista Bistrot
Rebranding, restyling but also a grand opening. This is the case of La Pista Bistrot, the star of the revamped food offerings of the NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano hotel, conceived as a spinoff of La Pista, which opened in the city by Gerla1927 in late 2022 on the iconic Lingotto rooftop.
La Pista Bistrot is a Turin restaurant with a menu designed by chef Fabrizio Tesse, offers a cuisine of experimentation that can amaze the eyes and palate and that seeks the path of simplicity, without ever forgetting creativity. Chef Tesse’s passion for Piedmontese and Ligurian raw materials is combined with a desire to seek out authentic, homegrown flavors.
Flipping through the menu one finds lost flavors – such as Mesciua, a poor dish of La Spezia’s tradition, born from the custom of mixing legumes gathered on the docks by the wives of workers unloading ships – and those of tradition – anchovies and salt cod, so typical of the Vie del Sale.
Traditional Piedmontese dishes stand out, such as Vitello Tonnato, Agnolotti with Black Truffle, and Piedmontese Veal Tripe with Saluggia pheasants and Mazzancolle, alongside more creative offerings such as Cod with goat’s milk, polenta, and chestnuts or Maccheroni alla Gricia Cuneese and sheep’s cheese.
Special attention is paid to desserts, created by Gerla 1927 pastry chef Evi Polliotto: worth mentioning and tasting is also the Paris Brest with Hazelnuts, Black Forest, and Monviso.
Rounding out the Food & Beverage offerings is the La Pista Bistrot Bar, with a fine selection of local wines and a wide range of spirits that will be expertly mixed by the bartenders and cocktail experts. In addition to being a pleasant place to gather before a good dinner, the Bar, which overlooks the outdoor patio, is the ideal location to enjoy Turin evenings.