A popular, inexpensive regional Chinese restaurant with excellent dumplings and noodles, but its walk-in-only queue, cramped seating, summer heat, and occasional authenticity and consistency criticisms require strategic timing.
Lao 老 delivers strong food quality anchored by enthusiastic praise for dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, and broths, but inconsistent execution in recent visits prevents a higher grade. Attentive service and a distinctive central Turin setting with character appeal are offset by occasional bland dishes and environmental comfort issues that keep the experience reliable rather than exceptional.
LAO is the kind of Turin address that turns dinner into a small expedition: join the walk-in queue, watch the room bustle, then settle in for dumplings and noodles that many diners consider worth the wait. The atmosphere is intimate, lively, and sometimes hectic; one recurring impression is that the restaurant feels "almost like being in China," while other guests remember sweating through hot summer visits or negotiating cramped tables. The cooking focuses on recognizable regional Chinese specialties rather than generic Italian-Chinese fare: Shanghai-style soup dumplings, Sichuan-leaning noodles, hand-pulled biang biang noodles, bao, and sharply seasoned tofu and vegetable dishes. The menu is more distinctive than a standard comfort-food Chinese restaurant, with fusion-like flexibility and a broad plant-based section, but expectations should be calibrated: most reviews celebrate authenticity while a smaller, specific group finds some dishes adapted, bland, or inconsistent. At €22-30 for a typical full meal before drinks, it remains accessible for a food-focused outing. Families can make it work, especially with familiar steamed buns, noodles, rice, vegetable dumplings, and mild customization options; one parent even reported the restaurant entertaining a three-year-old with dough. It is not an effortless family stop, however: queues, quick table turnover, heat, and tight seating can test younger diners. Arrive at opening, keep the order simple, and avoid promising picky eaters a conventional sweet-and-sour or generic Chinese menu.
Area vibe: Elegant, historic city centre known for baroque architecture, cafes and cultural attractions.
Safety: Generally safe with active daytime footfall; evenings are calm but stick to well-lit streets.
What's nearby: Close to Porta Nuova station, Piazza Castello, museums, cafés and several local restaurants.
The safest order is Xiao Long Bao with one of the hand-pulled noodle dishes, though the vegetable crystal dumplings are also a standout
Plan for a queue, cramped seating, and portions that may feel modest for the price, especially during hot summer evenings
Expect a bustling, almost-China-like setting with an open kitchen, but not much space or guaranteed comfort