The grid of narrow streets between Via Garibaldi and Porta Palazzo follows the plan of Roman Augusta Taurinorum, the original Turin. Until the 1990s it was a slightly rough, half-abandoned quarter; today it is the centre of the city's nightlife, with bars and small restaurants on every corner.
Wander after dark from Piazza Emanuele Filiberto, where the aperitivo crowd spills out onto the cobbles, north toward the Santuario della Consolata. The streets are too narrow for traffic and most of the cafes set tables outside. The Quadrilatero is also where most of Turin's small independent food shops are clustered — try Via San Tommaso and Via Bonelli for cheese, salumi and chocolate.