It’s never been difficult to eat well in the Alps, especially in the Italian Alps. Among the towns most recognized for their cuisine are Valle d'Aosta, Trentino and Alto Adige where there are many great restaurants, most often hosted by famous hotels – and a few modern boutique hotels, as well. The province of Bolzano is a paradise in this sense with so many gems in one place, equal only to landscapes like the Campania Coast and Lake Garda in Brescia: the supreme St. Hubertus by Norbert Niederkofler in San Cassiano, historical venues like the Stua di Michil by Nicola Laera in Corvara or the more contemporary “macaron,” the Restaurant Apostelstube by Mathias Bachaman in Bressanone.
An ancient history
For those who love the mountains and good food, the most delicious experience on any Italian ski vacation is the gourmet “rifugio.” The altitude may be different, but the spirit is identical to that of the tables pieds dans l'eau, sought after during warm summer evenings. The pleasure of tasting a good dish and looking at the snow-capped mountains (even if it’s artificial, as happens to be the case so often these days) is a wonderful way to lift the spirits after a rewarding day of skiing. At dinnertime, skiers can cozy up next to a warm fireplace with a glass of wine in hand. In Italy, the first mountain hut “refuges” were built towards the end of the nineteenth century with the beginning of mountaineering and hiking tourism: they were venues that provided refreshments and hospitality where mountain travelers could stop at night to enjoy a simple yet substantial dinner and breakfast the following morning – suitable in those times to fight cold and fatigue. With the growth of tourism over the years, these refuges have multiplied with varying offers – some of which have even become authentic hotel-restaurants.
Tasteful skiing
Romanticism aside (almost everyone has their own great site with info and a booking system by now), there are some of these mountain venues where the culinary and wine experience mirrors that of a Michelin-starred restaurant. As a demonstration of this, in Alta Badia on Saturday, December 14th, the town kicks off the official winter culinary season with the now classic “Gourmet Skisafari.” This is a delicious ski tour at an altitude of 2,000 meters in the heart of the Dolomites where great chefs present their dishes, designed for the occasion, in nine partner refuges in the area. This year’s theme is “regional products of excellence.” This is the official opening of “Sciare con Gusto,” an occasion that brings together a series of events related to wine with a specially selected kitchen dream team featuring chefs like the aforementioned Niederkofler and Laera, Matteo Metullo, Giancarlo Morelli, Nino di Costanzo, Riccardo Camanini, Slovenian Tomaz Kavcic, Alberto Faccani and Claudio Melis. Discover Alta Badia and more with us; by region and by destination, here’s our selection of the best Northern Italy has to offer.
Alta Badia, a paradise
In Alta Badia, there’s truly a wealth of options. We like Malga Goster on the “Alpe di Siusi” where fresh herbs and flowers are used to prepare dishes such as hay soup served in a bread bowl or Schlutzkrapfen with carob flour, stuffed with mountain cheese and seasoned with Swiss stone pine pesto. Worthy of your time are the Rifugio Daniel in Val Gardena and the Rifugio Jora in Alta Pusteria, where the talented Markus Holzer has created a mountain dining resort with a creative menu based on local organic products. Though all the options in Alta Badia are worth a visit, we recommend the Bamby and the Moritzino above all. The former is famous for its meat dishes from the Luch de Tlara farm, but also for its homemade desserts. The latter is over half a century old and overlooks Alta Badia from 2100 meters of Piz La Ila. In the evening, enjoy gourmet specialties of seafood or dishes with imported meat from Nebraska. By day, celebrate local cuisine, starting the day with a strudel famous in the district.
The Ampezzo tradition
In this region famous for its vacation destinations, we have a host of options to choose from. Considered one of the top ten local venues for food in the Alps, our favorite is Averau. The city was totally rebuilt ten years ago and sits at an altitude of 2,400 meters at the Forcella di Nuvolau. It is particularly popular for its cuisine: handmade pasta and dishes featuring local game, cold cuts, cheese boards or delicious desserts like ice cream with warm raspberries. The Rifugio Scoiattoli, in the Cinque Torri zone, is also very popular – this is where the Italian “Ampezzo” tradition is imaginatively revisited. An example is the Violette, featuring flavors of the forest; it’s a dish of homemade tagliatelle with a blueberry flavor. Another option you can’t miss is the Speck baked in a flaky crust (advance reservation required!). And among the desserts to try are the Chocolate Salami and the Meringata Scoiattoli. Like Col Druscie, it remains a staple. The cuisine of Viel del Pan, in the Arabba area, is also very popular.
The kingdom of polenta taragna
For traditional Italian polenta dishes, these two venues are worth their salt. One is the Mai Tardi -- a beautiful name, really (meaning “never late”) – at 1900 meters in the heart of Val Chiavenna. Since its foundation, the owners of Mai Tardi have focused on the importance of organic, slow food: Chianina meat reared onsite, vegetables from the family garden, homemade specialty cheeses with fresh honey. The other locale we recommend is Rifugio Motta which features a fantastic terrace with breathtaking views of the Valmalenco. It’s a highly enjoyable (though high-calorie) menu: dumplings filled with chestnuts and walnuts, polenta “taragna” with pork shank and exquisite desserts like the strudel with berries.
Merenda sinoira
One spot with a small cult following is Meira Garneri in Val Varaita. In addition to preparing the delicious Ravioles, this is the realm of the merenda sinoira. A phrase local to the Piedmont region, merenda sinoira represents the small meal that farmers traditionally have eaten around 5 p.m. after finishing their work in the fields. Sina mans dinner in the Piedmont dialect: it is a menu of five to six frugal though delicious dishes only found locally (in only a few places by now) and they're always worth the trip.
Good life in the valley
The Société Anonyme de Consommation is always a very popular spot: a former hut with its original signage in Pila at 2,230 meters above sea level. With a rustic-chic ambience, enjoy traditional tavern dishes from the Aosta Valley. The creative kitchen of this bistro is open from breakfast to merenda. in the late afternoon, and is famous for its piadine and foccaccia made with local products. In the Veny Valley, the Courba Dzeleleluna with its excellent traditional dishes and Maison Vieille dominate. Beyond a spectacular terrace overlooking Mont Blanc, the Maison Vieille conquers all with its meat cooked on the losa, a stone heated directly on an open fire. Above La Thuile, the Maison Carrel and the Riondet reign as local gems. In Courmayeur, where we find La Chaumière and Alpetta da Chopper, the Rifugio Bertone made history: hikers and skiers come here from all over the world and the products used in the kitchen are strictly local, arriving by mule. The polenta is prepared with four types of flour and cooked in a wood-burning oven: among the best recipes is the Valdostana with Fontina prepared and aged by the Cosson family in their own home. Also in Courmayeur, specifically at Plan Checrouit, one of the most famous Italian chefs, Michelin-starred Andrea Berton, has upgraded the new menu for the Super G mountain club with a modern luxury version of the “refuge” concept. The dish that’s sure to become a cult favorite: polenta with Gran Padano fondue and white Alba truffle. Refined, sure, but that’s polenta.