Holidays with taste

Restaurants, where to eat with gusto on the ski slopes

After Christmas, the ski season gets into full swing: in addition to huts and refuges with excellent local specialities, there are also addresses offering more sophisticated menus

by Camilla Rocca

29 December 2025

Natale 2025: turismo italiano vale oltre 7 miliardi tra arte e montagna

6' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

6' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The winter season in the Alps and Apennines is officially in full swing. If the mornings are spent among downhill runs, snowshoeing and breathtaking scenery, lunchtime at altitude has also become a ritual, a unique opportunity to savour not only typical dishes, but also alternative interpretations of the territory. Experiences that have become an integral part of a mountain economy that this winter will see 19 million tourists and that, including cities of art and other destinations, will move more than 7 billion euro, according to estimates by Cna Turismo e Commercio.
In short, lunching on the slopes is no longer just a functional stop: it has become an experiential moment between local ingredients, Alpine hospitality and unforgettable views. Here is a selection of some of the most exclusive and authentic places to eat on the slopes.

Starred in Ortisei

Ristorante Anna Stuben

Just 200 metres from the slopes, in Val Gardena, the Anna Stuben Restaurant of the Relais & Châteaux Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa in Ortisei is an excellent stop for those who want to combine skiing and great cuisine. Led by chef Reimund Brunner, 1 Michelin Star 2026, the restaurant offers creative cuisine based on fresh, local and often forgotten ingredients. Here, Alpine tradition is reinterpreted with contemporary sensitivity: authentic, profound dishes that tell the story of the territory. A perfect gourmet break, even between descents

Great Grill in Cortina

Rifugio Faloria

At the top of Mount Faloria, at an altitude of 2,120 metres, the Rifugio Faloria is easily reached from the centre of Cortina by cable car and from the sun terrace it offers a splendid view of the Dolomites and the ski slopes. The restaurant, on the ground floor, welcomes guests in a wooden dining room with views of Punta Nera, Pelmo and Pomagnon, while on the upper floor the wellness area with sauna and jacuzzi overlooks Monte Cristallo. The kitchen, on the other hand, surprises meat lovers with the true queen of the house: the grill. Lots of cuts (from wild boar ribs to beef chops to tomahawk) accompanied by home-made polenta, potatoes or mushrooms with truffles, and traditional desserts such as apple strudel and Linzer Torte. Which by the way is considered the oldest cake in the world and the first written recipe, dating back to 1653, was found in the Veneto region.

The Chalet al Foss

Chalet al Foss

The 5-star Chalet al Foss is located close to the slopes of the Passo Tonale ski resort and can also be reached from them by the free ski bus service offered by the hotel. Those in search of the authentic flavours of Trentino will find their ideal spot in the restaurant open to outside guests "Il Tipico", where mountain recipes tell stories of times gone by: polenta with mushrooms and local cheeses, braised meats, seasonal soups and intense simple dishes, prepared with strictly local and seasonal ingredients.

Niederkofler at Plan de Corones

At 2,275 metres above sea level, on the Plan de Corones, AlpiNN by Norbert Niederkofler - Food Space & Restaurant represents one of the most emblematic projects of the new mountain restaurant scene in South Tyrol. The view from the restaurant sweeps from the top of the snow-capped mountains to the sky, in a continuum of beauty that would still be worth the trip, even if there were not a three-Michelin-starred chef (with the Atelier Moessmer in Brunico, a few thousand metres further down the valley) overseeing the culinary project. AlpiNN can be reached comfortably by cable car from the Riscone car park, a few kilometres from Brunico, and already the arrival, suspended between the sky and the Dolomites, anticipates an experience that goes beyond a simple meal. It is no coincidence that in 2025 AlpiNN was awarded the first press recognition among the best Mountain Clubs in Italy, an award that enhances a vision capable of combining cuisine, territory and sustainability. The restaurant translates the philosophy of"Cook the Mountain", with a gastronomic proposal that focuses on local, seasonal ingredients and short supply chains, interpreted with contemporary rigour. The dishes tell the story of the mountains without folklore, through essential preparations, clear-cut flavours and a constant balance between memory and innovation.

At Mottolino in Livigno

There is Niedekofler's hand in Livigno too, where, amidst restaurants with an international flair and historic mountain huts, Kosmo - Taste the Mountain confirms itself as one of the most interesting addresses for those seeking contemporary cuisine without renouncing the hints of Alpine tradition. In the kitchen, the menu tells a contemporary mountain story: alongside more creative proposals there are revisited typical dishes, such as pizzoccheri, sciatt or local meats, enhanced by precise cooking and local raw materials.

Relais & Châteaux in Cogne and Cervinia

At the Relais & Châteaux Bellevue Hotel & Spa in Cogne, Valle d'Aosta, the mountain enters directly into the restaurant. In fact, the residence enjoys direct access to the ski slopes and a spectacular view of the Gran Paradiso ski area, with the glacier acting as a natural backdrop. At the Bellevue Restaurant, thechef Niccolò De Riu, 1 Michelin Star 2025, interprets the great classics: his proposal celebrates the great heritage of Italian tradition, valuesz fresh and strictly seasonal ingredients. An address where a break in the snow becomes a moment of authentic beauty, on the plate and in the view.

Hermitage di Cervinia

At the Relais & Châteaux Hermitage Hotel & Spa in Cervinia, the mountain chalet becomes the ideal starting point for the most curious skiers: direct access to the slopes and the unique possibility of choosing between the Italian and Swiss sides every day. And here at the La Chandelle Restaurant, chef Giovanni Porretto signs a classic cuisine of great dishes of the Aosta Valley and Piedmontese tradition reinterpreted in a contemporary key.

Chalet Mollino all inclusive

Within the Vialattea ski resort, in the Susa Valley (Piedmont), a must-see is the Chalet Mollino, at an altitude of 2,286 metres. Designed by the famous architect Carlo Mollino (1905-1973) between 1946 and 1947, the chalet originally housed the arrival station of the sledge lift and is now affiliated with the Club Med Pragelato Sestriere, a resort located at an altitude of 1,600 metres and directly connected to the slopes. A unique complex of its kind, organised like a suggestive hamlet of wooden chalets, offering an All Inclusive formula designed for a carefree holiday: from the numerous services to the activities dedicated also to children, up to the winter ski pass and 25 hours of skiing and snowboarding lessons per week for adults, teenagers and children.

Historical building in Prato Nevoso

Osteria Le Stelle

In one of Prato Nevoso's cover locations is the Borgo Stalle Lunghe, characteristic for its stone and wood chalets, and Osteria Le Stelle is Prato Nevoso's oldest restaurant, run for 12 years by Piedmontese globetrotter Adelasia Zitta. Typical and highly refined cuisine, projected into the future but respectful of territory, seasonality and tradition. The ambience, characteristic for its many memories and old culinary utensils, is warm and knows how to put guests at ease.

Art and dining in Valle d'Aosta

Grivola a Cervinia

In the heart of Cervinia, the Restaurant Grivola, welcomes guests in a richly evocative ambience, enhanced by the works of artist Gabriele Maquignaz, which transform the room into an expressive and dynamic space. A context with a bohemian allure, warm and informal, to find an artistic parlour at high altitude. The cuisine emphasises the typical dishes of Valle d'Aosta culture, reinterpreted with balance and respect. The day to visit is Thursday evening, when it comes alive with live music provided by a saxophonist, just a few hundred metres from the ski lifts, so many also stop for after-skiing.

The novelty in the Engadine

Ya Mama by Moses Ceylan

Finally, let us close this itinerary with a leap across the border: the Cresta Palace Celerina reopens the winter season with a great novelty at the edge of the piste: "Ya Mama by Moses Ceylan", a new concept is born, which under the motto "casual dining" is the first restaurant with Levantine cuisine in the Engadin. The cuisine of Moses Ceylan, an internationally renowned chef (2 Michelin stars, 18 Gault&Millau points), recounts the flavours of Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, dishes that are essential but prepared with heart and soul, perfect for warming up the winter after a day in the snow.