Food to Expect at Rifugios in Winter

Even high up in the mountains, the quaint huts, called rifugios, feature some of the most exquisite and world-class dining on earth, with Michelin-star-rated chefs and mouthwatering traditional dishes prepared with the freshest local ingredients. If you’re planning a trip to the Dolomites in winter, here are some of the types of foods you can expect to sample during your stay.

Mountain Hut Cuisine
The rifugios vary by size and amenities, and their food options vary accordingly as well. They typically offer a decent mix of gourmet cuisine and dishes that are prepared in traditional Ladin style. Some huts offer self-service, while others provide first-class table service. The food choices at most of the huts include everything from fish and meat to pasta and snacks. Ladin dishes, like canederli (large bread dumplings made with speck (ham), spinach, and other flavorings), and Kaiserschmarren (pancakes served with fruit and/or powdered sugar) offer a chance to experience the ancient culture of the area.

Slope-Side Food
The best way to describe slope-side cuisine is to compare it to the street food one can get when visiting a busy city. It’s quick, appetizer-like dishes that are an excellent way to fuel the body during a long day of skiing or snowboarding. In Alta Badia, Michelin-star-rated chefs prepare mouthwatering treats in fourteen of the huts located throughout the slopes. Of course, you’ll also want to pair your appetizer with a delectable glass of local wine, such as the world-class varieties produced in the Alto Adige / South Tyrol region. You may even get to experience some good-natured competitions in which world-renowned chefs compete with one another for the best dishes. It’s a delightfully delicious experience!

Breakfast Amidst the Dolomites Peaks
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this is especially true when you’ve got a day full of outdoor adventure ahead of you. Morning time in the Dolomites is just as delicious as the afternoons and evenings, with savory and hearty breakfasts served against a backdrop of magnificent snow-covered peaks and valleys covered with a blanket of pristine white flakes. Both the Col Alto and Las Vegas rifugi offer “Breakfast on the Peaks,” featuring a delicious and nutritious starter meal made with fresh, local ingredients like cheese, honey, bread and jams, eggs, juice, and more. It’s a great way to start the day on a good note before you hit the slopes!

Santa Croce Gourmet Ski Tour
This package features the best of both worlds, with exceptional mountain skiing and mouthwatering traditional cuisine. In what’s often described by participants as a “panoramic-gourmet ski excursion,” the Santa Croce ski tour brings visitors from either Piz Sorega or Col Alto, all the way to Santa Croce, and all the while without the need to remove your skis. Aside from the groomed slopes, which are perfect for families and skiers that are interested in a more relaxing experience, there are spectacular views of the area hamlets and woods where the Ladin people make their homes. Of course, all of this is accompanied by exquisite cuisine fit for royalty.

There are certainly plenty of reasons to visit the Dolomites in winter, and the spectacular outdoor adventure is just the beginning. These food options highlighted here will let you delight your stomach with some of the most delicious dishes, both traditional and gourmet, to really round out your stay and make it even more unforgettable. If you’re heading to the Dolomites in the coming months, be sure to bring your appetite, because you won’t want to miss out on these mouthwatering offerings!