Where to eat in Val Gardena: The 20 best restaurants picked by Gambero Rosso

The countdown is on, just a few days to the seasonal reopening of the ski slopes, a time of year that sports enthusiasts eagerly await. Even if you don't ski, there is no lack of attractions to vacation in these parts, enjoying slow rhythms, shopping and good food for all tastes. Here are the 20 best addresses chosen by Gambero Rosso.

Where to eat in Ortisei/Sankt Ulrich in Gröden

Anna Stuben at the Hotel Gardena

Restaurant. In the two romantic parlours with their fine antique wood furnishings, one is enveloped in an enchanted, relaxed and timeless atmosphere. A cosy ambience that frames a gastronomic proposal realised with skill, technique and sensitivity. The author is Reimund Brunner, a chef with his heart in tradition and his mind ready to grasp the trends of the new gastronomy in favour of a cuisine that has the merit of being able to dare even going beyond the confines of its mountains. Three tasting menus, an extensive and well-structured wine cellar.

Anna Stuben at the Hotel Gardena – via Vidalong, 3 – 0471 796315 – gardena.it

La Cërcia

Wine Bar. Right in the centre, in the pedestrian area, it is a very cosy meeting place, with all-wood furnishings, outdoor tables and a relaxed atmosphere, where it is pleasant to spend a few hours in good company. A selection of labels ranging from bubbles (including Champagne) to wines, from cocktails to spirits and craft beers, the result of personal research by Cristian Costa and Kevin Senoner, sommelier and barman. Accompanying everything are high quality appetisers, ranging from chopping boards to hot sandwiches and pints.

La Cërcia – strada Rezia, 30 – 333 1522847 – cercia.it

Costamula

Restaurant. Reachable from the centre by the Seceda cable car, it is a farmstead dating back to the year 1608, run with passion by Manuela and Arno Mahlknecht. In a refined and atmospheric setting, with warm wooden furnishings, exposed beams and stone walls, you can enjoy creative reinterpretations of tradition that are very well done, with a menu that varies between lunch and dinner: mutton kebab, horseradish, pecorino cheese, onion; pappardella with beer yeast, sausage, herb butter and potato mousse; venison milanese, apricot mayonnaise, marinated cabbage. The food is good, reservations are a must.

Costamula – strada Cuca, 184 – 371 5676548 – costamula.com

E-quattro

Pizzeria. A family-run address in the city centre that has earned a well-deserved reputation for the level of its offerings, i.e. pizzas characterised by the use of selected flours for the dough and then long rising times. After this step, it is the turn of the fillings (for which only quality raw materials are used) and the skilful baking. All this makes the rounds digestible and tasty. There are many options, from classic to 'contemporary'. One caveat: the sign only works as a take-away.

E-quattro – strada Rezia, 233 – 380 6384641 – e-quattro.it

Monpiër de Gherdëina

Brewery. Monpiër, founded in 2016, was the first brewery in Val Gardena. The production line includes beers of different types, plus other fermented beers such as apple cider and mead. To taste Monpiër beers and other craft beers, adjacent to the brewery is Labëtula, a kind of pub where you can also eat. What? Spicy chicken wings with Blue Cheese sauce, Parmesan croquettes with spicy mayonnaise, hamburgers in several variations (plain, cheese, vegetarian, etc.), pulled pork sandwich and other tasty things.

Monpiër de Gherdëina – strada J. B. Purger, 181 – 342 6741322 – monpier-gherdeina.it

Snetonstube

Trattoria. Housed in a well-restored former stable, this is a historic and solid establishment whose family-run management has been going strong for twenty years without surrendering an inch when it comes to quality standards. You come here safe in the knowledge that you will be well received and find a fine selection of well-made dishes, whether for a simple snack or a full meal. On the menu are salads, platters, soups, polenta, goulash, other meats and typical desserts. The wine list is not a foregone conclusion, in which the region is rightly highlighted and there is the opportunity to drink by the glass.

Snetonstube – strada Sneton, 26 – 0471 786489 – sneton.it

Val d’Anna

Trattoria. It is also a pleasure to walk or ride a mountain bike along the route that separates the town centre from this characteristic mountain hut surrounded by greenery, equipped with children's games and with ample space with deckchairs and parasols for relaxation. The menu is as typical as can be, from the trio of canederli (dumplings) to venison goulash, from polenta to fried eggs, potatoes and speck, and ending on a sweet note with a generous slice of homemade strudel or the delicious apple fritters. Also coffee service.

Val d’Anna – strada Val d’Anna, 39 – 0471 798643 – valdanna.com

Stube Vives

Restaurant. If you have the desire to enjoy traditional Val Gardena cuisine, interpreted with a hint of modernity but always focusing on taste and flavour, this is definitely the right place. The menu features tagliatelle with a game ragout and fermented blueberries, 'crafuncis' (fresh spinach pasta crescents) with melted butter Parmesan cheese and chives, beer-battered pork knuckle with potato and apple rotisserie, and polenta di Storo with melted cheese and sausage. Choice of wines on the line.

Stube Vives – strada Rezia, 231 – 339 4827492 – stubevives.it

Where to eat in St. Christina/St. Christina in Gröden

Baita Daniel

Trattoria. At an altitude of 2,240 metres, this address has been run by the Demez family for years. Those who come here know that they will find a unique and spectacular panorama, spacious outdoor areas equipped for a relaxing break, and a warm atmosphere in which to linger with pleasure, thanks also to the generous and well-crafted cuisine. The repertoire includes tagliatelle with game ragout or mushrooms, polenta, canederli (dumplings), platters of cold meats and cheeses, sausage and potatoes, eggs with bacon, and the ever-present strudel. The food is good.

Baita Daniel – strada Mastle, 54 – 335 6482660 – seceda.cc

Local

Gourmet break. The one run with enthusiasm and passion by Maria Ploner is not just any shop, but a cosy shop where you can buy food, drinks and wines personally selected by the owner from certified organic companies that operate in an environmentally friendly way according to the principles of sustainability. The products on the shelves are many, then there are those at the refrigerated counter, such as cold meats and cheeses. But you also come here for breakfast with good, healthy things, or for a snack.

Local – strada Dursan, 37/A – 351 8448252 – shop-local.it

Maso Paratoni

Restaurant. Splendid old farmhouse at an altitude of 1,585 metres, with a spectacular view of the Sassolungo mountain. You will be welcomed by the Insam family, each with their own role and with the obvious aim of satisfying every guest's need. Open only at weekends and only by prior booking, it offers a sincere and genuine cuisine based on home-grown ingredients or at most from trusted farmers. Breads, juices, butter, dairy products, and cheeses are all self-produced; organic wines from the area are paired with them.

Maso Paratoni – via Insom, 17 – 333 5443668 – paratoni.com

La Posta

Restaurant. Housed in a building dating back to the 18th century, the Senoner family has been running this fine address since 1980. It is renowned in the area for its gastronomic offerings based mainly on quality meats. On the menu you will find beef tartare, blueberry tagliolini with knife-edged game, duck breast cooked at low temperature, wild boar fillet with red wine reduction, and various cuts of veal or beef to be cooked on the grill. Bread, pasta and desserts are home-made. In the wine cellar, mostly regional wines, with options by the glass.

La Posta – strada Dursan, 22 – 333 2578392 – la-posta.eu

Where to eat in Selva di Val Gardena/Wolkenstein in Gröden

Freina at the Hotel Freina

Restaurant. Attached to the hotel of the same name under the shrewd management of the Kostner family, this is a restaurant that has much to offer in terms of quality standards and service. The ambience is soberly elegant, with bright, panoramic windows, and the cuisine is fully satisfying, ranging from seafood (on set days only) to land, with charcuterie and cheese platters, tagliatelle with mushrooms, braised beef and beef cheek, and homemade desserts. There are also options for coeliacs and vegetarians. There is an adequate selection of wines, including proposals by the glass.

Freina at the Hotel Freina – strada Freina, 23/A – 0471 795110 – restaurantfreina.com

Kronestube all’Hotel Corona

Gourmet break. Open non-stop from 10am to 1am, it is a reliable address that you can always count on. You can stop there for every need: there is a coffee bar serving coffee accompanied by doughnuts and pastries, there are salads, sandwiches and well-stuffed toast, you can have tea or hot chocolate with a slice of strudel or Sacher, there are ice creams. There is no shortage of good beer to go with succulent burgers (the pulled pork one is delicious) or typical dishes, such as sausage and sauerkraut or polenta with mushrooms.

Kronestube at the Hotel Corona – strada Mëisules, 266 – 338 9379002 – kronestube.business.site

Luis Eatery at the Linder Cycling Hotel

Restaurant. It is one of the most successful addresses in the town, modern in its ambience and offerings, with the added bonus of a relaxed atmosphere that sets the mood. At the fires Antonio Strammiello, a pupil of Heinz Beck, is the interpreter of contemporary cuisine, attentive to lightness and taste. A few examples: miso-marinated pak-choi with warm tofu; mushroom broth, fermented black garlic, porcini-stuffed plin; saddle of venison with pistachio, parsnip, chestnuts, persimmon. Easier pit stops at the Luis Bistro and Steak House.

Luis Eatery at the Linder Cycling Hotel – strada Nives, 36 – 0471 795242 – luiseatery.com

SooChic Restaurant

Restaurant. Next to the Plan de Gralba ski slope, a place that stands out from the average in terms of both its design ambience and its menu, which ranges from aperitifs to dinner: potato velouté with Jerusalem artichoke chips, marinated venison carpaccio, braised dumplings with cheese fondue and brown sauce, rib eye steak with three peppers. Alternatively, many fish dishes and tasty pizzas made from dough that has risen 48 hours and filled with good ingredients. To drink there is an extensive list of cocktails and wines (also by the glass), and there is also a choice of evo oils.

SooChic Restaurant – strada Plan de Gralba, 19 – 328 5977797 – soochic-restaurant.com

Suinsom of the Hotel Tyrol

Restaurant. The spirit of the mountains and a passion for quality characterise the cuisine of this fine dining restaurant. Alessandro Martellini is a chef of sensitivity and talent who knows how to interpret the values that have always animated the owner's vision: respect and love for tradition, sustainability, and an open eye to the future. On the plate, sea and land led by the chef's hand combine to create intriguing combinations. Two courses or the menu, excellently accompanied by a fine wine cellar. For a less demanding stop, there is the Tyrestaurant and the Tybistro.

Suinsom at the Hotel Tyrol –  strada Puez, 12 – 0471 774100 – tyrolhotel.it

Da Zenz at the Hotel Stella

Restaurant. A modern, innovative, captivating and original cuisine, which has its strong point in the selection of ingredients and the harmony of contrasts, the work of the talented chef Alessio Baldini. There are three possible tasting routes, to which are added the seasonal suggestions of the menu and a selection of grilled meats. A respectable wine list and a refined and atmospheric ambience. There is no doubt that the experience in this small gourmet restaurant has all the numbers to be remembered.

Da Zenz at the Hotel Stella – strada Mëisules, 283 – 0471 795162 – da-zenz.com