The best restaurants DOLOMITES DU TRENTIN-HAUT-ADIGE

Restaurant Pitzock's chef, Oskar Messner, lovingly cooks the produce of the Val de Funes. He works closely with the region's small producers and breeders, some of whom belong to the Slow Food Presidio. One of the stars of the menu is lamb from the indigenous Villnösser Brillenschaf breed. Fresh pasta dishes, with the delicate flavors of garden herbs or the stronger flavors of Graukäse, the local cheese, are a delight. Ask for a table in the light wood-panelled back room, or on the terrace. A wonderful culinary discovery.

Excellence at an altitude of 2,410 meters, in the Secada Natural Park! A restaurant that is difficult to get to and that knows how to make itself desired before offering you a very warm welcome and quality products that melt in your mouth. A good excuse to take an organic break, because here everything is organic, and the Tyrolean specialties are served with an exceptional view on the valley. The wine cellar has more than 300 references, including many local vintages, and the bar serves a homemade gin and tonic (the Gin 8025!) whose recipe by the chef, Marcus, remains a secret...

A family atmosphere, very affordable prices, and recipes devised by Michelin-starred chef Andrea Fenoglio. This place can claim to serve the best pizzas in town, among some 55 establishments in Merano, thanks to meticulously selected ingredients skilfully arranged on dough rested for 48 hours and baked according to the authentic Neapolitan pizza recipe. The meal concludes with a perfectly balanced dessert. A particular favorite is the vanilla ice cream, turbinated à la minute and garnished with amarena cherries. Finishing it will be child's play!

Beautiful pastel blue building on Vitipeno's main street, and excellent South Tyrolean cuisine, with traditional dishes such as canederli and goulash, but also some daily suggestions using seasonal produce and excellent fresh homemade pasta. The hotel offers comfortable, well-equipped rooms, some with balconies and mountain views, and a wellness area with sauna, whirlpool and deckchairs for relaxing after a hard day's skiing or hiking.

We arrive at this chalet-restaurant at an altitude of 1,250 meters after driving along a beautiful road. The shady river provides a welcome coolness. The Demetz family has created this restaurant in a quiet, natural paradise, using Monsieur's woodworking skills. Dare to try thecanederli (balls of bread, flowers, egg and milk; a speciality of South Tyrol) accompanied by goulash. In summer, barbecues are available on reservation. Also worth a visit in winter: a small hut, privatized, with a fire in the center to keep warm.

This former mountain refuge has been skilfully restored by the Mahlknecht family. In a typical setting, you'll be served the best of regional and family cuisine: canederli with blue cheese, coleslaw, corn pancakes, cold meats, sausages... A scenic road leads to the restaurant by car. On foot, it's a 50-minute walk (from the Seceda gondola station, path no. 9 along the Val d'Anna torrent), unless you're skiing, as Ustaria is on the La Longia slope.

On a hillside, bordered by a small stream, this family-run Buschenschank treats its guests to regional specialties such as Schlutzer (half-moon-shaped ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach), speck, smoked beef or carpaccio, "canederli" (dumplings made of bread and vegetables, also called knödels), all washed down with fruit juice or house wine, or cherry deer, a traditional sweet and sour combination that is very tasty. In spring, asparagus from the garden is deliciously integrated into the dishes on the menu.

Surrounded by vineyards and the village of Varna, this elegant and carefully restored house dates back to the ^12th century for its oldest parts. The Buschenschank (i.e., wine mazot) offers South Tyrolean specialties (canederli, gnocchi, meats and cured meats), as well as home-brewed beer and homemade ice cream. It is a restful place to stop after a walk, either on the shaded terrace or in the old stone-walled rooms. Beer, apple juice and cold cuts are available for purchase on site.

An excellent address in the pedestrian center, offering South Tyrolean cuisine with a blend of Italian and Austrian influences. So typical that the waiters are dressed in traditional costume. Good pasta and meat dishes; try the Alpine roast beef with Lagrein wine sauce, for example. Try knödels, the famous bread dumplings similar to quenelles, schlutzkrapfen, game meat ravioli, and smoked meat with local sauerkraut. Finally, strudel is the local pastry par excellence.

It was necessary to dare, in the middle of a country of carnivores tasting mountain charcuterie and game meats in abundance! A vegetarian and vegan restaurant! If you feel like taking a green and healthy break during your journey after too many dishes in sauce, the restaurant Humus offers very simple, tasty, light and certified organic compositions: vegetarian couscous, falafel, hummus, of course, but also bulgur with tomatoes, olives, carrots and feta or tofu and many other dishes full of colors and vitamins.

In the region, the rustic style is never really country. This restaurant is a good demonstration of this, because under its inn-like appearance, it hides a particular gastronomic care in the choice of food, a very neat decoration and a service without reproach. The menu honors local specialties, such as polenta gnocchi with cheese fondue or pork chop with speck salad. For dessert, don't miss the variation on the strudel theme or the sweet canederli with ricotta cheese.

Michelin-starred cuisine from chef Andrea Fenoglio. But also, the promise of a gastronomic journey, at prices that are still relatively affordable. The restaurant's interior is retro, retaining its Art Deco style, and offers lovely views through the bright windows. Let yourself be seduced by the "surprise" menu, a spectacle of shapes, colors, cooking and presentation. Or for the 7 signature dishes, including the Omega 3 spaghetti, subtle on the palate, exclusively compiled in the form of a menu. No more revelations.

This shop is emblematic of the town of Bressanone. Fink is a restaurant, pastry shop and tea room that has been delighting locals and visitors alike for over a century. A typical Tyrolean atmosphere, delicious pastries and a beautiful terrace make Fink the perfect place for a pleasant break. The restaurant was recently renovated and decorated with pictures of mountaineering. The dishes are traditional, but refined in their execution, under the baton of Florian Fink, a chef who draws his ingredients from his vegetable garden.

A secluded mazot facing the mountains and the Vitipeno valley, where you're greeted by the mooing of cows. A rustic atmosphere and authentic dishes, both hearty and elaborate, such as gnocchi with game ragout or soufflé with Graukäse (grey cheese). There's no set menu here: dishes are listed on arrival. The mazot has its own butcher's shop and produces speck and smoked sausages, which can be tasted on the premises or purchased from the small store, which also sells alpine cheeses, honey, wine and more.

Gastronomic restaurant established in one of the oldest buildings in the centre: in the 13th century, it was occupied by the canons of the cathedral and became the monks' inn. The establishment was obliged to close at dusk, but the rule was sometimes broken... This legend is the origin of the restaurant's name ("The Dark Host"). Today, of course, there are no restrictions: even after dark, you can enjoy fine and creative dishes within the historic walls or on the pleasant terrace in the inner courtyard.

A wine bar rich in wines from Piedmont, Tuscany and local wines of excellent quality. The Filo Rosso wine is bottled by the boss. In order to avoid rushing too quickly, the house serves maison-made soup accompanied by goulasch and Moorish buckwheat polenta.

Between pub and brasserie, the huge space of the Birreria Pedavena welcomes both lovers of traditional rustic German cuisine and relaxed youth in the evenings. Here you can see the tanks for the home-made production of Lag's beer, unique in Trentino because it is imported from Germany, and you can fill up on pretzels as an aperitif. The Chiara is natural and unfiltered, very hoppy, the Weizen is amber, while the Scura is characterized by the caramelized aroma of Monaco malt. Good pizzas and boards of delicious cold meats and cheeses.

"Stefano Bertoni cooks in the ovens of this trendy and gourmet address in the pedestrian centre. The programme includes a range of gourmet paninis. For example the panini il gionalista with Parma ham, arugula, ricotta and truffle oil. Dishes such as a roast rack of lamb with pistachio invite you to linger here. The organic wine offered is fruity and long on the palate. You eat on a few tables on the terrace, at the counter or on small tables in the back room. The decoration is design and offbeat.

Nice bistro nestled in a passage not far from the castle, appreciated by the Tridentines for the lunch break. You can eat well and quickly (salads, dishes, burgers...). There are also several local craft beers. Perfect between two visits in town, especially since you can also take your meal with you to eat outdoors. The place is also very lively at the aperitif time, especially on Thursday, with live music and a more festive atmosphere. Here we make Venetian Spritz, with Select aperitivo produced in the "Serenissima".

A historic brewery-restaurant with a beautiful wood-panelled room and chandeliers. It offers South Tyrolean cuisine and craft beers. The waiters move between the tables in traditional costume. A fresh giant pretzel bread is served with the nonna salad, speck chips, trentignana (a kind of parmesan cheese) and honey sauce. Try the pork goulash with canerderli (Tyrolean dumplings), also known as knödels, a must. A little too touristy though.