Mountain Restaurant in Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina has a great selection of restaurants both on and off the mountain, and although the restaurants in town are wonderful, you can’t beat a mountain hut surrounded by snow with a roaring fire beside you as you tuck into some hearty grub on a cold winters day. Take me there now!
Go off the beaten track slightly and you’ll find hut looking over frozen lakes in the forest serving up delicious home-cooked specialities. We had braised venison over polenta and creamed mushrooms foraged by the owner earlier that day (In November, before the snow really took hold) overlooking a pristine lake – heaven in a nutshell.
Here are our favourite mountain restaurants from the Cortina ski area, but venture into the Alta Badia or Sella Ronda area and you’ll find even more delights.
El Camineto
On the slopes, but you can also get there by car so you can all levels of skiers/non-skiers can meet here for lunch together. El Camineto is always buzzing with locals which we take as a very good sign indeed. You may have better luck making a reservation in person than over the phone but it’s worth the effort. Salted cod or Bacalao is a speciality here and in the area in general but well worth trying. You can sit out on the deck if the suns out, a great place to spend an hour or two over a bottle of wine.
Rifugio Averau
At the top of Cinque Torri you can come here for lunch but perhaps a highlight is that they organise dinners here where you get to and from the restaurant by snowmobile. Great dishes from the region and international influences and the torch-lit night ski back down the mountain is a wonderful touch. Ran by a fourth-generation Italian family, both the food and service are exceptional and that’s before you get to the views.
Baita Pie’ Tofana
A mountain hut accessible from the Tofana chairlift with a great terrace and completely clad in wood. It’s traditional in both decor and menu and it does the food very well. Plenty of Polenta and cheese and the wine cellar has a selection of over 300 bottles so there’s plenty to keep you occupied for a lunchtime.
Lago Ghedina
Ok so not actually on the ski slopes, but it is isolated in the mountains. We just couldn’t pass it by as it is probably the most picturesque setting in Cortina. It’s a short hike or I believe you can drive out to it. Sat on a frozen lake surrounded by forest, it’s a family-run affair with brilliant local mountain dishes on offer. A little harder to find than most but worth the extra effort.
So there you have our favourite Cortina mountain restaurants. If you’re looking for a few options in the resort itself check out the best restaurants in Cortina. Or to if you do fancy skiing in Cortina this winter have a look at our Cortina hotels page or give us a ring and we can help you find the best accommodation for your trip.