Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin once wrote in his ‘The Physiology of Taste’ (1825)”: “a meal without wine is like a day without sunshine”. This reflects perfectly how the inhabitants of Alto Adige live their life. Lovers of food and wine, I hereby present you 3 mouth-watering food-spots in Alto Adige!

Vineyard Lunch at the historic farm Seehofkeller

In autumn, the restaurant Seehofkeller organizes special lunches in the middle of its vineyards from the 16th century! Long tables filled with delicious local dishes await you, while in the back of the vineyard the last grapes are being harvested. For coffee, climb back up to the panoramic terrace with stunning views over Lake Caldaro. The restaurant is opened from May until December and is renowned for its good selection of Alto Adige wines.

Address: Seehofkeller, St. Josef am See 60, I-39052 Kaltern/Caldaro

Aktiv & Vitalhotel Taubers Unterwirt Restaurant

The Tauber family makes you feel immediately at home in this wonderful 4-star hotel. Even if you are not staying here, you should definitely try out their local cuisine! The restaurant hosts a number of culinary weeks based on different themes. The chef creates highest quality food using local ingredients.

The Taubers are part of the Vinum Hotels group, which is a group of 29 hotels in Alto Adige that are run personally by a passionate wine expert. The hotel’s senior chef, Franz Tauber, is not only a certified sommelier but has always been a receptive hotelier, open-minded to the pioneers and supporters of the Alto Adige wine culture. His son Helmut is also a sommelier, following in his footsteps. Both sommeliers offer you an exquisite wine adventure. They invite several local winemakers for dinner and together with the chef they create a delicious dinner starting from the particular tastes of several local wines. Make sure you experience this wine-pairing adventure and get to know the winemakers and the story behind their wines!

Address: Josef-Telser-Straße 2, I-39040 Feldthurns (BZ)

Wirtshaus Vögele

If you are looking for an authentic lunch or dinner with a story behind it, let the Alber family welcome you in their cozy restaurant Vögele! The restaurant is divided into different rooms; every room has its own story to tell. The rooms are tastefully decorated in the Biedermeier style, the enchanting “Rose Room,” tucked away in comfort, the “Goethestube,” the dignified “Kamaunstube,” and the impressively vaulted “Gewölbestube,” the “Tapetenzimmer” (Wallpaper Room) and “Stafflerzimmer”.

Now, what’s the story? First mentioned in 1277 and owned by the Kamaun family since 1840, the “Red Eagle” (Roter Adler) – now known to guests and friends as the “Vögele,” or little bird – has been featured in many stories and tales. The site was home to secret meetings during World War II, and the password, “Vögele”, was known to only the most powerful and connected wartime tacticians.

The chef conceives his menu with locally grown organics and uses creative, refined techniques to showcase the very best of traditional regional cuisine. What are the must-haves? “Schlutzkrapfen” (ravioli filled with spinach and cheese), Sauerkraut, dumplings (of which there are 33 varieties!), roast venison with polenta, red cabbage goulash, Speck (special smoked meat), etc.

Address: Via Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 3, 39100 Bolzano