One of the best things about Zillertal is its culinary diversity, with hearty dishes such as Gröstl (Austrian hash) or Graukassuppe (grey cheese soup) as well as enticingly sweet treats such as patisseries and fine dining creations from award-winning chefs. The high quality of the natural, regional products in combination with skilled chefs that know how to use these ingredients to make mouth-watering dishes, make Zillertal a real foodie-heaven.
Foodie heaven in Zillertal
My absolute favorite is the Tiroler Gröstl. This hearty dish gives you all the energy you need after a full day of skiing. Traditionally, it is a delicious and satisfying way of using up yesterday’s left-overs. It makes a great shared-from-the-pan mountain lunch based on potatoes, roasted pork and onions. Stir the potatoes and pork golden-brown until the potatoes are crispy. Top the Gröstl with a fried egg and you are good for another day of skiing!
Another great dish is Kaiserschmarren. It is a shredded pancake, which has its name from the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph, who was very fond of this kind of fluffy shredded pancake. Kaiserschmarren is a light, caramelized pancake made from a sweet batter using flour, eggs, sugar, salt and milk, baked in butter. Traditionally, Kaiserschmarren is accompanied with Zwetschgenröster, a fruit compote made out of plums. The best Kaiserschmarren I have eaten in my life was at the Schneekarhütte!
Zillertaler Krapfen or Zillertal doughnuts is another great local dish. Flour, salt and are kneaded into a firm dough which is used to be filled with potatoes, salt, pepper, onions, garlic, grey cheese and curd cheese. The Krapfen are fried in hot oil for about 3 minutes and are a real treat.
Restaurant Sieghard – The Small Hotel With the Big Kitchen
The culinary skills of the restaurant Sieghard have been recognized by restaurant guides for over 15 years now. Restaurant Sieghards uses exclusively natural, top quality products that are as fresh as possible. Delicate sensitivity, a lot of creativity, as well as the joy and commitment in the cooking are the secret ingredients of the team to deliver gastronomical dishes that will blow you away. Make sure to book a table in advance at Sieghard. A gastronomical menu will cost about € 75 per person.
More information: www.sieghard.at
Schneekarhütte
Since 1988 the Schneekarhütte is owned by the Family Bair on the top of the ski area of Mayrhofen 2.250 meter above the sea. Most of the ingredients used in the restaurant come from their own organic-certified farm. The main focus of the restaurant is to use as many local ingredients as possible in their dishes. Not only the food is important at the Schneekarhütte, you can find the highest built wine cellar in Austria here as well. The sommelier offers an amazing selection of wines and champagnes from small wineries in France and far beyond. You will be indulged in luxury and great service. Oh, and did I tell you that they serve the best Kaiserschmarren in the world?
More information: www.schneekarhuette.at