20 Italian mountain huts with the best food on the slopes

Lunch at a mountain hut (a rifugio, as Italians call it) is one of the best moments of a day on the snow. But not all huts are equal. Some have turned mountain cooking into a real art, with dishes that are worth the trip on their own. Here are 20 huts where lunch is an experience you will not forget.

How we chose them

Our criteria:

Quality of the food: local ingredients, careful cooking, traditional dishes with a modern touch
Atmosphere: wood-panelled rooms, warmth and a genuine welcome
Access: reachable on skis or with a short walk
The view: what you see from the terrace is part of the experience

Trentino-Alto Adige

1. Rifugio Oberholz, Obereggen

At 2,096 m above Obereggen, a masterpiece of modern Alpine architecture with panoramic windows facing the Dolomites:

Specialities: speck dumplings (canederli) in broth, Kaiserschmarrn
Why go: contemporary design with traditional cooking. One of the most photographed huts in the Dolomites

2. Rifugio Comici, Val Gardena

At the foot of the Sassolungo, in the heart of the Val Gardena ski area:

Specialities: Schlutzkrapfen (Tyrolean half-moon ravioli), home-made apple strudel
Why go: a spectacular setting and a sunny terrace facing the Sella and the Sassolungo

3. Ütia de Börz, Alta Badia

In Alta Badia, authentic Ladin cooking at 2,006 m:

Specialities: turtres (Ladin fritters), cajincí (ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta)
Why go: real Ladin food in a traditional setting

4. Rifugio Scoiattoli, Cortina

At the Cinque Torri above Cortina d’Ampezzo:

Specialities: casunziei (Ampezzo beetroot ravioli), polenta with venison
Why go: a 360° view of the Tofane, the Marmolada and the Cinque Torri

5. Rifugio Fuciade, Passo San Pellegrino

Near San Pellegrino, one of the most romantic huts in the Dolomites:

Specialities: venison goulash, cheese fondue with polenta
Why go: seclusion, silence and an old-world atmosphere

6. Malga Panna, Madonna di Campiglio

In the Campiglio area, a Michelin star in the mountains:

Specialities: Teroldego risotto, Arctic char
Why go: fine dining in a genuine mountain setting

Aosta Valley

7. Rifugio Maison Vieille, Courmayeur

At 1,956 m above Courmayeur, with a view of Mont Blanc:

Specialities: Aosta Valley fonduta, polenta concia (with melted cheese and butter), crema di Cogne
Why go: the best fonduta in the Aosta Valley, with a view of the roof of Europe

8. Rifugio Guide del Cervino, Cervinia

At 3,480 m on the Plateau Rosa, above Cervinia:

Specialities: hot soups, polenta with Alpine cheeses
Why go: the highest hut in Italy you can reach on skis

9. Lo Riondet, La Thuile

In the La Thuile area:

Specialities: seupa à la vapelenentse (bread, cabbage and fontina soup), carbonade (Aosta Valley beef stew)
Why go: honest Aosta Valley cooking and generous portions

Piedmont

10. Rifugio Moro, Alpe di Mera

At Alpe di Mera, in the heart of Valsesia:

Specialities: bagna cauda, Castelmagno risotto, braised Chianina beef
Why go: excellent Piedmontese food in a simple setting

11. Chalet Ciao Pais, Bardonecchia

In the Bardonecchia area:

Specialities: ravioles (Piedmontese ravioli), Arctic char alla genovese
Why go: a blend of Occitan and Piedmontese traditions

Lombardy

12. Rifugio Berni, Bormio

High above Bormio, with a view of the Stelvio run:

Specialities: Valtellina pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta), Valtellina bresaola, sciatt (buckwheat and cheese fritters)
Why go: the best Valtellina cooking, with a view of the Olympic run

13. Rifugio Carate, Madesimo

In Madesimo, in the heart of Val Chiavenna:

Specialities: pizzoccheri with truffle, polenta with braised beef
Why go: creative cooking in a historic hut

Veneto and Friuli

14. Baita Fraina, Cortina

In the Cortina basin:

Specialities: casunziei, frico (cheese and potato cake) with polenta, roast roe deer
Why go: Cortina’s go-to address for good food

15. Rifugio Gilberti, Sella Nevea

In Sella Nevea, in the heart of the Julian Alps:

Specialities: jota (Trieste bean and sauerkraut soup), goulash, strudel
Why go: a unique mix of Friulian and Central European cooking

Central and southern Italy

16. Rifugio Franchetti, Gran Sasso

Near Campo Imperatore:

Specialities: arrosticini (lamb skewers), pasta alla chitarra with lamb ragù
Why go: the most authentic Abruzzo cooking, at 2,433 m

17. Capanna Bill, Abetone

In Abetone, the benchmark for Tuscan mountain food:

Specialities: pappardelle with wild boar, castagnaccio (chestnut cake), ribollita
Why go: Tuscany in its winter whites

18. Rifugio La Montanara, Roccaraso

In Roccaraso:

Specialities: sagne e fagioli (pasta and beans), grilled lamb, bocconotti pastries
Why go: Abruzzo traditions in a warm, welcoming setting

19. Baita 2000, Etna Nord

On Etna Nord, a one-of-a-kind experience:

Specialities: pasta alla Norma, arancini, Sicilian cannoli
Why go: Sicilian food on an active volcano, with a view of the sea

20. Ristorante Sapori, Gambarie

In Gambarie, Calabria:

Specialities: fileja pasta with ‘nduja, Calabrian soppressata, pitta ‘mpigliata
Why go: a taste of Calabria’s mountain cooking

Tips for lunch at a mountain hut

Book at weekends and during the holidays: tables are limited
Arrive early (by 12:30) to avoid the queues
Order the local dishes: every hut has its own regional speciality
Budget: a full lunch costs €20-40 per person
Carry cash: not all huts take cards, especially the high ones

To find the ski areas with the best huts, browse our resort pages.