Terra - the Magic Place
Sarntal Valley

© provided

At Terra, haute cuisine is celebrated—quite literally. Perched at 1,622 meters in the heart of the North Italian Dolomites in the Sarntal Valley, it is Italy’s highest-altitude fine dining restaurant (two Michelin stars, four Gault&Millau toques, and Falstaff’s “Restaurant of the Year” 2024). For chef Heinrich Schneider, who runs Terra together with his sister Gisela, it’s simply the most beautiful workplace in the world. “This must be what a window seat in heaven feels like.” Could that be why his cooking tastes so heavenly? The DNA of his cuisine is built on herbs and wild plants. “I want guests to take away something they can’t find anywhere else. The best way to achieve that is through the ingredients.” The menu features dishes like red venison ravioli in a mushroom infusion or char with black pearls, jellied tartelette, lemon balm, bronze fennel, and garlic mustard.

Terra - The Magic Place
Prati 21, 39058 Sarntal, Italy
+39 0471 62 30 55 - terra.place

Miil
Cherms

© Andergassen

The restaurant Miil, a converted mill on the historic Kränzelhof wine estate in Tscherms, is the domain of Othmar Raich—a hidden gem with an elegant ambiance and excellent cuisine. “Pairing great food with fine wine is our passion,” explains the North Italian. The menu follows the seasons, allowing Raich and his team to create dishes such as Alpine ceviche with lake trout and beetroot or Linguine Regina dei Sibillini with octopus puttanesca.

Miil
Gampenstraße, 1, 39010 Tscherms, Italy
+39 0473 563733 - miil.it

Castel Fine Dining
Dorf Tirol

© Koenigshofer Michael

Gerhard Wieser ranks alongside Norbert Niederkofler at the very top of North Italy’s culinary scene. Guests can experience his mastery at Hotel Castel, perched on the south-facing slope of a vineyard in Dorf Tirol. The hotel’s restaurant, Castel Fine Dining, boasts a breathtaking panoramic view of Merano, the valley, and the distant Alpine peaks—reason enough for a visit. With only five tables, this gourmet haven offers an intimate yet exclusive atmosphere. And then, of course, there's Gerhard Wieser himself (two Michelin stars, five Gault&Millau toques, four Falstaff forks) and his tasting menu—precisely executed, technically refined, composed of top-tier ingredients, and visually stunning.

Castel fine dining at Hotel Castel
Keschtngasse 18, 39019 Dorf Tirol
Tel.: +39 0473 923693
Web: hotel-castel.com

Pretzhof
Wiesen/Pfitsch

© Rotwild Brixen

Cows peek out from the left, pigs grunt on the right—the Pretzhof mountain inn, perched high on the hillside, is still a working farm. But it’s more than that. At 1,350 meters in Tulfer in the Pfitsch Valley near Sterzing, Karl and Ulli Mair have turned this place into a pilgrimage site for gourmets over the years. A remarkable achievement that the Falstaff Restaurant Guide 2024 honored with a Lifetime Achievement award. The cozy wood-paneled dining rooms with thick beams exude warmth, and the entire estate radiates comfort. The Mair family delights guests with house-made specialties from their own butcher shop—succulent roast pork with a crispy crust, and, of course, outstanding Schlutzkrapfen (North Italian stuffed pasta).

Pretzhof
Tulfer 259, 39049 Wiesen/Pfitsch, Italy
+39 0472 764455 - pretzhof.com

Atelier Moessmer
Bruneck

LucaDalGesso

North Italian star chef Norbert Niederkofler needs no introduction among gourmets. But his Atelier Moessmer in Bruneck certainly does. First, it has only been open for 12 months. Second, it’s more than worth a visit. “I want to create new, unique flavor experiences here,” Niederkofler promised—and delivered. Housed in a 19th-century villa, the restaurant is the perfect setting for his Cook the Mountain philosophy to flourish. The result? Three Michelin stars in its very first year!

Atelier Moessmer - Norbert Niederkofler
Walther-von-der-Vogelweide-Strasse 17, 39031 Bruneck, Italy
+39 0474 646629 - ateliernorbertniederkofler.com

Norbert Niederkofler. © Alex-Moling

Read more: The Taste of Northern Italy: Pleasure at the Summit