Best restaurants and what to eat
Italy
Moena, in the Fassa Valley of Trentino-Alto Adige, has a mountain cuisine shaped by Alpine pasture farming, rye baking, and hearty Ladin traditions. Local specialties tend to be rustic, savory, and deeply seasonal, with exceptional cheeses, dumplings, cured meats, and butter-rich desserts.
A famous washed-rind cow's milk cheese from the Moena area, prized for its pungent aroma and creamy, supple paste. Despite its bold smell, the flavor is savory, milky, and beautifully balanced, making it excellent with rye bread, potatoes, or a glass of local red wine.
Mountain pasture cheese made from summer milk collected in high alpine huts, with a clean, herbaceous flavor that reflects the meadows where the cows graze. It ranges from young and elastic to more mature and nutty, ideal on a cutting board or shaved over warm dishes.
A rich Alpine butter from mountain dairies, traditionally made from fresh cream churned soon after milking. It has a lush, almost sweet dairy flavor and a silky texture, and it is especially valued melted over dumplings, polenta, or potatoes.
A traditional Trentino cured sausage with a firm bite and a flavor that is gently garlicky, peppery, and pleasantly rustic. Often sliced thin, it is a classic accompaniment to bread, cheese, and mountain pickles.
Salt-cured beef from Trentino, lean and delicately seasoned with herbs and spices, usually served raw in thin slices or quickly seared. Its clean, mineral savor works well with olive oil, lemon, or shaved cheese.
Lightly smoked and air-cured ham from the Trentino mountains, with a balanced profile of smoke, salt, and fragrant curing spices. In Moena it is often enjoyed in thin slices with mountain bread or as part of an antipasto.
A revered Trentino dessert wine made from carefully dried grapes and aged slowly, producing deep amber color, honeyed aroma, and layered notes of dried fruit and spice. It is traditionally served after meals, often with almond biscuits or aged cheese.
The flagship red wine of Trentino, known for its dark fruit character, lively acidity, and supple tannins. It is usually served with hearty mountain fare such as cured meats, roasts, and polenta.
A sparkling wine from the Trentino mountains, made in the classic method and valued for its fine bubbles, crisp structure, and elegant mineral finish. It is often poured as an aperitif or with delicate Alpine dishes.
A traditional red wine of Trentino with soft tannins, ripe cherry notes, and a gently fragrant profile. It pairs well with sausages, roasted meats, and mountain cheeses.
A distinctive local white grape wine with bright acidity, herbal nuance, and subtle almond-like freshness. It works beautifully with freshwater fish, vegetable dishes, and light antipasti.
An aromatic white wine widely grown in the Trentino highlands, offering floral notes, gentle fruit, and a clean alpine style. It is best served chilled with mountain appetizers and soft cheeses.
Potato fritters from the Ladin and Trentino mountain tradition, crisp outside and tender inside, often served with butter and cheese. They are a comforting staple that showcases the valley's simple, satisfying cooking.
Stuffed pasta pockets typical of the Ladin valleys, usually filled with spinach, ricotta, potatoes, or beet greens. Their delicate dough and savory filling make them a refined yet rustic mountain specialty.
Bread dumplings made with stale bread, milk, eggs, and local ingredients like speck or cheese, then served in broth or with melted butter. They are one of the most iconic comfort foods of the Dolomites.
A deeply traditional cornmeal polenta from Trentino, known for its rich flavor and creamy, satisfying texture. It is often paired with cheese, sausages, mushrooms, or meat stews.
A mountain adaptation of goulash, slow-cooked until the beef is tender and the sauce is rich with paprika and wine. It is typically served over polenta, making it a hearty cold-weather dish.
A savory baked dish from Trentino made with batter, onions, and sausage or cured meat, dense and satisfying like a rustic pie. Its name reflects its famously hunger-quenching nature.