The more you learn about South Tyrol – Italy’s most northerly region, bordered by Austria – the more you realise that it’s one of the best kept foodie secrets in all of Europe. While the area has always been popular with tourists, this was usually thanks to the ski resorts dotted throughout its stunning alpine landscape. But for many years, it has also been home to more Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere else in Italy. Combine that with the incredible wine, incredible views, unique foraged ingredients and a slew of PDO-protected products and you’ve got a must-visit region for anyone interested in food.
With twenty-three Michelin stars across nineteen restaurants, it’s clear that the chefs are the ones who are driving this incredible local food scene. Many of them take foraged ingredients unique to South Tyrol and cook them using modern techniques, marrying traditional flavours with truly innovative cooking.
Thanks to the region’s proximity to Austria (over half the population speaks Austrian German as a first language), dishes are influenced by both Italian and Germanic cultures, while the cold, mountainous landscape means food is often hearty, earthy and warming. The genius behind many of South Tyrol’s chefs is the way they take these flavours and present them in a refined, elegant way.
Read on to find out more about some of the chefs bringing South Tyrolean food to the international stage, as well as the best places to eat in the region – you’ll soon realise why this remote alpine area is quickly becoming a bucket list location for foodies worldwide.