By the way, you don’t need to listen out for loud music to find your bearings in Vorarlberg. We prefer softer tones around here, both during the day and for the après ski. In March and April, pleasure and sun on the terraces of the ski huts and mountain restaurants is the motto in Vorarlberg’s ski areas.
Down-to-earth and contemporary
“Traditional or modern setting?” is a question asked at most ski resorts. Skiers and winter hikers can warm themselves in buildings that boast a surprisingly modern design as well as in rustic “gingerbread houses” with cosy rooms or typical mountain inns or alpine-style huts. Wood that is typically found in Vorarlberg is a key feature, even for the newly built refreshment stops. Only, the design is marked by clear lines, the windows are bigger, and the rooms have higher ceilings. Whether rustic or modern, you will still be able to eat and drink local specialities from the region as well as light meals and vegetarian food. Kässpätzle (a delicious local cheesy dish), hearty soups and Kaiserschmarren (sweet pancake dessert) are just as popular as fresh salads and vegetable dishes.
Really rustic
Wood on the outside, wood on the inside and rooms with low ceilings – the traditional ski huts, which are usually quite small, have a really cosy atmosphere. The 250-year-old Rud-Alpe is one of those traditional huts and is located right in the heart of the Lech Zürs am Arlberg ski resort. You will be able to treat yourself to cold platters, soups, traditional “Gröstl” (a hearty fry-up topped with eggs), dumplings and strudel – the restaurant has even been awarded a Gault Millau chef’s toque. The Valisera Hüsli is a popular meeting point in the Silvretta Nova ski area in Montafon. The menu includes barley soup, the Montafon “Keesknöpfli” cheesy speciality and hearty dumplings with bacon. The Sunnegg-Hütte in the Damüls-Mellau ski area in Bregenzerwald has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. This mountain inn has a terrace and has become a popular spot, which is well-known for its freshly cooked food.
Modern and cosy
When new inns or restaurants are built in the Vorarlberg mountains, they are usually built in the style of contemporary Vorarlberg timber architecture. The “Wolf” opened a few years ago in the Lech Zürs am Arlberg ski resort. The timber building with its straight lines was designed by Bernardo Bader, a multi-award-winning architect from Vorarlberg.
The gastronomic concept focuses on contrasts. You can have traditional lentil soup and “Riebel”, which is made from corn semolina, as well as curries and burgers. The “Tafel & Zunder” is also a young establishment and located near the Ifenbahn mountain station in Kleinwalsertal. Here, guests can enjoy fine cuisine from the local area and a fantastic view. “Frööd” is the local dialect word for pleasure, which is what a visit to the carbon-neutral mountain restaurant “Frööd” in the Brand ski resort will bring you. You can sit in the spacious restaurant or on the beautiful terrace and enjoy beautifully prepared food, ranging from club sandwiches to venison ragout. Newly renovated and with lots of wood and a large window frontage, the S1 Lounge in Warth has been open for a few years now. Chef Engelbert will treat you to fine foods largely cooked with local ingredients.
