Set in some of the world’s top skiing regions, these Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners lift the romance of winter getaways to new heights. Experience modern luxuries, sprawling wine lists and elevated cuisine amid historic surroundings, from a family-owned resort in Austria to a hotel in St.-Moritz, Switzerland, to a Savoyard restaurant near the famed Mont Blanc. That's not to mention other activities to enjoy across these 11 destinations, such as spa days and, of course, winter sports.
To discover more wine-and-food destinations around the world, see Wine Spectator’s more than 3,500 Restaurant Award winners, including après-ski dining establishments in North America and the more than 90 Grand Award recipients worldwide that hold our highest honor.
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Austria
Griggeler Stuba
Burg Vital Resort, Oberlech 568, Lech am Arlberg
Telephone (43) 5583-3140
Website burgvitalresort.com/de/kulinarik/griggeler-stuba
Grand Award
Of the seven Restaurant Award winners in Austria, Griggeler Stuba has one of the most extensive wine programs and is one of only two Grand Award winners in the country (along with Palais Coburg). While the food, wine and health and wellness experiences alone are worth the trip, Griggeler Stuba’s location in Lech—a famed area for winter sports—also makes it a travel destination for skiers; the Burg Vital Resort offers seven chalets connected by underground passageways at the base of the Arlberg mountains, with easy access to the slopes.
What’s on the Menu
The nine-course tasting menu changes daily based on the inspirations of chef Sebastian Jakob, who primarily draws from the seasonal produce and herbs grown locally in Oberlech. In the past, dishes have included char from Lake Constance and cured Salzburg beef with horseradish-sorrel ice cream. Seating at Griggeler Stuba is limited to five tables and a maximum of 20 guests during dinner service.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Maximilian Lucian’s program shows strength in Austria, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Italy, Spain and Germany. The restaurant has been a champion of regional wines since opening at the Burg Vital Resort in 1997; some Austrian highlights include more than 150 large-format options, seven vintages of Franz Hirtzberger Riesling Smaragd Trocken Wachau Spitzer Singerriedel and a vertical of a Johanneshof Reinisch Pinot Noir going back to the 1990s.
Der Kirchenwirt seit 1326
Hotel Kirchenwirt, Leogang 3, Leogang
Telephone (43) 6583-82-16
Website hotelkirchenwirt.at
Best of Award of Excellence
Across Austria, cozy country hotels offer holistic and traditional resort and dining experiences. Such is the case at Hotel Kirchenwirt, home to Best of Award of Excellence winner Der Kirchenwirt seit 1326. While housed in a restored inn from the medieval times, the Kirchenwirt offers a wine list and dining options that are nothing if not contemporary. In Leogang, the hotel is also within close distance of the ski resort town Saalbach-Hinterglemm, making it a proper paradise for skiers and snowboarders alike.
What’s on the Menu
This gourmet wirtshaus (or “tavern”) focuses on the ingredients and specialties of Austrian cuisine, but with a slightly international edge. Think fried golden trout with mountain lentils and homegrown bitter orange, or cream of cauliflower soup with watercress. The four-course prix fixe menu is 70 euros (about $76) per person, or 62 euros (about $67) for the vegetarian option; all dishes can be ordered à la carte.
Wine List Highlights
Nestled in a centuries-old, cave-like cellar, the Kirchenwirt’s wine inventory features 900-plus labels, with a large selection of Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings from Austria’s Kamptal and Wachau regions. Also represented are lesser-known Austrian regions such as Mittelburgenland and Neusiedlersee, as well as key red grapes for Austria: Spätburgunder (aka Pinot Noir), Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch. (There’s even a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon.)
Star bottles from outside Austria include Champagne from Bollinger, Bordeaux from Château Cheval Blanc and reds from Spain’s Dominio de Pingus and Australia’s Penfolds.
Post Stuben
Post Lech Arlberg, Dorf 11, Lech Am Arlberg
Telephone (43) 5583-2206-0
Website postlech.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Owned by the Moosbrugger family since 1937, the Post Lech Arlberg hotel is in the heart of Lech. Its rooms offer country charm with cozy accents, such as wood paneling and antique furniture pieces. Comfort can also be found at the hotel’s stube (aka “room”) restaurants, collectively the Post Stuben.
What’s on the Menu
Across its restaurants, Post Stuben creates dishes that offer travelers an inviting sense of comfort. For instance, at the Jägerstube (only open during winter), chef Michael Rieser prepares regional specialties such as tafelspitz (beef boiled in broth) and kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake). The other restaurants include the Emostube, a cozy spot for winter classics such as fondue, and the Kutscherstube, an inn with beef tartare, porcini mushroom soup with sweet cream and more. That’s not to mention the hotel’s Bemelmans Bar (named for writer Ludwig Bemelmans) or outdoor terrace.
Wine List Highlights
Sommelier Miroslav Kalinic’s program champions Austrian producers such as Bründlmayer and Karl Fritsch. The 700-wine list (backed by an inventory of more than 14,000 bottles) is also strong in France, especially Burgundy, as well as Italy and Spain.
Deepening the hotel’s wine connection, two members of the Moosbrugger family, Michael and Eva, own the Schloss Gobelsburg winery. The restaurant showcases bottlings from the estate at the beginning of its wine list, highlighting some of Austria’s most important varieties: Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Spätburgunder, Zweigelt and Sankt Laurent.
Switzerland
Belle Epoque
Golfhotel Les Hauts de Gstaad & Spa, Bahnhofstrasse 7, Saanenmöser
Telephone (41) 33-748-6868
Website golfhotel.ch/en
Best of Award of Excellence
The Golfhotel Les Hauts de Gstaad was established in 1911 in the picturesque Swiss Alps town of Saanenmöser, after railways introduced tourism to the region. Following major renovations in 1986, Walter and Heidi von Siebenthal-Spozio bought the hotel in 1996 and continued improving the property, now owned and managed by their daughter Andrea and her husband, Markus Sprenger. The hotel features a panoramic terrace for taking in stunning views of the mountains; here, guests can enjoy coffee, glasses of wine and light food offerings. There’s also a smoking lounge on-site with a library, ideal for sitting comfortably with a cigar or maybe a whisky or Cognac.
What’s on the Menu
At the hotel’s Belle Epoque restaurant, chef Markus Sprenger serves German- and French-influenced fare across à la carte and tasting menus, including dishes such as Wiener schnitzel, coquilles Saint Jacques and several cuts of Swiss beef.
Wine List Highlights
Sprenger also oversees the 350-wine program, which features a wide selection of Swiss producers—such as Domaine Henri Cruchon and Provins—as well as wineries in Italy and France’s Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhône regions. Among the 6,300 bottles in the inventory are names such as Burgundy’s René Bouvier and Bordeaux’s Château Pape Clément.
La Bagatelle
Le Grand Chalet, Neueretstrasse 43, Gstaad
Telephone (41) 337-48-76-76
Website grandchalet.ch/fr
Best of Award of Excellence
At 3,600 feet in elevation, Le Grand Chalet merges luxury with a winter-cabin aesthetic in its 20 guest rooms overlooking Gstaad, a tranquil Swiss village that’s been car-free since 1996. The property is surrounded by more than 135 miles of ski slopes and nearly 200 miles of trails for winter hikes. The hotel's welcoming, warm atmosphere carries into Le Grand Chalet’s primary restaurant, La Bagatelle, where guests can enjoy picturesque panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
What’s on the Menu
At La Bagatelle, chef Stève Williè serves French-influenced fare. Several entrées are made for two, such as the whole sea bass wrapped in bread pastry and the roasted duck breast with peppers and Chinese noodles.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Pedro Ferreira has built a 1,300-selection list that’s strongest in Bordeaux—including all five first-growths, Pétrus and more—with a growing collection of Burgundy. Producers in the substantial Swiss section include Bovard and Gantenbein. Selections from Italy, Portugal and France’s Rhône Valley also stand out. Even with its upscale setting, La Bagatelle provides plenty of value on its moderately priced wine list; there are hundreds of bottles under $100 and an array of affordable half-bottles.
Le Restaurant
The Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Via Serlas 27, St.-Moritz
Telephone (41) 818-37-26-61
Website badruttspalace.com/restaurants/le-restaurant-winter
Best of Award of Excellence
The Engadin mountains in Switzerland make the nearby town of St.-Moritz a global destination for skiers. Surrounded by more than 200 miles of slopes and with a ski shop and skiing school on-site, the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel of St.-Moritz offers a prime location for snow-seeking travelers with a taste for fine dining.
What’s on the Menu
At the Badrutt’s Palace, Le Restaurant represents classic gourmet dining, complete with a caviar service and tableside preparations. Chef Jeremy Degras oversees the French-leaning menu, which features dishes such as sea bass baked in a salt crust and beef stroganoff with rice pilaf.
Wine List Highlights
Complementing these dishes are wines from the 30,000-bottle cellar, which shows strength in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne; a range of Italian options are also on offer, along with several Swiss picks for those interested in sipping local.
Paradiso
Via Engadina 3, Suvretta, St.-Moritz
Telephone (41) 81-833-4002
Website winter.paradiso-stmoritz.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Perched on the Suvretta slope in St.-Moritz, Paradiso is a standout destination for its local wine offerings and divine cuisine. Adding to its Alpine charm, it offers an outdoor music deck where guests can sip Champagne, cocktails and more as they dance and enjoy snowy mountain views.
What’s on the Menu
Chef Francesco Lunesu’s moderately priced, primarily Swiss menu offers decadent options such as shaved truffles and a caviar service, as well as terrines, pâté en croute, a côte de boeuf and more. Diners can even create a custom fondue experience with three different cheeses and add-ons such as cherry brandy and dried beef.
Wine List Highlights
The wine program is almost entirely Swiss, with 480 bottles that range from Rieslings to Pinot Noirs to Chardonnays to a handful of rosés. Wine director Daniel Kis’ list also excels in German bottlings, with whites going back to the 1980s and well-known producers such as Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt and Franz Künstler. Guests can enjoy a glass on one of Paradiso’s several sprawling, open-air terraces, which offer outstanding views of the serene skies and surrounding mountains.
Radius by Stefan Beer
Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, Höhenweg 41, Interlaken
Telephone (41) 33-828-26-10
Website victoria-jungfrau.ch/en/restaurants-bars/radius-by-stefan-beer
Best of Award of Excellence
Tucked away in the Bernese mountains of Interlaken, Radius by Stefan Beer celebrates regional produce year-round. The restaurant is housed within the Viennese-style Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa from Michel Reybier Hospitality, where guests can relax with a spa program, Finnish saunas and an indoor swimming pool surrounded by massive windows looking out onto the Jungfrau mountain.
What’s on the Menu
Chef Stefan Beer’s career has brought him to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok and Dubai. These travels influence his tasting menu at Radius, through which he tells the story of Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland. Dishes include freshwater perch escabeche with eggplant and local lamb’s lettuce, venison ravioli with radicchio kimchi and Emmental cheese with preserved cherry tomatoes, honey and Thai basil. Beer also offers a plant-based menu, with dishes such as farotto (a type of risotto) made with local spelt and accented with pickled melon rind.
Wine List Highlights
Swiss wines are the star of Radius’ beverage program, with bottles from producers such as Gantenbein and Bovard on offer. Guests can even select a pairing option dedicated to the wines of the Bernese mountains. Looking beyond Switzerland, diners will find bottles from Germany and France’s Alsace, Champagne and Bordeaux regions (including a 13-vintage vertical of Château Cos d’Estournel). Head sommelier Torsten Noack curates the wine list, which begins with a selection of non-alcoholic wines from smaller producers.
France
La Dame de Pic Le 1920
Four Seasons Hotel Megève, 321 Route du Bilan, Megève
Telephone (33) 4-50-78-62-78
Website fourseasons.com/fr/megeve/dining/restaurants/le-1920
Best of Award of Excellence
The French ski town of Megève may be known for its high-octane runs on the famed Mont Blanc, but it’s also inhabited by fantastic eateries such as Best of Award of Excellence winner La Dame de Pic Le 1920. Situated within the Four Seasons Hotel Megève (co-owned by wine leader Ariane de Rothschild), the restaurant’s cuisine is steered by one of France’s most celebrated chefs, Anne-Sophie Pic—also known for her namesake Best of Award of Excellence winner Anne-Sophie Pic at Maison Pic in Valence, France, and Best of Award of Excellence winner La Dame de Pic at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square.
What’s on the Menu
Pic’s cooking embraces the spirit of the region, as seen in the Savoyard fondue with sweetbread. Recent offerings have included bacon with black garlic, truffle and walnut praline, as well as Les Berlingots ASP, a signature dish of Savoy Reblochon cheese with chestnut consommé.
Wine List Highlights
The wine program features 3,800 selections from across France, particularly Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne and Savoie. These are housed in a two-story, glass-encased cellar. Wine director Samy Sbiti’s picks include verticals of Domaine de La Romanée-Conti as well as 90 vintages of Château Lafite Rothschild, dating to 1869.
Germany
Luce d’Oro
Schloss Elmau, In Elmau 2, Elmau
Telephone (49) 8823-18-0
Website schloss-elmau.de
Best of Award of Excellence
Nestled against the Wetterstein mountains, along Germany's border with Austria, the quiet Alpine town of Elmau is the site of luxury spa Schloss Elmau, a great home base for mountain sports enthusiasts. Luce d’Oro, Schloss Elmau’s centerpiece restaurant, is a destination in itself.
What’s on the Menu
Chef Christoph Rainer’s menu draws from Japanese and French culinary influences. Omakase sushi and sashimi options join dishes such as foie gras with charred apple, marigold and shokupan (Japanese milk bread), hiramasa kingfish with caviar and Canadian bison with sansho berries and black garlic.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Marie-Helen Krebs’ program is almost entirely European and excels with German, Austrian, Italian and French selections. Krebs has grown the program significantly to 1,600 labels representing a 16,500-bottle cellar. At least two vintages are offered of each selection, with some particularly strong verticals on display, such as eight vintages of Méo-Camuzet’s Clos de Vougeot (among other bottlings), nine vintages of Bassermann-Jordan’s Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Pfalz Deidesheimer Hohenmorgen and 11 vintages of Ornellaia’s Bolgheri Superiore.
Italy
Le Petit Bellevue
Bellevue Hotel & Spa, Gran Paradiso, 22, Cogne
Telephone (39) 0165-74825
Website hotelbellevue.it/it/ristoranti/view/le-petit-bellevue
Best of Award of Excellence
In 1925, Leone Cesariano Cunéaz founded Bellevue Hotel & Spa as a fashionable resort to draw visitors from northern Italy and elsewhere in Europe. One year later, the Italian government issued a law protecting areas of great natural beauty; this prohibited further construction in the Cogne area and afforded the hotel an unobstructed panoramic view of the Gran Paradiso glacier. Now led by the fourth generation of Cunéaz’s family, the hotel evokes a bygone era even as it has adapted to serving a modern clientele.
What’s on the Menu
Chef Niccolò de Riu leads the hotel’s Le Petit Bellevue, a restaurant featuring six tables, each with cutlery and glassware from a different period. The à la carte and prix fixe menus are based primarily on regional ingredients, including mountain game, local fish, foraged produce and cheeses from nearby producers.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Rino Billia assembled an impressive selection of Italian and French wines for the 1,900-label list, with a primary focus on appellations in northern Italy. This includes Barolo from Piedmont’s Ettore Germano, Franciacorta from Lombardy’s Ca’ del Bosco and Colli Orientali del Friuli from Friuli’s Livio Felluga, among other bottlings.
Edited by Chris Cardoso, Collin Dreizen, Julia Larson, Olivia Nolan and Megan Tkacy
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