 Poster: A snowHead
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Having just gotten back from Italy with my boy, I realised how important the food was. Even the easy access piste side places were decent, and if willing to explore a little bit back in town, some of the places are amazing. We knew we hit the jackpot in some places that had no English menus and barely any foreigners. Our food was as memorable as the skiing and we really gorged our way through the week.
How does the food in France/Switzerland/others compare? We have been to Andorra (pretty bad food) and Austria (average). I'm not talking about Michelin star places, but simple casual places serving local food, around or under 20 EUR a head (for lunch).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Italy, next thread please
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@puddingdo, As regards which European ski country has the best food on the slopes I think you've already found the answer - Italy!
The fact that it's also usually reasonably priced is just a nice bonus! 
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Yes, Italy wins hands down. Except for bread and cakes which are far better in France.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Its got to be Italy of course... Even if you go "Off Pizza"
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Somone told me once that there was a lake to the East of Salzburg that was made of Gulash Soupe.
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| DrLawn wrote: |
| Its got to be Italy of course... Even if you go "Off Pizza" |
Groan...  and yet, one of the worst pizzas I had was in Gressoney and the best was in Tignes
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Italy obviously up there, but I'd chuck in Sweden - a bit expensive but we had delicious food everywhere except one place in Are. All down to preference I guess - also rate Zakopane in Poland very high for food, I'm a big fan of anywhere that dill, sour cream and meatballs or sausages play a major part in the menu.
@pam w, utterly agree on the bread in Italy! And for cake, Austria wins.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@puddingdo, we will travel from France to Italy for lunch. Had truly outstanding lunch in Novex (Champoluc) last week. And a very fine one in Al Dente in Aosta the next day.
Had a slightly above average lunch in Argentero at the base of the Grands Montets today, but you don't go to Chamonix for the on-mountain food 
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@motyl, I agree in Tignes.
The best place for me was a little kiosk in Val Claret.
I just looked it up .. the SOS Pizza take away.
My favouite was the Montagnard with Tuna.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Italy all day long.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I wouldn't be too quick to right off Andorra. There are plenty of good places.
The worst ski spot for food... Well I've never skiied there but I can only presume Norway based off other visits.
A few people here have raved about the Spanish resorts.
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Montagnard with Tuna
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You know it makes sense.
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Breakfast - All much the same
Coffee Stop - Italy
Lunch - Really comes down to the restaurant but generally NOT Switzerland (price) or French self service places.
Afternoon Cake - France
Evening Main Course - Italy
Evening Dessert - Austria
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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There's been both good and bad in most places I've skied, but Italy is always the most consistent for delicious food at reasonable prices, whether on the mountain or at base.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Andorran food in general is good. Out on the mountain is a different matter, unless you book to go in one of the expensive on mountain restaurants where a lunch takes hours, then the food is pretty poor. Everything on the mountain is run by the lift company. There are a few good independent places easily accessible at the side or just across the road in Pas. There’s also one independent place at the bottom of Aliga in El Tarter - but the food is fairly basic there.
On mountain food, we definitely prefer Italy or Austria. I really love Austrian food!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Italy, hands down. Not even close. And we live in France and have a house in the French Alps.
Let's put it this way: When we ski in France, we always pack a lunch, even if it means schlepping a backpack around all day. Whereas in Italy, we plan our daily ski itinerary around where we're going to eat lunch!
I've had memorable slopeside meals in France and Switzerland, but they were the exception, not the rule.
One point: Pizza isn't really a good ski food, even in Italy where the ski stations are way north of the pizza belt.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Italy. The food in the Ca Fiore Hotel in Baronecchia definitely helped mitigate the lack of snow on our holiday. Still planning to go back one summer and stay there
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Up until a couple of seasons ago it was Italy, followed closely by Japan.
But Turkey and Bosnia are up there for me now.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| DrLawn wrote: |
| Somone told me once that there was a lake to the East of Salzburg that was made of Gulash Soupe. |
Rubbish, everyone knows that each Ski area has their suppe reservoirs hidden in the mountains, which are stirred each night when the pistes are empty by suppendrache.
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Up until a couple of seasons ago it was Italy, followed closely by Japan.
But Turkey and Bosnia are up there for me now. |
Turkey I could understand. What's the appeal of Bosnian cuisine (assuming that it's cheap, at least!)
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Good food can be found in most ski areas. Usually you have to work harder to find the good ones and get reasonable value. It’s easy to stumble on bad ones and get ripped off.
Another vote for Italy, which has the most consistently good food, even in modest restaurants and hotels, in my experience.
Hopefully it’s improved recently but Bulgaria had the worst.
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per @Hurtle,
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Italy is always the most consistent for delicious food at reasonable prices
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... is clearly the answer to the OP's question, no?
@Pasigal,
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Pizza isn't really a good ski food
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oh I don't know, Maison Vieille above Courmayeur does a nice pizza (does an even nicer carbonara).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@under a new name, I've had good pizza in Courmayeur, but in general I find that it's best in the shaft and toe/heel of the Italian boot...although perhaps the best ski area pizza I've ever had was in Vermont at American Flatbread in Waitsfield. Yes, not on the slopes but near Mad River Glen and Sugarbush, so qualifies...https://americanflatbread.com/
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The Best mountain food and worst mountain food I've had have both been in Italy.
Selva the best and Madonna Di campiglio definitely the worst.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Pasigal wrote: |
| Mike Pow wrote: |
Up until a couple of seasons ago it was Italy, followed closely by Japan.
But Turkey and Bosnia are up there for me now. |
Turkey I could understand. What's the appeal of Bosnian cuisine (assuming that it's cheap, at least!) |
Quite similar to Turkish food.
Great grilled meats, koftas, and kebabs. Great salads, breads and pastries (savoury and sweet)
Lots of cheese dishes for the veggies.
Vegetable soups and stews.
Trout is popular, and delicious.
And yes it's excellent value for money.
https://www.willflyforfood.net/food-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina/
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Another vote for Italy, both on mountain and off mountain. Had a wild boar ragu with pappardelle up the mountain once in Sauze which was utterly sensational and remains my favourite ever; I’ve tried a few times to recreate it but not quite there. Also love the boards of cured meats, cheese, bread and other concoctions that a few of the apres bars do free of charge to enjoy with your post ski drinks. And as said, prices are entirely reasonable and there’s such great variety of carb heavy sustenance.
The Savoyards have got it right with tartiflette, mind. Can’t think of many better dishes when it’s baltic outside and you need a warm break from the weather and a good hot meal inside you.
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I had plenty of excellent meals in France. Pay your money and it can be excellent.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The Mehanas or whatever they are called. Better food than the skiing available in Bulgaria.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Dav,
Which restaurant in Sauze ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@blahblahblah, ive paid my money in France and still wasn't impressed.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| musher wrote: |
@Dav,
Which restaurant in Sauze ? |
Orso Bianco in Sportinia.
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@Dav,
We preferred Ciao Pais, even better 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@blahblahblah, @Mother hucker, it's not always a question of money: finding the place where locals eat the plat du jour is often the better bet.
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| musher wrote: |
@Dav,
We preferred Ciao Pais, even better |
Yeah it’s lovely in there too, a bit off the beaten track but superb food. Think I got a recommendation from here about it and have been there a few times.
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| PeakyB wrote: |
| Good food can be found in most ski areas. Usually you have to work harder to find the good ones and get reasonable value. It’s easy to stumble on bad ones and get ripped off. |
That summarises my experience.
I think it is fair to say that Italy (not just ski areas) has more of a culture of pride in their food, which means that even humble offerings are likely to be enjoyable. Our experience of Andorra (one visit) was that they didn't care about food at all, and it was a relief when we found the one place in the whole area which wasn't part of the same burger-and-chips operation licensed by the lift company everywhere else. In both Austria and the big French resorts we have found many of the mountain restaurants had very similar menus of what was "expected" in such places (Gulaschsuppe etc in Austria, tartiflette etc in France) and they soon became boring. Switzerland has elements of both food styles, always done very well in our experience, but of course British perception of price/value reflects the unfavourable exchange rate.
When you get to know a resort through returning regularly (St Gervais in our case) you do discover there are good places. @Hurtle's advice is good, some of the best places are modest shacks which have little choice - often just plat du jour or charcuterie - but you feel serve food that really represent the country's traditions.
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Lot's of opinion here, mostly in favour of Italy. Won't argue with that. What I would say though, is that Canada has the worst, and it features 'Poutine'. Even reading it's description dispels the appetite!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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No votes for Bulgaria yet…..what’s up with river carp and boiled cabbage?
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| @blahblahblah, @Mother hucker, it's not always a question of money: finding the place where locals eat the plat du jour is often the better bet. |
This is also true.
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