Alpine A-listers: Where Haute Cuisine Meets High Altitude in Tirol

Tirol may be a popular holiday region for mountain lovers and active holidaymakers, but did you know that it has also long been a favourite with fans of fine-dining? With a unique blend of traditional gastronomic culture, creative cuisine and sustainable concepts, Tirol has established itself as a stronghold of excellence. The region’s status as a hotspot for good food and outstanding ingredients is demonstrated by numerous awards from various restaurant guides. And now, after a 15-year absence, the MICHELIN Guide has returned to Austria. The results? Tirol is top of the menu.

The international awards are an important guide for Tirol’s guests. Food plays a central role as a motive for travelling, both in summer and winter and statistically, half of all visitors to Tirol eat at a location outside their accommodation at least once during their stay. When it comes to regional specialities, 40% of guests visiting Tirol say that it is important to them to try some of the local delicacies.

Bib Gourmand: Excellent value for money

Since 1997, the Bib Gourmand Award recognises friendly establishments that serve good food at pocket-friendly prices. The focus here is on fresh and carefully prepared high-quality food. dishes that impress with their flavour and quality regardless of the style of cuisine. Since the beginning of 2025, seven establishments in Tirol have received this special honour:

Secco, Hall in Tirol (Hall-Wattens Region)
Scherer, Obertilliach (Osttirol)
Mocking – Das Wirtshaus, Kitzbühel (Kitzbühel)
s’Morent, Zöblen (Tannheimer Tal)
Das Pfleger, Anras (Osttirol)
Gründler’s Genießer Wirtshaus, Achenkirch (Achensee)
Saluti, Matrei in Osttirol (Osttirol)

A teenage trailblazer

In the village of Zöblenl, 19-year-old Lisa Morent is quietly making history. Her restaurant, s’Morent, run with her family, has scooped both the Bib Gourmand (for exceptional value) and the Green Star, MICHELIN’s mark of sustainable gastronomy. No other Tirolean restaurant has done the same. Her menu is rooted in regional produce and a genuine connection to the land. Think mountain herbs, homemade butter, and age-old recipes reimagined for a new generation.

The Green Star: Sustainability in Tirolean cuisine

The MICHELIN Green Star is an annual award which since 2020 highlights restaurants for their bold, sincere and highly committed approach to sustainable gastronomy. This includes aspects such as the conscious use of regional products, seasonal cuisine and close collaboration with local producers. Three establishments in Tirol have received this award:

s’Morent, Zöblen (Tannheimer Tal)
Guat’z Essen, Stumm (Zillertal)
Gannerhof, Innervillgraten (Osttirol)

Garden to table in Zillertal

One of the pioneers is chef Peter Fankhauser from Guat’z Essen in Zillertal. A rare culinary double: Guat’z Essen is one of just 13 restaurants worldwide to hold both a MICHELIN Red Star and Green Star for vegetarian/vegan cuisine. His cuisine is based on a 1,350-square-metre permaculture garden located behind the restaurant, where only the highest quality produce is grown. “As a chef, it has always been important to me to grow a basic product myself as close to nature as possible in harmony with the natural rhythm of the seasons. Today, my guests can see how the vegetables grow right outside the door. In summer, we go into the garden together, experience the origin of the ingredients and only then does the dish appear on the plate. This turns dining into an experience,” says Peter Fankhauser, explaining the philosophy of his restaurant.

The 2025 MICHELIN Guide has awarded 16 establishments in Tirol one MICHELIN star, while four restaurants have been decorated with two MICHELIN stars.With 24 stars awarded to 20 restaurants, Tirol now boasts more MICHELIN stars than any other Austrian province. Among the standouts are:

Restaurant 141 by Joachim Jaud, Mieming (Innsbruck Region): Under the management of Joachim Jaud, who trained at the Alpenresort Schwarz, this restaurant impresses with its young, ambitious cuisine – and the 27-year-old head chef has already been honoured by the Gault Millau guide with its Young Talent Award.

Schwarzer Adler, Hall in Tirol (Hall-Wattens Region): This restaurant led by Johannes Nuding, who has cooked at some of the world’s top locations, stands for excellent cuisine in an historic setting.

Stüva, Ischgl (Paznaun-Ischgl): This restaurant run by Benjamin Parth in the Hotel Yscla delights with modern, refined cuisine at the highest level.

Tannenhof, St. Anton am Arlberg: After working abroad, Dennis Ilies has settled in Tirol and, together with his team, impresses diners with exciting compositions of the highest quality at the exclusive Tannenhof.

And while the stars sparkle, it’s the stories behind the food that truly shine. Whether traditional home cooking, creative gourmet cuisine or sustainable gastronomy, Tirol offers a culinary highlight for every taste.

For more information about food in Tirol can be found at www.tyrol.com/activities/food.