The Dolomites are more than breathtaking mountain scenery and world-class outdoor activities. It is also a paradise for food lovers as a destination for a unique and diverse gastronomic adventure as Italian and Austrian culinary traditions intertwine. Whether you’re exploring the picturesque villages nestled in the valleys or trekking the dramatic mountain trails, you will be welcomed by a delightful selection of local fare and wines embodying the flavors of the Dolomites.

Continue reading for a culinary journey through the Dolomites, where you'll discover must-try food and wine, and find out why they're so special. Dolomites hut to hut hiking offers the perfect opportunity to savor the region's delicious flavors while soaking in the breathtaking alpine views.

Exploring the Distinctive Flavors of the Dolomites

Italian Meets Austrian Cooking

Located between Italy and Austria, the Dolomites boast quite a unique blend of culinary traditions. The food is a blend of northern Italian robust richness and the lighter, more delicate dishes of the Austrian Alps. Dishes include hearty mountain fare made with locally sourced ingredients, such as potatoes, cheese, mushrooms, speck (a type of cured ham), and fresh fish, caught daily from the region’s crisp lakes.

Things to Eat in the Dolomites

Canederli (Knödel)

A mountain-cucina classic, canederli are enormous dumplings made from bread, flour, eggs, and milk and served with broth or slathered in melted butter. They are frequently stuffed with speck, cheese, or spinach and appear all over the Dolomites. After a long day of hiking, these hearty dumplings pack the fuel and warmth to replenish after an all-day mission.

Canederli are particularly beloved during the colder months, and you’ll often see it on menus as an antipasto in many local mountain huts and alpine restaurants. Whether you prefer them served simply in a vegetable broth or doused with a big hunk of butter and sage, canederli are a homely dish that celebrates the hearty, earthly flavors of the region in which they originated, the Dolomites.

Speck

You must eat speck—this cured ham is definitely a delicacy in the Dolomites. Speck, which is made of pork, is cured with a mixture of herbs. Then it is smoked and air-cured. It provides a mild smokiness that pairs exquisitely with fresh bread, local cheeses, or a charcuterie board. Hiking hut-to-hut in the Dolomites, speck is often served as one part of a traditional mountain snack. Add some local cheese and a glass of wine, and this is a terrific pick-me-up after or during a hike.

Polenta

Polenta, a filling and easy dish made from cornmeal, is another staple of Dolomites cuisine. Most often it is served with meats — or pasta for rich stews and sauces. Polenta is a comfort food staple, served creamy or left to set, sliced into planks and fried crisp, in the Dolomites. You might encounter polenta served with venison or wild boar stew on your Dolomites hut-to-hut hiking odyssey — a perfect pairing for anyone looking to savor the taste of the hole-in-the-wall eats of the region.

Strauben

If you have a sweet tooth, you have to try strudel. Coiled into spirals and then sprinkled with powdered sugar, this twisted, deep-fried dough. Drizzled with honey and/or topped with jam, Strauben tends to be a tasty treat after a hearty meal. Often heard among the menus of numerous alpine restaurants and mountain huts, strauben is perfect for those looking to share the sweetest things in life while taking in the amazing mountain scenery. Hiking hut to hut in the Dolomites and bringing this sweet treat along is a great way to refuel and embrace local customs.

Sausage and Sauerkraut

Sausage and sauerkraut appear on many local menus because of the region’s close proximity to Austria. Sausages are most commonly made of either pork, beef, or both and are most often served with sauerkraut or potatoes. This unassuming but delicious dish suits the bracing mountain air and is a staple at traditional inns and mountain huts across the Dolomites.

Using Local Wines for Dolomite Cuisine

The Dolomites also have a budding wine culture, owing to the region’s temperate climate and mountainous terrain. The region falls in Italy’s South Tyrol wine region, which produces quality wines that pair well with the cuisine.

Lagrein

The red wine of the Dolomites that stands alone, that strikes a strong, resonant note, is Lagrein, a dark, brooding wine with hints of black fruit and spice and a touch of earthiness. It is a perfect match for rustic dishes like canederli, polenta, and wild game meats. Its full-bodied character and smooth tannins pair wonderfully with rustic mountain fare.

Gewürztraminer

For the white-wine lover, Gewürztraminer is a must. This fragrant, tropical-fruity, and spicy wine is made mostly in a region of northern Italy known as South Tyrol. It pairs beautifully with local cheeses and sausages, lighter, bashful fare like fish or chicken.

Südtiroler Vernatsch

If you’d like something lighter and crisper, a lovely red that might be nice for a warm summer night is Südtiroler Vernatsch (also spelled Schiava). Fruity but demure in personality, it goes with lots of food, from charcuterie to stews.

Dolomites Hut-to-Hut Hiking

Experience Hiking hut to hut is the best way to experience Dolomite cuisine. What for: beautiful day hikes that you can do to enjoy the landscape and overnight stays in traditional mountain lodges (rifugi), with great local food.

Along the route, you will be sampling local dishes such as canederli, speck, and polenta, in addition to local wines, while enjoying fantastic views of the mountains. Hiking from hut to hut, you will experience the real Dolomites. Many huts (that’s plural) offer traditional home-cooked meals based on local fare, so you can tap into the region’s culinary culture in a way that is as enjoyable as it is authentic.

Conclusion

A culinary tour through the Dolomites, which marries its rich cultural heritage with nature's nomadic goodness, gives you a taste of your mountainous magic. The hearty mountain fare of canederli and polenta, local wines (Lagrein and Gewürztraminer) in the Dolomites form a specialist gastronomy that’s not just for food lovers but also outdoor adventurers.

So a plate of speck and cheese that you’ll enjoy after a long day’s hike along the alpine trails of the Dolomites or a glass of wine served at a raucous mountain hut will feel part of a season’s revelry — and you’ll emerge with a taste for the region’s food. So gather your bags, lace up your hiking boots, and set out on a culinary journey in one of Europe’s most stunning mountain ranges.