On-Mountain Dining

Pitztal Glacier’s on-mountain dining is all in splendid surrounds but with food and service far less inspiring than the views. We love skiing this mountain but were disappointed with the restaurants. At the main base area, two self-service restaurants (the Kristall and Wildspitze Glacier) push out standard ski resort fare lacking in any real flare. Paying extra for a sachet of tomato sauce (ketchup) with hot chips (fries) certainly doesn’t improve the experience. Thankfully you will be here for the snow & skiing and not a fine dining experience! If it’s a nice day, we suggest packing a picnic and avoiding the restaurants.

Away from the mid-mountain base area, one other café-restaurant exists at the upper-mountain top station of the Wildspitz gondola. Called THE 3440, it is Austria’s highest café. Whilst it offers sensational views, the cafe serves up only average food, drink & service. During our visit we found they didn’t even accept any coins less than 50 cents! WTF? Enjoy the view, avoid the arm and a leg rip off prices and the lack of acceptance of legal tender.

In Rifflsee, the Rifflsee Hütte up on the mountain provides the best views and traditional food from its ski-in ski-out position at 2,300m. A great place to scope out the Pitztal Glacier freeride routes out of the Taschachtal and down Mittagskogel. The main mountain eatery at Rifflsee is the pleasant Sunna Alm, right next to the top of the gondola. Self service but in a less congested environment than at the glacier.

To see the locations of each mountain restaurant, check the Pitztal-Rifflsee resort map.

Après Ski

Whilst the upper mountain restaurant/bars, provide adequate après ski, particularly out on the deck at Kristall, why end the day with a horrid funicular ride down the mountain? The better options are some of the lower mountain huts with the best of them being the Pitztaler Schihütte. In the Rifflsee sector of the resort, it does sit at the end of the Pitztal’s Taschachtal and Mittagskogel freeride routes plus is a short downhill ski away from the base areas. Completing an epic off-piste variant and having a celebratory drink at the Pitztaler Schihutte near the end is a sensational way to end a day.

Another après bar restaurant, the Pitztaler Gletscher Mühle 1700 is in the second car park at the Pitztal base and provides a convenient post ski entertainment option.

If across at Rifflsee, you could do worse than having an afternoon beverage on the sun terrace at the Rifflsee Hütte or even outside at the comfortable Sunna Alm. A ski down will be required from the Rifflsee Hütte, but the option for a gondola download exists at the Sunna Alm (which closes by 4.30pm!).

Aside from the bar of your local hotel or accommodation, our other après choice is at the Hexenkessl. Located down valley in Tieflehn, the inviting interior has the requisite combination of aged timber, low roof, fireplaces, quirky eclectic furnishings and, of course, a dance floor with disco lighting and retro music tunes that inevitably get one dancing & singing. How the staff put up with the music every afternoon is beyond us, but for visitors it is great fun! And you can get some decent food as well. Closed on Mondays, it opens at 3pm otherwise. Shame one must drive there! (Although walking or bus are possible depending on where one is staying.)

Nightlife & Dining

Aside from the après ski fun at the Hexenkessl bar, nightlife in the valley is a very tame affair. Fair enough too, you will need all your strength for the skiing. If you came to the Pitztal seeking Austria’s world-famous ski resort party scene, you erred. Pack up and head to St Anton or Ischgl …..

Dinner dining is best done at any of the hotel restaurants in the valley. All operate to a high standard. Classic Tirolean cuisine tends to fill the menus, so when in Rome…… It is hearty, tasty nosh that never failed to satisfy our group.