5 Best Rifugios in the Dolomites

One of the highlights of an excursion in the Dolomites is lunch at a rifugio (mountain hut). Some offer overnight accommodations for hikers, but all offer incredible meals that refuel you physically and mentally. My guide in the Dolomites, Claudia, was born and brought up in the area. She says that visiting a rifugio is a beloved local tradition.

“We love to head to a rifugio on our time off for the exceptional food and to connect with family and friends,” she says. 

Run by families, these restaurants are the epitome of farm-to-table, local and sustainable—the big buzzwords when it comes to today’s food trends. Meat is sourced from animals raised in the surrounding valleys, cheese is produced on nearby farms and produce is all grown within the vicinity.