Hopfgarten - eat, drink, party
In the town
In typical Tyrolean style, most restaurants are based in the hotels and gasthauses – but gain character and charm from being set in often historic buildings. In Angath for example the restaurant in the Kammerhof (0043 5332 76331) takes pride in using mostly local produce, as does the Buchacker (00 43 699 1235 8598), part of a dairy farm, in Angerberg. The Baumgarten (00 43 5332 56212) in Angerberg is also renowned for traditional Tirolean dishes.
In Hopfgarten, the vaulted Zeitlos (00 43 676 433 6055) restaurant is housed in a 16th century building – Zeitlos, appropriately, means timeless. In the Gasthaus Oberbrau (00 43 5335 2364), try to book a table in the wine cellar, which seats just 15. If you like pork, order the Schweinsstelzen, with plenty of crispy crackling. Astrid in Hauser Stüberl (00 43 676 6051604) is well-known for her Tirolean specialities, and the village also has a Chinese restaurant and a pizzeria.
Although Itter is small, there’s a good range of places to eat. Welcoming Hans Ager at the Itterwirt (00 43 5335 3591) presents venison from Tirolean forests, freshly-caught trout from local streams (Hans is a keen angler), and the substantial Brauernbratl, roast pork, potatoes, carrots and leeks. The Tirolerhof (00 43 5335 2690) has international cuisine and the Rossl (00 43 5332 73513) has a very Austrian menu.
The Fuchswirt (00 43 5335 40111) in Kelchsau, although housed in a building dating back to the 14th century, has become something of a gourmet restaurant under chef Klemens Konrad with ‘modernised’ Tyrolean specialities. The village also has a pizzeria, the Dorfwirt (00 43 5335 40134).
Kirchbichl is full of gasthaus-based restaurants, including the Kasamandl (00 43 5332 87214), which has specialities from the province of Styria as well as Tirol. Two of the liveliest are the Luech (00 43 5332 73510) and the Strandbad (the beach) Kirchbichl (00 43 5332 87149), also a disco, both open until midnight.
The restaurant at the Alpenhof Mariastein (00 43 533256475) is open until late too.
Wörgl is full of restaurants and bars – try Binder’s Bistro (00 43 5332 72133), which is also a bakery. The Café Lounge Central (00 43 5332 77118) has both bar and coffee shop and a good hangout, while the Cuba Bar (00 43 5332 70 400) has ice cream and fresh fruit juice by day, wine, whisky and music by night.
The Neue Post (00 43 5332 72260) dates from 1385 and has international as well as Tirolean dishes, and similarly the Brucknerstuberl (00 43 533272527). At the Schachtnerlhof (00 43 5332 72286) you can combine a meal with a wine tasting. Wörgl also has a reasonably-acceptable McDonald’s – it’s linked in with a café and bar in an elegant building.
For après-ski the Bar-Pub Ambiante (00 43 664 1136496) in Hopfgarten is cosy and popular, the Rundell (00 43 664 401 8410) is good for coffee and cakes after skiing as well as beer and schnapps, and the Silver Bullet (00 43 5335 3733) in the village centre, often with live music, has been attracting skiers and boarders for more than 20 years.
The Six Pence Old English Pub (00 43 5335 221052) is also well-known for ice-cream, coffee and cakes – just like our local! The Salvista Stadl (00 43 664 3444766) in Itter can be busy from mid-afternoon and stay that way until midnight. Kelchsau has the Apres-Ski Hut, which does what it says on the tin.
For nightlife, even Angerberg boasts a disco, the Swallow’s Nest, and Kirchbichl has the Mouse Party (00 43 5332 71 116). Wörgl is often very lively – with the locals of course, as much as visitors. Try the Caribbean Sunset Bar, great for cocktails, the Onyx Bar (00 43 6641411792 / 00 43 660 4610102) or the Dance Café.
Mountain restaurants
This is mountain hut paradise – there are about 80 across the whole Ski Welt. Even so, they are all pretty busy at lunchtime. A good tip is to eat early or late, and ski at peak lunchtime. Not to be missed is lunch in the sun on the revolving terrace at the Gipfelrestaurant (00 43 5335 2216) at the top of the Hohe Salve – good food too.
The Stoagrub’nhütte (00 43 664 3578539), above Hopfgarten, is well-known for its good spaghetti. The Sunnseit Hutte (00 43 664 9197709) is a good place for a drink on the way home to Hopfgarten, but is also at the starting point for the toboggan run. The Stockalm, above Itter, does excellent spit-roasted chicken, and the Gasthof Kraftalm (00 43 5332 75152), at the top of the Salvista gondola, is popular and well-placed.