There are so many reasons I love hiking in Europe: the staggering scenery, the endless hut-to-hut and village-to-village trails, the sense of safety, and of course, the food.
After spending so many years on this side of the Atlantic, I can hardly imagine hiking without trailside food stops. What’s a hike without a cozy mountain hut, an alpine dairy, a beachside café, a wine tavern, or a coastal gastropub along the way?
Last week, I found myself reminiscing about some of the wonderful places we’ve eaten during our hiking adventures, and I decided to pull together a few highlights to share with you. Enjoy!
- Alpine Hiking: Best Hikes in the Alps
- Coastal Hiking: Best Coastal Hikes in Europe
- Weekend Hiking: 2-Day Hikes in Europe
- Multi-Day Hiking: Best Treks in Europe: Multi-Day Hiking Adventures
The Gurnard’s Head
Cornwall, England
The Gurnard’s Head, an exceptional Cornish gastropub named after the nearby headland, is located just off the South West Coast Path in Penwith Peninsula. This celebrated establishment offers a fresh, seasonal fixed-price menu as well as à la carte options. From the mint & pea soup to the charred string beans, everything we tasted was sensational.
The mustard-colored inn, impossible to miss, stands on the West Cornwall Coast Road, which connects St. Ives with St. Just. Day hikers can walk from St. Ives all the way to Gurnard’s Head following the coastal path (13.2 km point-to-point, 4:30 hours) and return to St. Ives by bus.
For a shorter alternative, hike from Zennor to The Gurnard’s Head (4.7 km point-to-point, 1:35 hours). Multi-day trekkers can overnight here along the SWCP.
The pub is made-up of several cozy dining rooms, each boldly painted and full of character. On sunny days, garden seating is also available.
As Garzas
Galicia, Spain
Set along the Lighthouse Way on Galicia’s remote and rugged Costa da Morte, this one-Michelin-star restaurant showcases contemporary Galician cuisine at its finest. You can choose between their 3-course menu, with several options for each course, and the tasting menu.
After completing stage 1 of the Lighthouse Way from Malpica to Barizo, Kati and I ate a memorable seafood lunch here. Every dish was cooked to perfection, not a second under or over.
Housed in a seafront country house, the dining room offers panoramic views across the Atlantic. You can stay in As Garzas, or next door in Casa da Vasca.
Related | Where to Stay along the Lighthouse Way
Restaurant La Maison de Kerdiès
Brittany, France
Overlooking the Bay of Morlaix, this coastal restaurant offers an impeccable and great value-for-money menu featuring local fish and Breton specialities. Their Kouign Amann is mouthwatering.
We hiked to Restaurant La Maison de Kerdiès for lunch along the Port de Térénez – Saint-Samson Coastal Trail, as described in Hiking in Brittany.
Chez Germaine
Brittany, France
Chez Germaine is a beachside Crêperie between Pen Hir headland and the Falaises du Veryac’h cliffs in Brittany’s Crozon Peninsula. This atmospheric eatery serves incredible crêpes along with artisan cider. I ordered the Complete Jambon (cheese, egg, and ham) and Chevre Miel & Tomates confites (goat cheese, honey, and diced tomatoes).
We hiked to Chez Germaine when we tackled the Pointe du Grand Gouin – Pointe de Pen Hir – Alignements de Lagatjar circular hike starring in Camaret-sur-Mer, as described in my Crozon Peninsula guide.
Use our Brittany road trip itinerary to plan a culinary hiking trip in Northern France.
Gostner Schwaige
South Tyrol, Italy
Gostner Schwaige is a gourmet alpine pasture hut and dairy located at 1930 meters on the Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm) plateau in the Dolomites open in summer (late May – late October) and winter (December – March. This extraordinary hut run by Franz Mulser serves fresh and seasonal alpine cuisine, much of which is self-produced, topped with handpicked flowers and herbs. Order the Heublütensuppe (hay flower soup)!!
I recommend following our Alpe di Siusi Meadows Trail to Gostner Schwaige, starting either at Compatsch, accessible by cable car from Siusi, or the Ortisei-Alpe di Siusi gondola mountain station above Val Gardena.
Krahlehenhütte and Wallehenhütte
Salzburg, Austria
The Suzenalm mountain pasture, home to Krahlehenhütte and Wallehenhütte, lies beneath the south wall of the eastern Dachstein mountains high above the village of Filzmoos. These two charming Almhütten (alpine pasture huts) both serve heartwarming Austrian alpine cuisine to hikers throughout the day.
Follow the moderately-difficult Hofpürglhütte – Sulzenalm Hike trail (12.9 km circuit, 5:15 hours without breaks), or the challenging Rötelstein aka Rettenstein peak hike (9.8 km circuit, 5 hours) to Sulzenalm
Berggasthaus Bollenwees
Appenzell, Switzerland
Berggasthaus Bollenwees enjoys a privileged lakefront location at Lake Fählensee, one of the jewels of the Alpstein massif in Switzerland.
Follow the Saxer Lücke trail starting at the Hoher Kasten mountain station above Brülisau. This trail traces the eastern crest of the Alpstein to Berggasthaus Staubern and the onwards to the Saxer Lücke saddle. From here, it’s a short descent to the Bollenwees mountain inn. Order a Rösti made with local Appenzeller Käse, a semi-hard raw milk cheese with a distinctly herbaceous flavor.
Buschenschank Windischbauer
Vienna, Austria
Austria’s capital city is home to 700 hectares of vineyards. During the wine-growing season, pop-up Buschenschänke (wine taverns) sprout up between the city vineyards. Here, hikers can walk from tavern to tavern, sipping wine and eating snacks along the way.
Follow the Vienna City Hiking Trail 1, starting at the Nussdorf Beethovengang tram station, up to Kahlenberg (Vienna’s highest point) and down through the Nussdorf wine area. Stop for wine and food at Wieninger am Nussberg, mischpoche im weingarten, Buschenschank Windischbauer, Die Buschenschenkerei, and Wagnerei – Ing. Andreas Wagner.
Find out everything you need to know about visiting Vienna’s wine taverns in my Vienna Heuriger guide.
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