The story
Rifugio Col Alt occupies a special place in Italian skiing history: it sits at the top of the first ski lift ever tested in Italy, a single-seat chairlift inaugurated in 1947 near Corvara in Badia. Today, a modern eight-person gondola carries guests up to this sunny terrace in the Dolomites, where the Rifugio operates as both a mountain hut and a restaurant.
The kitchen, led by chef Enrico Vespani, focuses on the flavours of the Alps. The restaurant describes its offering as traditional cuisine enriched with creative proposals, a balance that has earned it a place in the Michelin guide. The classic Alpine dishes are prepared with care, and the wine list is carefully curated to match the mountain setting.
The team’s commitment to ethical, sustainable cooking was evident when Rifugio Col Alt participated in the inaugural Care’s – The Ethical Chef Days, a food event conceived by two-Michelin-starred chef Norbert Niederkofler. For the opening dinner, chef Vespani prepared a venison tartare with raw turnips, watercress, and a cold root vegetable soup with liquorice crunch. The following day, guests enjoyed a Felicetti single-grain spaghetti with sausage and puntarelle, followed by braised lamb shoulder with scorzonera and salsa verde, and a hazelnut cream dessert with chestnuts and bitter orange compote.
Rifugio Col Alt is open for lunch only, serving daily during the winter season from December to April and again in summer from June to September. The outdoor seating offers panoramic views of the surrounding peaks, making it a natural stop for skiers and hikers alike. Its Michelin recommendation confirms what regulars already know: this is a mountain lunch worth planning a day around.
Recognition
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