The story
At Kräuterreich by Vitus Winkler in St. Veit im Pongau, alpine cuisine follows the logic of a mountain ascent. Chef Vitus Winkler received Gault&Millau's Chef of the Year recognition for a tasting menu that mirrors a hike through the local topography. The journey begins "Im Dorf" before climbing toward the tree line, presenting guests with a progression of altitudes rather than a static sequence of courses.
Winkler anchors his cooking in specific geography and technical control. A starter showcases veal sweetbread baked with rhubarber lacquer, accompanied by celery cream and aromatic spruce tips. Roasted loin of May billy goat appears with pine cone oil, followed by mushroom foam and hay-milk brioche. The chef collects watercress at the Krimml Waterfalls and dedicates dishes to nearby lakes, ensuring every element reflects the surrounding landscape.
The restaurant sits inside the Sonnhof design hotel, where two Michelin stars and four Gault&Millau hauben define the quality bar. Maitre Eva-Maria Winkler and Souschef Hubert Wirth form the core team supporting Vitus Winkler's vision. Guests can participate in weekly herb rambles led by the chef to identify the wild plants that ground this alpine cuisine in the region. These walks connect the dining room directly to the harvest.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Vitus Winkler is our "Chef of the Year". Why he earned this title, we explain further ahead, on the first pages of the guide. Here once again: congratulations! We are delighted. At the same time, we look forward to our next visit to the Kräuterreich restaurant, because a culinary evening with Vitus Winkler is truly unforgettable. His menu follows a clear concept. It takes diners on a journey through an alpine landscape. More precisely, it is an ascent that begins "in the village" and then traces the topography of a mountain hike through stations such as "Field", "Rivers and Lakes", up to the "tree line" and beyond. For Winkler, "in the village" means veal sweetbread with celery, rhubarb, and spruce. The sweetbread is baked with a rhubarb lacquer, the celery is served as a cream, and the spruce is presented as wonderfully aromatic spruce tips. Accompanied by spruce oil, celery bacon, and hemp seeds. Higher up – the course titled "Forest and Meadow" – Winkler serves an incredibly compelling game dish. Pan-seared backstrap from a May billy goat with larch (oil and cones), mushroom foam, mushroom tartare, and hay-milk brioche. Absolutely harmonious; every course offers its own surprising moments. Highly recommended! Address: Kirchweg 2, 5621 St. Veit im Pongau, Austria Contact: 06415 43 23 | sonnhof@vituswinkler.at | https://www.vituswinkler.at/ Opening Hours: Thu–Mon, 6:00–10:00 PM Team: Vitus Winkler, Chef · Chef of the Year 2026 | Hubert Wirth, Sous-chef | Eva-Maria Winkler, Sommelier
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