Dining

Mayrhofen is not one of the dining meccas of Austria. The restaurants, though not gourmet, are excellent and reasonably priced. Many of them exude Austrian charm filled with wood paneling and lined with antlers, and the prices are not stratopheric. Note: Do not assume that Austrian restaurants take credit cards—many do not. Check before you dine or carry lots of cash. Where we know the establishment takes cards, we let you know.

Prices (without wine) €€€—€36+, €€—€16–35, €—€15-.

Wirtshaus zum Griena (62778; €€) is the most authentic Tyrolean restaurant in town. Come here for all the specialties. It is a bit out of town across the river.

If you’re looking for a romantic dining spot with real Austrian cuisine, try the Hotel Neuhaus Restaurant (6703; €€). Be sure to make early reservations to get into one of the small Stube, a dining area with wonderful ambiance. Credit cards accepted.

Neue Post (62131; €€), next door to the Neuhaus, has a series of very cozy and romantic Stuben (small dining areas) and the cooking is almost as good as the Neuhaus.

Andrea (62601; €€) serves excellent Austrian and Italian meals.

Zillergrund (62377; €–€€; photo above right) gets good reviews from the locals, but you will need a car or have to take a taxi. It’s worth the ride.

Another good Austrian restaurant is Karlsteg (05286/5250; €€) but it is a drive.

Ländenhof (63451; €–€€) is a family-run Austrian place.

The Grillküchl (36126; €) is a small, cozy restaurant with only about five tables. The kitchen is open and prices certainly don’t match the rich and intricate wood decor. Show up early to get a table. No credit cards.

Mamma Mia (6768; €) in the Hotel Elisabeth serves good pizza and pasta.

At the Fleishhauerei Perauer (literally: The Butcher Shop; €), across the river along Ahornstrasse, patrons order native meat dishes with a decent Sp_tzle, an Austrian pasta specialty with cheese. During the evening, witness locals wagering on card games. It’s probably more entertaining to watch than play. No credit cards.

The Singapore Restaurant (63912; €) dishes out authentic hot and sour soup and flavorful main courses that will jump-start your taste buds. Credit cards welcome.

The slopes Mayrhofen has excellent restaurants as well. Two that are good for having lunch with non-skiers are Bergrast (easy to get to for non-skiers) and Gschosswandhaus (about a ten-minute walk). Otherwise take your choice of dozens. Christa's Skialm is packed and noisey. Schneekar is hard to miss—it is a wooden pyramid. Gschossalm is a stopping place for schnapps on the way home and a favorite of the local ski instructors. Sunalm has a great sun deck which is especially bright in the spring. Grillhofalm serves fresh pizza. It’s a favorite of snowboarders because it's right next to the fun park and snowboard jumps. Crowds gather to oooh and aaaah, and cheer and jeer about jump attempts.

Cafés are a part of life in Austria. The best in town is Cafe Kostner on the Hauptstrasse. It is in the Viennese style and gets rave reviews by the Austrian coffee and pastry critics.