Discover SalzburgerLand’s Best Alpine Cuisine With a New Culinary Pathway

When people think of Alpine food, they often picture huge mountains of cheese, heaps of pasta and potatoes and steaming soups. All have something to offer in their own way, but in limiting themselves to the ‘classic’ mountain options, many travellers miss out on the true local cuisines of the areas they are exploring.

As well as being a mountain Mecca for adventure loving travellers, the area of SalzburgerLand is also often referred to as the “cradle of Alpine cuisine”.

Here, mountain cuisine is cultivated and continuously developed, using long-established ingredients and methods to create both traditional and innovative dishes.

To allow visitors to really immerse themselves in the local food scene, SalzburgerLand have developed a number of ‘Via Culinaria’ pathways. These culinary pathways are dedicated routes that take in the best culinary produce the region has to offer, whether sampled fresh on the farm, enjoyed at a rustic traditional mountain hut or served with gourmet flair at award-winning restaurants.

This summer, a new Via Culinaria pathway has been created that is dedicated to Salzburg’s inn culture.

Inclusion in a Via Culinaria pathway is reserved to the destinations that offer handcrafted regional products, refine them accordingly or embrace Alpine Cuisine as part of their kitchen philosophy. These destinations epitomise the best in quality, authenticity, freshness, seasonality and sustainability.

Over 330 establishments in the area are involved in these pathways, each tested and selected by the Salzburg culinary journalist and author Doris Maier.

The new pathway for Salzburg’s inn culture encapsulates why so many people love the area of SalzburgerLand. With a total of 27 inns on this pathway, travellers will experience a wide range of establishments, from rustic parlours and cosy mountain huts to classic restaurants with a remarkable history. St. Peter Stiftskulinarium in Salzburg is a true highlight; Europe’s oldest restaurant, it serves up serious Alpine specialties in a unique setting.

If you’re a traveller that enjoys the vibrant atmosphere of an Alpine eatery almost as much as the incredible cuisine, the new inn culture Via Culinaria is certainly one to experience.

In placing great importance on close co-operation between the two sectors of farming and tourism, Via Culinaria provide a fantastic insight into the delights of Austria’s most beautiful region.

SalzburgerLand’s Via Culinaria

Alongside the new inn experience, visitors to SalzburgerLand can enjoy a variety of other Via Culinaria pathways. Here’s a few of our personal favourites:

Via Culinaria for a sweet tooth

For those of us that are partial to a sweet treat (and let’s not kid ourselves, who isn’t?!) SalzburgerLand have dedicated an entire Via Culinaria to these delights. Expect creamy desserts, crisp pastries and inventive chocolate creations as you visit the region’s best chocolatiers, pastry makers and coffee shops.

Via Culinaria for Cheese Lovers

It’s a true staple of Alpine cuisine, but cheese in SalzburgerLand goes way beyond the simple fondue. On this pathway, you can explore innovative cheese makers, farm dairies and restaurants and sample some of the best local products. Make sure you try the Pinzgau beer cheese, the Flachgau hay milk cheese and Lungau goat cheese, all delicious and unique tastes.

Via Culinaria for Organic Experiences

SalzburgerLand is a true leader in the field of organic farming, with nowhere else in Europe boasting as many organic farmers in one region. Over 50% of the area’s farmers have embraced organic farming and their love and respect for their craft is reflected in the tastes of the food itself. On this pathway, you can sample a range of produce in some spectacular locations, with the knowledge that your meal has been created in the most ecologically sustainable way.

Via Culinaria for Fish

When someone says ‘mountain cuisine’, it’s not often that you’re expecting a fabulous fresh fish dish. However, Salzburg’s many crystal-clear Alpine lakes are renowned for their fishing opportunities, with edible options including trout and reinanke.

Culinary pathway for Beer and Schnapps

Need we say more?! Perhaps not, but we’re going to! These liquid legends both have a long history in SalzburgerLand, with the first Stiegl beer brewed here as early as 1492! The pathway itself features 28 addresses, where you can trial award-winning schnapps and beers, as well as Salzburg rum, gin and whiskey.

Find out more about the Via Culinaria ‘Via Culinaria’ or learn more about SalzburgerLand at SalzburgerLand.com/en