Restaurants in Meran

“Class instead of mass” as the saying goes, but at the Jürgen Weitgruber Estate Winery in Merano-Maia Alta, that is a specification that is followed consistently. In the vineyard, in the winery, and in the no less than 1,500 hours of work by hand every year.

The district of Maia Alta in Merano lies somewhat above the center of the old capital of Tyrol, with its slopes being sundrenched and hot in the summer with the nights significantly cooler. The particular microclimate contributes to high grape quality and a broad spectrum of aromas in the wines that are obtained from them.

On top of that, the vineyards of the Jürgen Weitgruber Estate Winery are located at elevations between 300 and 600 meters and are therefore planted on very different soils: from fine sandy and warm to rocky with a rich skeleton. “So all of our grape varieties find the conditions that are suitable for their needs,” explains Weitgruber.
The estate winery’s product line comprises Pinot Blanc, Kerner, Schiava, Lagrein, Pinot Noir, and Regent, and what is made from them are crisp, fruity, fresh white and rosé wines and harmonious red wines filled with character. Wines that have to fulfill two characteristics in the philosophy of the Weitgruber family: “Our focus,” the winegrower explains, “lies in being and remaining authentic and providing people with joy in our wines.”

And that may sound like a platitude, but that, too, is pursued consistently at the Jürgen Weitgruber Estate Winery in Merano-Maia Alta: in the vineyard, in the winery, and in the 1,500 hours of work by hand every year.

Il ristorante Partanes, gestito dalla famiglia Burchia, si trova in posizione privilegiata in centro storico a Merano, proprio sulla Piazza del Duomo San Nicolò e alle porte dello storico Rione Steinach. La cucina offre i piatti della tradizione sudtirolese: molto apprezzati i menù a base di selvaggina, ma anche i piatti vegetariani e quelli adatti agli ospiti più piccoli. Particolarmente golosi i dessert di produzione artigianale. Nei mesi autunnali poi, il ristorante Partanes diventa punto d’incontro per il tradizionale "Törggelen" che unisce il piacere di assaggiare il mosto fresco a quello di gustare le caldarroste in un’atmosfera di conviviale allegria. Nella bella stagione, invece, vale la pena accomodarsi a mangiare o dissetarsi sulla soleggiata terrazza posta proprio su Piazza Duomo.

The starting idea of La Smorfia, a project launched back in 2014, was to take a good pizza to Merano. Our mission is to use one of the most popular courses of Italian tradition to spread products, flavours and recepies through iconic Mediterraneancuisine plates. We have been so successful in doing this that the project evolved in 2021 into "The South in Tyrol", an improvement of our offer which enabled us to pair our food choice with the national enological richness. Throughout this constant growing process we got to La Smorfia Experience, a room dedicated to a more rational culinary approach, a whole access to food and wines from our cellar. The renowned international guide Falstaff awarded us in 2022 as the best pizzeria in South Tyrol.

In the Bistro La Piazza of the Hotel Terme Merano, on the Terme Square, one immediately feels welcome. Lidia Astner and her well-coordinated team ensure this with great warmth and hospitality. Whether in the sunshine on the terrace between palm trees and rosemary or in the stylish and protective glass cube – this is a special place to be at any time of day or year. Something sweet, something savoury or a good drink - on the menu you will find everything your heart desires. No wonder that Bistro La Piazza is popular with locals, city strollers and hotel guests alike. At lunchtime, when the glass cube gleams in the sun, or a little later, when the evening light turns the mountains red. A visit is definitely worthwhile!

Welcome to the parlour of Merano’s citizens. Order breakfast, make deals over a business lunch, or simply sit down and relax for an aperitif or a nightcap. This is where the city meets. Everyone is welcome at the Liberty's Bar – with delicious food served around the clock. A treat for hotel guests as well as passers-by exploring Merano by day (and night). Friends meeting for a catchup and coffee. Trendy youngsters having a mimosa or regular orange juice. Double dates ordering bottles of Monreale sparkling wine. The Liberty's Bar terrace is the ideal place to see who’s out and about in the city. After all, Corso della Libertà in Merano is the beating heart of the old city centre. So take a seat and enjoy the view.

Located in Corso Libertà right in front of the main entrance of the Kurhaus, the restaurant ale-house Forsterbräu is a recognised landmark both for residents and tourists, thanks to its traditional cuisine, which can be enjoyed from lunchtime until late in the evening and above all for its eight different sorts of draught beer. There is one main dining room, several charming typical Stube and - during the warm season - the refreshing indoor garden with its chestnut trees. Up to 500 people can eat and drink at the same time and during the month of December you may taste the special Christmas beer. The unmissable Beer Feast has become a tradition and takes place every year during the third weekend of September, with good live music, outstanding meals and pints and pints of fresh Forst beer!

The Kurhaus restaurant is located directly on the Passer Promenade and is the perfect place to enjoy an excellent grilled meat, combined with Mediterranean cuisine, in an Art Nouveau ambience. Delicious vegetarian dishes, gastronomic rarities and gourmet dishes are also on the menu.

Welcome in our restaurant Hasen Jos. We are located under arcades of our wonderful city. With us you will experience a rustically time travel in our bar, made with wood and in our traditional "Stube". During the warm season we will spoil you on our comfortable terrace. In addition to traditional specialities we also offer Mediterranean and seasonal dishes.

The Pratenberg Estate Winery in Merano is held firmly in female hands. It is with great passion that winegrower Karoline Sinn has created a small, independent estate that takes advantage of the mild climate and cool katabatic winds, the steep terraces with a southern exposure, and special soils.
“Glacial sediments of porphyry sandstone and secondary metamorphite and granite.” One would almost think that Sinn was a geologist when she describes the foundation of her vineyards. And even if you have not yet completely understood which soils are concerned, the short version is: they are ideal for authentic, individual, unmistakable wines.

“I like to describe my wines as the grape in the glass,” Sinn says. “They are not lush, but on the contrary, they are animating, lively, and at the same time agreeable, with fine acidity and an elegant interplay of aromas.” Originality is something upon which the winegrower from Merano places as much value as reflecting upon one’s own strengths. And upon quality, in any case.

In the end, the signature of Karoline Sinn can be tasted in her wines just as much as the natural conditions with which the Pratenberg Estate Winery in Merano is blessed. And perhaps also the motto according to which she runs the winery: “Have the time to take the time and to give things time.”

Right in the city centre, the bistro 7 welcomes its guests under the nicely renovated vaults of its historic dining room or among the tables in the outside, on the shopping street. Choose among the classic Tyrolean courses and the dishes of the Italian tradition prepared every day and enjoy your meal in the unique atmosphere of this beautifully designed restaurant. In addition to the exquisite meals, you may try the creamy cappuccinos and crispy croissants at breakfast or the mouthwatering cakes in the afternoon. In the evening, the place is worth a visit for a fresh beer or a wordly aperitif. Bistro 7: always an event!

The Terme Merano Bistro occupies the finest sun terrace in the resort. It has the beautiful Spa Park on one side and splendid art nouveau buildings on the other and faces Merano’s new architectural landmark: the Terme Merano spa building. The Bistro offers pleasures of the palate in the form of light Mediterranean cuisine fused with local products and finger-food offerings with vitality-packed ingredients, delicious branches, delicious aperitifs and cocktails, and fine Italian wines. A variety of events are held in the square and on the Bistro terrace throughout the year and especially in the warmer months.

From the lively spa town of Meran or the picturesque village of Hafling/Avelengo, the cable car and the gondola Falzeben transports guests up to the high plateau, which is also known as the "Sun Terrace of Meran". At the Kinderland playground Outdoor Kids Camp, little snow bunnies can romp and frolic while freestylers and snowboarders jump and slide in the snow park. The slopes, most of which are easy to moderately difficult, are spread over the St. Oswald, Kesselberg and Mittager ski mountains. At the latter, sporty skiers play daredevil at the eponymous black slope. The wide range of offers for all ages and levels of ability has already earned the Meran 2000 ski area several awards for its family friendliness. In addition to leisurely winter hikes with mountain hut stops and romantic horse-drawn sleigh rides, the ski area is also a good starting point for demanding ski tours. The year-round mountain roller coaster provides a thrill: the Alpine coaster whizzes along the tracks at speeds of up to 40 km/h!

100% fervor since 1979. To be seduced sometimes by a delicate praline, fine biscuits, a lightly fluffy pastry, an apple strudel with cream. At breakfast in the morning, for an aperitif just before noon, for the teatime in the afternoon. We stir, knead, shape and do magic by hand. We create your individual unique festive cake according to your ideas, nobly decorated with marzipan figurines, sugar flowers and chocolate dressing. From the finest raw materials, regional and high quality, conscious for your enjoyment. Fresh, according to traditional and own recipes, according to the seasons. In our assortment we have also vegan products. Enjoy, in our new Pastry Shop in the Center of Meran. A place of encounter and exchange. A special place all the time.

Andrea Fenoglio seems never to run out of his creative vein, which he displays in his restaurant "Sissi" in front of the Prince’s Castle behind the Lauben arcades. His latest menu "Settepiatti" is certainly to be tried. His cuisine is a lively one, always with an eye to the playful aspect, rich of interesting sparks without forgetting the courses more related to tradition, reinterpreted in a modern key. Great attention is paid to the choice of products, always the real main characters. The informal though ever accurate service creates a cosy atmosphere up to the point of often giving the impression of being at home. Five hundred different wines on the list, twenty of them offered even at the glass and always at a more than decent price. This restaurant is an ideal choice for a quality quick lunch as well.

The Etsch Bike Route is a pleasant cycle path running from Meran/Merano to Bozen/Bolzano. If you rent your bike at the “Südtirol Rad” or "Papin Sport" rental point in Meran, you may return it at that company’s rental point in Bozen.
The return trip to Meran can then be undertaken by train. 
 
If you ride your own bicycle and would like to take the train from Bozen to Meran, you should keep in mind that taking bicycles on the train is subject to a charge (€ 7) and is only possible to a limited extent (not more than 16-20 bicycles per train) due to space and security reasons. In any case, priority is given to the transportation of people.

The Tanner pizzeria is a star on the restaurant scene in Merano. The varied offer in tasty pizzas, the welcoming garden where you can relax and stay under the cool shade, and the impeccable service have made Tanner a culinary meeting point for all those in Merano who want a slice of delicious and crunchy pizza.

One reaches the Bike Highline Meran/o through various Uphills, or by utilizing either the Aschbach cableway or the shuttle service. From the Bike Highline Meran/o there are various single and also forest trails returning back down into the valley. The stretch between the Tablanderalm and Mauslochalm mountain pastures is technically challenging. All other routes are generally accessible & do not present complications.

The Palm Lounge by Hotel Terme Merano is a place where good days become better evenings. This is where design enthusiasts meet for an after-work drink, a nice chat or a widely known cocktail. The Palm Lounge is unusual and popular not only because of its large and fine selection of drinks, but also because of its ambience: for the lounge captivates with red carpets and lamps, gilded deer heads, palm trees and antlers. The fusion of Mediterranean accents with Alpine chic is what makes this impressive location harmonious and charming. Live concerts in the Palm Lounge: Live concerts have been held in the Palm Lounge every Saturday for years. What could be more relaxing than listening to musical delights over a good drink in a pleasant atmosphere?

Villa Heidelberg is the right place for a family party, business lunch or dinner, small wedding or a romantic candlelight dinner. There are 30 seats on the inside of the restaurant, 20-25 seats in the “Vinschgauerstube” and 30-40 seats on the terrace. The owner “Edi”, the chef in the house, is running the restaurant together with his wife Lidia (in the service) already for 25 years. The variety of food in the Villa Heidelberg consists on the one hand of typical southtyrolean dishes and on the other hand of some creations from Edi. He is always tries to to cook with regional products and to adapt to the season. The owner “Edi”, the chef in the house, is running the restaurant together with his wife Lidia (in the service) already for 25 years. The variety of food in the Villa Heidelberg consists on the one hand of typical southtyrolean dishes and on the other hand of some creations from Edi. He is always tries to to cook with regional products and to adapt to the season.

Hotel Kolping invites its guests to indulge in various culinary delights in the cozy bistro or on the beautiful sun terrace. Children are very welcome and can enjoy themselves in the play corner or in the garden house. A subsequent walk on the Sissi path or along the promenade rounds off the day perfectly. The team at Hotel Kolping is looking forward to your visit!

Starting from Merano, you can explore the Vinschgau Valley while taking advantage of a beneficial combination: bike and train. The Vinschgau Valley Line, known as the "Vinschgerbahn" in German, offers a spectacular landscape. At the terminal station, located in Mals/Malles (56 km from Meran), you can pick up a bike at the local "Südtirol Rad" or "Papin Sport" point, and then ride all the way back to Merano on a well-maintained bike path. If the way back is too long, you can return the bike at any of the bike rentals along the way and continue the journey to Meran by train. 

 
If you want to cover more kilometers, there is the possibility to take the bus line 273 from Mals to Reschen/Resia and to rent a bicycle there from "Papin Sport". The bike path from Reschen to Mals is about 20 km long with a difference in altitude of about 500 meters.

Gaston in the heart of Meran under the Lauben arcades is known for its tasty pizzas from the woodfired oven and all kinds of culinary delights. Whether as a couple or with the whole family, Gaston is the ideal place to have a good time at lunch or in the evening with Mediterranean and classic dishes in a pleasant atmosphere.

A statue of Blasius Trogmann stands in the Merano neighborhood of Maia Bassa, where a street is named after him, too. That is not a coincidence: Blasius Trogmann is regarded as Andreas Hofer’s most important ally in the Tyrolean Rebellion of 1809. A native of Merano, Trogmann had another passion apart from the one for his home, however: wine growing and winemaking.

Blasius Trogmann was able to pursue that particular passion at his home, the Finkhof estate in Hagen, a Merano neighborhood with generous sunlight situated between the spa town proper and the Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens. A contemporary chronicler notes: “(...) in the quiet and tranquil grounds of Hagenach, the vines, turned toward the midday sun, cook a delicious juice.”

People realized very early that Hagen was a suitable area for wine growing: the Finkhof estate was first mentioned in a document in 1213. In the 18th and early 19th century, the aforementioned Blasius Trogmann would be the one to work that land and deliver his wines all the way to the capital of the Austrian empire. Even today, more than 200 years later, the estate is still run by the Trogmann Innerhofer family. And they are still passionate about wine, which they also sell in their very own farm store, the Bottega contadina Merano. All four members of the family work in the business, making a living from wine growing.

Wines produced by the Finkhof winery include a light and fruity Schiava (Vernatsch), an intense Merlot, and a complex Lagrein. In addition, traditional methods are used to process Schiava grapes into sparkling wine, which is sold under the brand name “Hagenach,” named for the area where it grows and matures. Last but not least, the range is rounded off with an elegant white cuvée bearing a name which proves that the people of the Merano Finkhof winery feel an obligation toward their family and estate heritage: it is called “Blasius.” 

 

A relaxing cycling path for nature lovers
Length: about 20 km; difference in altitude: about 370 m.

This slightly ascending and largely natural bike path leads from the center of Meran/Merano (the Sissi Statue in Elisabeth Park - Summer Promenade) along the Passer River, and ends in St. Leonhard/San Leonardo. This path does not lead directly through the villages that lie along its route, but cyclists can take a detour into anyone of them.

Please note that the bus line 240 from Meran to St. Leonhard is not equipped for bicycle transport.

The 357 opens in 2016 from an intuition of the starred chef Andrea Fenoglio who accounts for the high standard of the food on display. In 2020 the 357 was awarded best pizzeria of the whole South Tyrol by the illustrious Falstaff magazine. It’s a down-to-Earth welcoming place 3 minutes from the city centre where you can taste a good pizza prepared with a long leavening dough, filled with ingredients of the highest quality, or again tempting starters, rich salads and other courses, besides the ice cream made straight away and other genuine desserts. Furthermore, there is a wide offer of wines at the glass, many of them organic, the List of 100 wines, home-brewed craft beer on tap and a choice of spirits from all over the world. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating and is open for lunch and dinner. Online reservation is recommended.

The Principe is a reference-point in local restoration, a restaurant – pizzeria where since 1972 guests are heartily welcomed and find a genuine cuisine and savoury pizzas. Located in the centre of town, just a stone’s throw from Piazza Teatro, it offers several seating options including the bright dining room and, during the warm season, a terrace. The menu consists of classic Italian dishes along with some more typical local courses, with fresh fish every Thursday and Friday. There is an ample choice – for lunch as well -of about 80 kinds of pizza made with several doughs, including the wholemeal one, ranging from the very classic to the special and some more creative ones. All pizzas are obviously cooked in a wood-fired oven. Free Wi-fi is available.

In Obermais, about 3 km away from the centre of Meran, the Prinz Rudolf hotel, as well as being a new location placed outside of the usual standards, recommends two culinary offers which complement and complete one another. In the terraced rooms with their view over the city you may chose between the lively and youthful "Restaurant & Pizzeria" and the exclusive "Prinz 1871", the first specialised in the new interpretation of South Tyrolean courses along with pizzas made with excellent ingredients, the latter imagined to satisfy the most demanding palates with seasonal tasting menus, à la carte courses and refined wines.

The winegrowing tradition of a family being older than that of the estate winery itself is rare, but that is the case with the Waldner family. The family has been growing grapes in Marlengo for 350 years, but it was only in 2007 that Josef Waldner built the Eichenstein Estate Winery in Merano, to which its own winery, a wine bar, and a guest chalet were added step by step.

The vineyards of the Eichenstein Estate Winery lie in Montefranco above Merano at an elevation of 550 to 600 meters. “The interplay between microclimate, terrain, geology, and soil composition is extraordinary at Eichenstein,” Waldner explains. In concrete terms, that means that the estate winery’s grapevines grow on porphyry-quartzite and granite soils, in a Mediterranean climate, and on an Alpine landscape.

Added to these natural conditions is the know-how of the experienced winegrower, who focuses on a consistent quality policy, harvesting by hand, and vinification that is adapted to each grape variety. Thus the white wine grapes are pressed gently, fermented in stainless steel or wood, and the new wine is kept on the yeast for several months. The red wine grapes, on the other hand, are kept in maceration vats for around three weeks in contact with the skins, and only after the completion of the alcoholic fermentation are the red wines placed in small oak casks for biological malolactic fermentation, where they are aged for an additional twelve months. “Our selections age for up to two years in the winery before they are put up for sale,” Waldner explains.

The results are authentic wines filled with character which, as the winegrower says, “remain in the memory”. “The soul of our wines,” Waldner says, “has to move the drinker.”

Right in the old centre of Merano, the Rössl Bianco proposes its traditional food specialties of the Italian and Tyrolean cuisine. The menu at lunch changes daily and for dinner the guests are treated to a variety of plates all made with fresh and refined local products. A glass of one of the noble wines from the house cellar is not to be missed either. A nice and welcoming staff tops off the culinary experience under the arcades of the city. The bar of the Rössl Bianco has a number of spirits, cocktails and wines on display,along with exquisite coffee specialties and cool aperitifs.

“I’m just a small, passionate winegrower,” says Gerda Kiem. It’s just that anyone who is induced by that little word “small” to underestimate Kiem and her Mauslocherhof is making a mistake. A big mistake.

The Mauslocherhof is run by the winegrower according to clear guidelines. Kiem calls herself “an open-minded thinker who gets the best from nature with passion.” And that also means working sustainably and close to nature – both in the vineyard and in the winery. “For us, working sustainably is something which is self-evident,” the committed winegrower says, adding, “But we’ve always worked that way.”

The goal of the quality work at the Mauslocherhof is creating eloquent wines with a relationship to their zone which are authentic and have their own character. “They should be elegant, pleasant, balanced wines that reflect our commitment and our conscientious work in the vineyard and the winery,” Kiem explains. In order for it to be possible to achieve that, great value is placed at the Mauslocherhof in Cermes on an ideal selection of grape varieties. “For every plot of every single vineyard, we have considered for a long time and with great care which grape variety can best develop there,” the winegrower says.

And the care with the selection of varieties has led to a broad product line. On the red side, this encompasses Lagrein, Merlot, and Pinot Noir, and with the whites Gewürztraminer, Yellow Muscat, Pinot Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc. As has been stated, “small winegrowers” are not to be underestimated. Ever.