If you love food as much as skiing, treat yourself to a gourmet ski break in one of these resorts. From high-altitude fine dining to slope-side staples, these ski resorts take their mountain cuisine seriously.

While self-service queues and mass mountain eateries are still a fixture, Michelin-starred restaurants, pioneering local chefs and a growing appetite for Haute-ski-cuisine have brought innovation to traditional family-run restaurants and mountains eateries.

Here are our top ski resorts for foodies:

Zermatt, Switzerland

There’s a reason why Zermatt is considered a gourmet pilgrimage for the skiers that visit every year with hungry bellies. The resort has the highest concentration of fine dine restaurants, with 17 restaurants in the area, many with Gault Millau points and two with Michelin stars.

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The Matterhorn looms over Hotel Omnia in Zermatt

Find everything from Peruvian to Asian roti here, with more than 100 restaurants (and around 50 in the mountains) it can be hard to know where to start. And while Zermatt is synonymous with luxury, there are bars and restaurants to suit all budgets here.

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Photo courtesy of Chez Vrony

For the sheer experience and hospitality, Chez Vrony takes the crown. A large converted farmhouse at 2100m which sits beneath the Sunnegga top station. The restaurant serves fresh, organic local produce and the hosting is headed by Vrony herself. Dish highlights include rosti, fondue and bouillabaisse. Fine wines are paired with all dishes and the views of the Matterhorn are magnificent.

Speaking of Matterhorn views, Findlerhof is another spectacular place to grab a spot of lunch, perched high above the valley with 360° panoramic views. More casual than its neighbour Chez Vrony, Findlerhofen’s braised lamb shank and spaghetti remain popular with both locals and Gault Millau.

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Photo: Restaurant Findlerhof

For delicious Peruvian sharing plates with a Japanese edge, head to La Muña. But if you’re looking for opulent dining, nothing quite surpasses The Omnia Hotel’s bistro by the same name. The Omnia restaurant, headed by Michelin-starred Chef Hauke Pohl, has the cosy feel of a friend’s house, complete with fireplace and plush furnishings. Menu highlights include the filet Wellington for two, “Holzen” wooly pig and of course, “The Omnia” wiener schnitzel.

Mountain restaurant recommendation: Restaurant du Pont

Best value dishes can be found at: Bontadin

Haute Cuisine Hotspot: The Omnia or The Capri at Mont Cervin Palace Hotel

Need restaurant recommendations? Would you like us to make a reservation on your behalf? Learn about our Concierge Service, complimentary with all  bookings.

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Val Thorens, France

Well-known for its buzzing nightlife Val Thorens takes some beating when it comes to eating, too.

There are 11 mountainside restaurants to choose from (all complete with sweeping views of Les Trois Vallées), which include Chez Pepe Nicholas. Not to be missed if you’re seeking traditional alpine affair (fondues, raclette, tartiflette) with all the trimmings, in a quintessentially French farmhouse (see their 360-degree tour of the restaurant).

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Photo courtesy of Koh-I Nor Hotel restaurant, Val Thorens

For serious fine dining though, head to five-star Koh-I Nor Hotel. Home to two restaurants headed by Michelin-star chef Eric Sampson, Le Diamont Noir and luxury brasserie L’Atelier d’Eric. Both are exceptional options if you’re looking for something extraordinary. Diamont Noir highlights include the scrambled egg with black truffle and brioche, caramelized veal sweetbread and marbled truffle scallops.

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Photo: Koh-I Nor Hotel

(And, if you want a break from fondue and raclette, there’s Scandinavian seafood to be had at John’s Tex-Mex style grill and bar in town.)

Mountain restaurant recommendation: Chez Pepe Nicholas

Best value dishes can be found at: Wok Ski or The Frog & Roast Beef

Haute Cuisine Hotspot: L’Oxalys or The Fitz Roy

Troll Peninsula, Iceland

For truly unique cuisine, set against the backdrop of glacial fjords and breath-taking mountains, the Troll Peninsula (or Tröllaskagi) is hard to beat. A great place for people who like fish (both pickled and non-pickled varieties) to go wild.

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Kaffi Rauoka and Hannes Boy Cafe in in the town of Siglufjörður.

Most restaurants and bars can be found in the town of Siglufjörður. Popular, bustling Kaffi Rauðka, a red barn which overlooks the marina, serves their national speciality, herring, as well as fish and chips until late.

Hannes Boy is another marina-side restaurant with bright yellow walls outside and warm, contemporary décor within. Stand out dishes include the Deep-fried smælki potatoes served with shrimps or grilled chicken and pork belly with bacon sauerkraut.

Mountain restaurant recommendation: (Not strictly mountainside, but Fish & Chips Siglufjörður is a top pick.)

Best value dishes can be found at: Á Gregors restaurant

Haute Cuisine Hotspot: While haute cuisine is harder to come by in the Peninsula area, for fine Moroccan-Icelandic cuisine Siglunes Restaurant is tough to beat.