Dolomiti Gourmet Festival
Signature haute cuisine among the mountain huts and peaks of the Tre Cime
About Dolomiti Gourmet Festival
The Dolomiti Gourmet Festival in San Candido
The Dolomiti Gourmet Festival is the premier autumn food and wine event in the Tre Cime / 3 Cime Dolomiti region, with headquarters in San Candido/Innichen, in the Puster Valley, province of Bolzano (Trentino-Alto Adige). Every year, at the beginning of October, the town and the surrounding mountains transform into a stage for taste, where top Italian chefs, international guests, and small-scale South Tyrolean producers meet for three days dedicated to quality, product origin, and sustainability.
The artistic direction is entrusted to chef Chris Oberhammer, owner of the Michelin-starred Tilia restaurant in Dobbiaco, who curates a program each year that fosters a dialogue between high-altitude cuisine, the great Mediterranean tradition, and the most authentic alpine culinary techniques.
Three days, three experiences
- Mountain Dining at Rifugio Jora (Monte Baranci, 1,325 m): an exclusive multi-hand dinner for a limited number of guests, where chefs take turns at the stove, offering a tasting menu paired with selected wines.
- Gourmetwalk through the historic center of San Candido: a delicious stroll where guests, divided into groups, are guided from venue to venue, with resident and guest chefs presenting their creations paired with fine wines.
- Mountain Food on Monte Elmo (2,434 m): the final open-air celebration, featuring charcoal grilling and wood-fired ovens, where historic alpine recipes are reinterpreted by chefs in front of the audience.
A festival among the peaks
What makes the Dolomiti Gourmet Festival unique is its setting: dinners and tastings take place in mountain huts and stations reachable by ski lifts, with the backdrop of the Sesto Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The festival thus combines haute gastronomy with an alpine experience, highlighting the products of the Puster Valley and the work of local South Tyrolean producers.
Over the years, the festival has hosted Michelin-starred chefs and prominent names in Italian and international cuisine, confirming its status as one of the most anticipated gourmet events of the South Tyrolean autumn, as part of San Candido's Golden Autumn program.
Dolomiti Gourmet Festival — edition 2026
2026 Edition (October 1-3)
The thirteenth edition of the Dolomiti Gourmet Festival takes place from Thursday, October 1 to Saturday, October 3, 2026, in the 3 Cime Dolomiti region, under the artistic direction of chef Chris Oberhammer (Tilia restaurant, Dobbiaco).
- Thursday, October 1 – Mountain Dining at Rifugio Jora (Monte Baranci, 1,325 m): a multi-hand dinner for a limited number of guests, featuring a tasting menu that blends Mediterranean and alpine cuisine paired with selected wines. Among the chefs, host Markus Holzer, Giuseppe Aversa (Il Buco, Sorrento), and Chris Oberhammer.
- Friday, October 2 – Gourmetwalk in the center of San Candido (from approx. 6:30 PM): guests, divided into two groups and accompanied by Chris Oberhammer and Hanna Erharter, tour the town's venues where resident and guest chefs — including Christoph Haton (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) and Lahcen Hafid — offer dishes paired with fine wines, followed by a final after-party.
- Saturday, October 3 – Mountain Food on Monte Elmo (2,434 m, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM): an open-air gastronomic festival with charcoal-grilled cuisine, where chefs reinterpret historic alpine recipes.
Participation is by reservation only, with limited spots available.
Programme Dolomiti Gourmet Festival 2026
2026 Program
- Thursday, October 1 — Mountain Dining at Rifugio Jora (Monte Baranci, 1,325 m): multi-hand dinner with Markus Holzer, Giuseppe Aversa, and Chris Oberhammer, tasting menu with wine pairing.
- Friday, October 2 — Gourmetwalk in the historic center of San Candido (from 6:30 PM): tasting tour through the town's venues with resident and international guest chefs; after-party.
- Saturday, October 3 — Mountain Food on Monte Elmo (2,434 m, 11:00 AM-3:00 PM): charcoal grilling and reinterpretation of alpine recipes.
Highlights Dolomiti Gourmet Festival 2026
Prices Dolomiti Gourmet Festival 2026
Practical information — Dolomiti Gourmet Festival
Location
San Candido/Innichen (Puster Valley, province of Bolzano). Event venues include the historic center of San Candido, Rifugio Jora on Monte Baranci, and the Monte Elmo mountain station, all accessible via the 3 Cime Dolomiti lift system.
How to get there
By train: San Candido station on the Puster Valley line (Fortezza–San Candido–Lienz). By car: Puster Valley state road (SS49). Nearest airports: Innsbruck, Venice, Verona.
Tickets and reservations
Participation in events is by reservation only, and spots are limited (the mountain hut dinner hosts a small number of guests). Information, prices, and reservations are available on the official website and at the San Candido Tourist Association.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Dolomiti Gourmet Festival
San Candido, Rifugio Jora, Monte Elmo