Innsbruck dining – Eating well in Austria - By: Theo Swan

Innsbruck, one of the cities which hosted Group D in the Euro 2008 Football cup, is a city of many good restaurants of various specialties. The kitchens of Innsbruck are inspired by the Italian, French and even Asian cuisine, but you can still find those small local Inns, referred to as Gasthauses or Gasthofs. Here you can try several of the Tyrolean dishes such as; Bauernbratl, Tyrolean bacon, home made marmalades and more.

Although any traveler to Innsbruck should try as many local specialties as possible, not everyone loves Austrian food. No worries though, the city of Innsbruck offers a wide range of kitchens, sure to please any taste.

The proximity to Italy has made the Italian kitchen both popular and widespread, finding a well made Pasta, or a steaming pizza straight from the oven, is no problem at all. For a complete feast, try Restaurant Mossi on Franz-Fischer-Strasse, which offers all-you-can-eat-buffets twice a day. The food is surprisingly good, and the prices surprisingly low. During your visit in Innsabruck, no matter how much you eat, you will most certainly find an Italian football supporter eating more than you.

Dorfstube, located in Hotel Bon Alpina, is perhaps the best Italian restaurant in town, for a great culinary experience, this is a sure bet.

Asian food has, like in most parts of the world, grown rapidly in popularity. Although the Chinese kitchen is most common, Japanese food is closing in. In central Innsbruck, there are at least 4 different restaurants offering Japanese food. Sensei is perhaps the best – or the most popular - one, serving only Japanese food.

For those more into Indian, Thai or Indonesian food, there are restaurants offering this as well. Just ask at your hotel, and they will point you in the right direction.

Between match dates, hiking or taking the bus to the Alps will give your dining an atmosphere different from most. Enjoying your meal while watching the spectacular views from the mountainside will make any meal taste better than ever before. The fresh air and the occasional spring will add to the illusion of being far away from the civilization. It is, how ever, never that far away. Should you happen to grow tired of the scenic mountains, the city and all its nightlife is just a short taxi drive away.

Being a twin city with New Orleans, the great restaurant of Papa Joe’s is inspired by the Caribbean and the Creole kitchen. This place is filled almost every night, with party animals staying at it all night long. If you find the time, a visit to Papa Joe’s will be a great memory of your Euro 2008 experience.

During the Euro 2008 football cup, the restaurants of Innsbruck – along with the other Austrian and Swiss cities hosting it – was filled almost every night. Making reservations was essential for most restaurants. Nowadays, if you miss to make reservation, you wont end up at McDonalds with a bunch of football supporters.

Innsbruck, one of the cities which hosted Group D in the Euro 2008 Football cup, is a city of many good restaurants of various specialties. The kitchen of Innsbruck is inspired by the Italian, French and even Asian cuisine, but you can still find those small local Inns, referred to as Gasthauses or Gasthofs.

Theo is writing about one of his favorite cities - Innsbruck. For more travel related reading, visit billiga flygbiljetter or sista minuten restresor