Berghotel Passo Giau, Dolomites, – Good Food Salvages a Rainy Day

On a rainy day in the Dolomites, I savoured one of the best veal cheek dishes I’ve ever had. Wholesome, satisfying, comfort food at its best. The cheeks were tender and tasty and the gravy, rich but subtle, complimenting the meat. So while we didn’t see the iconic Passo Giau views, it was certainly worth the drive to the Berghotel Passo Giau for lunch in its restaurant.

When the clouds lifted a bit, a glimpse of the surrounding mountains
When the clouds lifted a bit, a glimpse of the surrounding mountains

The Hotel Passo Giau is the only facility of its kind in this landmark location. It has been lovingly run by the same family for more than 30 years and carries the vibe of a welcoming historical inn. The family cat joined us in the bar area for drinks. On the day we visited, Igor and his mother took great care of us while his father, who normally cooks the meals, was out hiking despite the rain.

The Hotel Passo Giau sits along some great walks with iconic views that we'll have to imagine are there on this rainy day
The Hotel Passo Giau sits along some great walks with iconic views that we’ll have to imagine are there

For an area normally dominated by the winter skiing season, Hotel Ristorante Passo Giau sees the most traffic in the summer when it caters to hikers undertaking the walks along the alpine trails. Route markers dot the land surrounding the hotel as does some unique creations by Igor’s father who obviously possesses handy carpentry skills. A bicycle has been mounted to act as a weather vane. I imagine a visit in the summer would require a reservation but for our group of nine in early October, it wasn’t a problem.

The hotel's unique weather vane
The hotel’s unique weather vane
The hotel's formal dining room
The hotel’s dining room
Salad with fried pancetta
Salad with fried pancetta

Back to the food

We asked Igor what the house specialties were and also which dishes best symbolised the cuisine of this part of northeastern Italy. The beetroot ravioli and veal cheeks were among the most popular dishes. But the tagliatelle with deer ragout and pork shank looked promising as well. Salad and a tasting of the regional cheeses were our starters. Certainly Igor’s recommendations were on point. Part of the reason the dishes are so satisfying are that they were accompanied by potatoes (mashed for the veal cheeks, pan-fried for the pork) and vegetables that were just as well prepared. The pork shank had mushrooms that were in season. The food was not too rich nor overly salted. We capped our meal with dessert in front bar area.

Beetroot ravioli with poppy seeds, parmesan and melted butter
Beetroot ravioli with poppy seeds, parmesan and melted butter
Large Tagliatelle with deer ragout
Large Tagliatelle with deer ragout
Pork shank, pan-fried potatoes and mushrooms
Pork shank with pan-fried potatoes and mushrooms
Veal cheeks with mashed potatoes and spinach
Veal cheeks with mashed potatoes and spinach
Dessert! Tiramisu and Torta della Nonna
Dessert! Tiramisu and Torta della Nonna

Igor has a nice selection of reasonably priced wines. We enjoyed a few local wines – a Teroldego Rotaliano, a Conus Lagrein Reserva and a Franz Haas Pinot Nero – and capped it off with prosecco in the bar area as we hoped for the clouds to lift (never happened). But I think we’ll always remember our meal and visit to the Hotel Ristorante Passo Giau particularly for the warm hospitality from Igor and his mother which made up for our lack of seeing the iconic views. I hope to return and do the walks and spend a night to enjoy more from the menu in the future. To see what the place looks like on a clear day, visit the hotel’s website.