Meals on Wheels Innsbruck – Mountain Biking for Foodies

Mountain biking is a great way to cover long distances and experience different terrains. It’s also a great way to work up an appetite – so it’s a good thing that every mountain trail has several huts offering a variety of traditional dishes for your dining pleasure while touring on wheels!

5 Traditional Tyrolean Meals to Fuel your Mountain Bike Ride

Here’s a list of dishes you cannot pass up on while on the trails:

#1 Anything Seasonal

Okay, this isn’t a specific dish, but it should be your top choice when eating at the huts. This time of year is mushroom season. Most popularly, you will find Chanterelles, locally known as Eierschwammerl, used to upgrade traditional dishes like Goulash or even dumplings. Look for these dishes to be scribbled on a chalkboard somewhere, not in the usual menu.

Chanterelle Mushroom Goulash at Bodenstein Alm

#2 Kaspressknödel

It’s crunchy, it’s gooey, it’s pungent, it’s my favorite. If you didn’t try these while visiting Innsbruck – did you really visit Innsbruck? Tyrolean Grey Cheese give them the special taste you won’t find anywhere else. You can have them served with a salad, in soup or with Sauerkraut. It’s a hearty meal, but after a long bike ride, it’s well deserved. It’s all downhill after lunch so don’t be afraid to send it at the table! Ask 10 locals to recommend the hut with the best dumplings and you’ll get 11 different answers. My personal favorite is the Patscher Alm.

Are these the best dumplings in Innsbruck? I think so!

#3 Käsespätzle

Don’t you dare compare this dish to Mac and Cheese! Spätzle is homemade pasta and the cheese is a mix of local mountain cheese, topped with fried onions. By now you might be thinking that all the meals at the huts are on the heavy side – and tbh you wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that! Pro tip: make time for a little siesta after your meal. Every hut has lounge chairs for you to chill on after eating.

Kässpätzle is a staple dish at ever mountain hut.

#4 Jause

Maybe you’re looking for something more like a snack? Yes, this is a snack. Cured meats, artisan bread and mountain cheese accompanied by a couple of slices of tomato to make it a well balanced – “snack”. Just remember that there’s a time and place for everything and a vacation is no time or place for counting calories. This beautiful platter comes from the fine folks at Muttereralm, the home of Bikepark Innsbruck and epicenter of Crankworx. It’s also worth mentioning that this is a great place to experience something a little more epic too – mountain carts!

Jause is Tyrolean for disguising a meal as a snack. © Innsbruck Tourismus / Helga Andreatta

#5 Kaiserschmarrn

If you’re the sweet tooth type, you’re going to love this. Kaiserschmarrn is a meal-sized dessert. It’s a Tyrolean must have so go ahead and indulge. This will have all your friends back home hate-liking your social media posts.

Dessert as a meal. Childhood dreams do come true! © Innsbruck Tourismus / Edi Groeger

Mountain Biking

Trails, downhill, park and road… It’s all here. If you’re an experienced mountain biker, you’re guaranteed to find a tour or trail that will challenge you. If you’re inexperienced, you can hop on an E-Bike and reach any of the huts with minimal effort.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the world-class biking event, Crankworx. It’s going down September 30th to October 4th!

Guided Tours

I’ve had the pleasure of riding with Bikeschool Innsbruck on several occasions. If you want to experience the mountains on wheels, this is your guide. This is your one-stop shop for any experience level from beginner to advanced riders wanting to challenge themselves or even improve on skills. They can also sort your out with rentals from Die Boerse. I’m yet to join for the downhill trails, but there’s still time this year!

+43 660 / 41 48 337
office@bikeschool-innsbruck.com
http://www.bikeschool-innsbruck.com