The Bödele Alpenhotel, Schwarzenberg
At the “healthy food restaurant,” everything revolves around vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Meat is nowhere to be found on the menu. The quality of this traditional establishment, which was completely renovated in 2014, is outstanding. So too is its prime location on the Losen Pass at 1140 metres above sea level! www.boedele.at
The Gasthof Adler Inn, Krumbach
“Adler” chef Jürgen Hirschbühl is more than just your affable host and chef. He’s also a farmer by trade. Working according to organic principles, he grows his own lettuce, tomatoes, leeks, beans, pointed cabbage and green asparagus. Day after day, a four-course vegetarian menu for gourmets is always on the menu. As winter approaches, the vegetables are fermented so guests can enjoy the flavours of spring and summer all year round. Food tip: black nuts with burrata. www.adler-krumbach.at
Landhotel Hirschen, Hittisau
Chef Michael Bechter has a knack for meat-free dishes. Three or four of them are always on offer, including his particularly popular potato roulade. Depending on the season, this dish is served with pumpkin, spinach or perhaps cabbage. Other recommendations for vegetarians include Älpler cheese dumplings or vegetable lasagna. www.landhotel-hirschen.at
Weekly markets in Bezau and Egg
Every Friday morning from June to October, the village centre of Bezau becomes a meeting place for guests and locals alike. Regionality is the name of the game, including e.g., bread and pastries from the neighbouring village, milk and cheese from Alpe Wildmoos, fruit from Lake Constance and fresh vegetables directly from Bezau and Mellau. www.bezau-bregenzerwald.com Meanwhile in Egg, regional produce such as dairy products, sausages, fish, pasta, bread and freshly tapped beer are available at the market. Every week there is an upscale cooking stand from Kochhandwerk. Takeaway food also available. www.einkauf-genuss.at
Schwanen Biohotel, Bizau
“Two out of three guests at our restaurant are women. They seem to have a higher affinity for vegetarian food than men,” says owner Emanuel Moosbrugger. As a certified organic vegetable gardener, he tends to his very own Wilde-Weiber-Garten (Wild Women’s Garden). He is also heavily involved in a solidarity-based agriculture initiative in Bezau. The result is a vegetarian-influenced menu featuring delicacies such as braised fennel with fennel cream, fennel green sauce, fennel crumble and fennel broth. www.biohotel-schwanen.com
Hotel Bären, Mellau
Fennel-orange salad, coconut-millet porridge, elderberry flatbread, Vorarlberg Riebel and much more. The secret is out on “Deli Super Breakfast” between 8 and 11 am. A vegan or gluten-free option is available upon request. Either way, you’ll enjoy the casual, urban atmosphere of the Café Deli. Reservations are recommended for external guests. www.baerenmellau.at
Tannahof, Au
More and more vegetarians are flocking to the architecturally gorgeous farm of Juliane and Guy Moosbrugger-Jourdain. “We also have a lot of guests keen to explore the variety of meat-free dishes available,” says the hostess. Since 2021, her focus has also been on cultivating her very own large vegetable garden. This forms the foundation for Guy’s daily-changing culinary creations with a French touch. www.tannahof.at
Author: Thorsten Bayer
Issue: Bregenzerwald Travel Magazine – Summer 2023
