Zermatt is the stuff of alpine fantasies: Centered around the iconic Matterhorn, 62 percent of the ski resort’s terrain is designated intermediate, making it possible for nonexperts to take the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise – Europe’s highest cable car – up 12,740 feet to Klein Matterhorn and ski year-round on the relatively flat and scenic glacier before descending on not-too-steep groomers. And Zermatt‘s sunny, country-straddling position means you can wake up in Switzerland and schuss over to Cervinia, Italy, in time for an Aperol spritz. (Later this summer, the new Matterhorn Glacier Ride II will make that Zermatt-to-Cervinia commute doable in less than four minutes for those who aren’t on skis.)  

Zermatt’s charming, cobblestoned town – bisected by the ice-blue Matter Vispa River – is filled with designer shops, bakeries, chocolatiers, and dozens of restaurants and bars. But the highlight of my visit was dining at restaurants tucked into tiny midmountain hamlets, where classic Swiss fare is enjoyed in the type of wood-paneled, pelt-strewn interiors that have launched a thousand “Cabin Goals” Pinterest boards. 

Here, three standout Zermatt mountain-hut restaurants to try.