Rifugio La Roda- beautiful nature and gastronomic pleasure in the Dolomites, Andalo, Italy
Last time visit to Rifugio La Roda in December 2015 with family and friends
See… the stunning view to Lago Di Garda at good weather, the plating of the tiramisu in a vase, the chocolate ball and the Bombardino .
Smell… 100% pure air, the flavours of the delicious Italian cuisine and local wine.
Taste… oysters, Trento DOC sparkling wine, deer and veal carpaccio, Texas style beans, fresh pasta Bolognese, schnitzel Milanese, stewed lamb, chocolate ball, Bombardino Moka, Bombardino Moretto, tiramisu in a vase.
Feel and Experience… the cheerful mood of the skiers, basking in the sun on the top of the world, the friendly attitude and fast service of the personnel.
Hear… 90’s and Millennium hits, the happy laughter
There at the peak of Paganella, at 2125 m, we were keeping great company with the sun, the pure air, the view of the glittering in the sun Garda Lake (Lago di Garda), the rhythmic pop music and a bunch of people like us- happy, festive and smiling. The place is Rifugio La Roda– mountain shelter with great restaurant, terraces, stunning view, fast and good service. The visitors were not only skiers, despite of the big heights but also others, coming especially for lunch, since this was definitely the best place in that part of Dolomites, above Andalo, 40 km away from Trento.
Rifugio La Roda interior
It’s an utter pleasure to have rest from skiing right there , on the top of the mountain. The place impresses first with good pop music, the high spirits of the people, attractive bartender outside making the well-known Aperol Spritz, pouring prosecco or Trento DOC, opening oysters for the fans of this fine sea fruit.
You can opt to have a drink and oysters on high tables, buying burgers or other ala minute and snacks and having them on a small terrace outside. You can choose to sit in the restaurant area outside on the big terrace or indoors and order from the cart. The latter offers a rich choice of delicious meals, prepared with subtle mastery, typical for the Italian chefs.
If you feel festive and you want to please yourself, you should definitely take a Bombardino in any of its three varieties. I personally liked most the Moka type. I recommend also the chocolate ball. The waiter pours hot caramel on it and it melts before your eyes to reveal a kernel of ice-cream and raspberry topping. On the side a small bowl of yogurt, some nuts and raisins are complemented to balance the sweet taste. Perfect, nothing is missing, except a Cheers! to you friends with the local sparkling wine.
Rifugio La Roda Food
You can order also Goulash soup which is very good, fresh pasta, steaks, fish, stew, or plates with salami, cheese, deer and veal carpaccio. One of the good choices was Texas style beans, served in a pan, resembling much chilly con carne, Milanese schnitzel or anything else from the menu since I suppose all the rest of the dishes are fantastic.
If you become a hard fan of the place, you can reserve a table for the next day but be sure to be on spot not later than 12 o’clock, otherwise you will lose the reservation. If you have no reservation, you have to wait for someone to leave. It is very possible to put you on a table with other people. The waiters take care to accommodate you properly, it is not your duty to hunt for vacant seats.
You can leave the skis and sticks on the pyramids in front or right on the snow. If you are not hungry but crave for basking in the sun, admiring the scenery or absorbing the energy of the place, you can take a foldable chair and sit in front on the snow. There are also poufs but they are usually taken early by less-extensive skiers.
There is good telecom signal and even data but you shouldn’t look at your phone except for making pictures. It’s a crime staring at your screen instead of absorbing the beautiful sight of Dolomites and the glittering Lago di Garda. All this beauty is for you, so don’t skip it!
I recommend strongly Rifugio La Roda to all visitors of Dolomites and Andalo. The slopes from the top are red and easy to run, so don’t bother just make fun.
Address: Cima Paganella, Andalo, Trento
Rifugio La Roda is open from December till April and From June to September
Tel: 348 89 39 544 – 340 58 41 890
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