Deep in the forest at 1,800 meters above sea level, where sunlight filters through towering evergreens and the silence feels ancient, FORESTIS has quietly opened the doors to something extraordinary. The luxury alpine retreat, already known for its spiritual connection to nature, has introduced a new restaurant — YERA — an immersive dining experience built into the mountain, inspired by the teachings of the Celts and shaped by the rhythms of the forest.
Led by executive chef Roland Lamprecht, YERA is not just a restaurant. It is a living ceremony of harvest and heritage, a return to primal simplicity where fire, flavor, and forest come together in harmony. Named after the Rhaetian Celtic word for “harvest,” YERA celebrates the most sacred time of the ancient calendar — when nature’s bounty is gathered and shared.
Hidden in Plain Sight: A Cave Within the Mountain
To reach YERA, guests follow a forest trail behind the historic 1912 FORESTIS building. A heavy wooden door embedded in the mountainside opens to reveal a space unlike any other — an earthy cave made from the distinctive red soil of the Peiterkofel, with curved wooden ceilings reminiscent of an upturned ship’s hull. The design, elemental and reverent, creates a feeling of safety and timelessness.
At the center of the cave, a central fire pit becomes both hearth and stage. Surrounding it are four “altars” where dishes are crafted in full view of guests — not ordered from a menu, but served in rhythm with the evening and the seasons. The architecture, the ritual, the flavors — everything draws the guest inward.
“There are no distractions here,” says co-owner Teresa Hinteregger. “It’s about the moment, the silence, and the connection — to yourself, to others, and to the Earth.”
Forest Cuisine: Rediscovering What Nature Offers
Chef Roland Lamprecht refers to his approach as “forest cuisine.” With ingredients sourced directly from the surrounding woods, the dishes celebrate South Tyrol’s raw, seasonal beauty. Wild berries, spruce needles, larch cones, coltsfoot, mushrooms, and tree bark become the building blocks of each creation. These ingredients are fermented, dried, smoked, or infused using ancient techniques adapted with modern sensitivity.
“From spring to fall, we preserve what the forest gives us — just like I did as a boy at home,” says Lamprecht. “We forage, we store, we transform — and when winter comes, we bring the forest to the table.”
No Menus, No Courses — Just a Ritual of Flavor
At YERA, there’s no set menu. Instead, guests are served a flowing sequence of seasonal dishes that reflect what has been harvested and prepared. Each evening is different. Each bite is a revelation. Wooden sticks replace standard cutlery, and tree trunks serve as tables. Guests are encouraged to eat with their hands, returning to an intuitive relationship with food.
Drinks are equally thoughtful. Naturally fermented, low-alcohol beverages (never more than 5%) are handcrafted and paired with each dish, enhancing the culinary journey with subtlety and surprise.
More Than a Meal — A Preservation of Culture
For Lamprecht, YERA is more than a personal milestone. It is a cultural preservation project, honoring ancestral knowledge and alpine traditions. “We do what our ancestors did,” he says. “We work with the land, with time, with fire — and we honor the craft.”
Guests become part of the process. Food is prepared in front of them, and conversation is encouraged. “We want people to engage, to feel, to remember. This is about human connection — with the earth, with the past, and with each other.”
Where History and Wilderness Converge
FORESTIS, envisioned by Teresa and Stefan Hinteregger not as a hotel, but as a philosophy of living, continues to draw visitors from around the world with its authenticity. From its Art Nouveau roots to the tree-inspired modern towers, from its spa rooted in Celtic teachings to the panoramic views of the UNESCO-listed Dolomites, it is a sanctuary in every sense.
With the opening of YERA, FORESTIS deepens its commitment to quiet luxury, ritual over routine, and nature as guide. It invites guests not just to dine, but to remember how to listen — to silence, to flavor, to the forest.
