f you are heading on your ski holidays and are destined for Chamonix in France, here’s our top 5 Chamonix mountain restaurants in reverse order. Let us know if you agree with our choices and in particular our number 1 choice.

5th Place: Panoramic (Brevent)

If you are wondering why we have scored the Panoramic relatively low stars in several of or ratings below, but it still features in our Top 5 Chamonix Mountan Restaurants, well the answer is quite simple; location, location, location. Set across the valley looking across at Mont Blanc and l’Aiguille du Midi, it has to harbour one of the most breathtaking mountain restaurant views in the Alps.

Situated at the top of the Brevent ski lift at 2,550m, step off the lift and on to the panoramic terrace (best visited on warm sunny days). The food has improved in recent years and whilst it is quite expensive compared to other mountain restaurants, there is no question that on a sunny day you are paying for the best seat / view on the mountain and hence the price!

FINE DINING	★★☆☆☆
TRADITIONAL DINING	★★☆☆☆
CHARM & TRADITION	★★☆☆☆
ALFRESCO DINING	★★★★☆
LOCATION & VIEWS	★★★★★
VALUE	★★☆☆☆
GUIDELINE PRICES (2 COURSES)	€40 to €56
TELEPHONE	+33 4 50 54 07 52
TABLE RESERVATION	Recommended

4th Place: Bergerie Plan Praz

Great location, situated at the top of the Brevent Gondola, the old Bergerie offers simple, well-prepared French food. Quite a large mountain restaurant, it still manages to maintain a warm and cosy interior. Our preference here is to be situated in the main restaurant closest to the gondola rather than around the back, we think worth mentioning when booking. This said, the terrace is great on warm days and younger members here can always eat from the snack menu.

Being an easy to find restaurant, and one of the better ones in terms of food and ambience, it can be busy at peak times and booking is particularly advisable at weekends and during popular / busy weeks.

FINE DINING	★★☆☆☆
TRADITIONAL DINING	★★★☆☆
CHARM & TRADITION	★★★☆☆
ALFRESCO DINING	★★★★☆
LOCATION & VIEWS	★★★★☆
VALUE	★★★☆☆
GUIDELINE PRICES (2 COURSES)	€34 to €44
TELEPHONE	+33 4 50 53 05 42
TABLE RESERVATION	Recommended

3rd Place: Refuge (Grands Montets) 

This old refuge is a great mountain restaurant if a little difficult to access. Unless willing to hike, it is best suited for competent ski parties as this charming building, can only be reached down a path that is found at the bottom of the red or black Herse ski runs. Please also note that unless skiing off-piste afterwards down on to the home run, there is a small hike back up too.

The above said we think it is well worth the effort, in fact, its slightly inaccessible location we think is part of the experience and makes the fabulous home-cooked mountain food probably taste that little better. Dishes are freshly prepared and vary from classic French pies, sausages, stews, and other great traditional hearty mountain favourites. 

FINE DINING	★☆☆☆☆
TRADITIONAL ALPINE DINING	★★★★☆
RESTAURANT CHARM & TRADITION	★★★☆☆
ALFRESCO DINING	★★☆☆☆
LOCATION & VIEWS	★★★☆☆
VALUE	★★★☆☆
GUIDELINE PRICES (2 COURSES)	€30 to €44
TELEPHONE	+33 6 88 56 03 54
TABLE RESERVATION	Highly Recommended

2nd Place:  La Cremerie (Grands Montets)

If you have to go looking for a mountain restaurant, and this one is not easy to find being tucked amongst the trees just above the Grands Montets lift station, but still need to reserve a table as you do here, you’d be forgiven for having high expectations. Fortunately, La Cremerie, a charming old creamery as you may have guessed, delivers accordingly. Situated just before the bottom of the Grands Montets ski lift, look to the right of the home run for the sign hidden in the trees or you may miss out!

The main speciality here is les croûtes aux fromages and we particularly recommend the Forestiere rather than the first time visitors more favoured cheese versions. A simple dish, here it tastes extraordinary. Preparation starts by soaking bread overnight in wine, lightly covered in cheese, then cooked in the oven prior to serving, before finally being topped with a fabulously amazing creamy mushroom sauce. The bread soft and crunchy, the creaminess of the sauce, we question how something so simple can taste so good but it does! The ‘skiers menu’ provides a particularly good value ski option. 

FINE DINING	★☆☆☆☆
TRADITIONAL ALPINE DINING	★★★★☆
RESTAURANT CHARM & TRADITION	★★★★☆
ALFRESCO DINING	★☆☆☆☆
LOCATION & VIEWS	★★★☆☆
VALUE	★★★★★
GUIDELINE PRICES (2 COURSES)	€15 to €25
TELEPHONE	+33 6 84 42 37 00
TABLE RESERVATION	Essential

1st Place: Vieilles Luges (Les Houches)

Number one goes, quite rightly we think, to Les Vieilles Luges in Les Houches. The fact that booking is essential, despite the less than obvious location (you will find this restaurant down a short track just off the main blue Aillouds Piste heading back to the village), tells you that you are on for something special. A 250-year-old farmhouse, it has an abundance of charm and ambiance both inside and out.

The menu itself is small, nearly always a good sign in our view because as in this case, all the food is freshly prepared and tastes fabulous as a consequence. Traditional dishes are varied, beef bourguignon, gammon, pork belly, local speciality sausages for examples, each beautifully prepared and served with a choice of rice, potatoes or the speciality façon. The latter for us is a must try accompaniment to the main dish unless you are on the strictest of regimes, potato and prunes in butter, pressed and wrapped in cured ham before being sliced and lightly fried, it tastes divine.

FINE DINING	★☆☆☆☆
TRADITIONAL ALPINE DINING	★★★★★
RESTAURANT CHARM & TRADITION	★★★★★
ALFRESCO DINING	★★☆☆☆
LOCATION & VIEWS	★★★★☆
VALUE	★★★★☆
GUIDELINE PRICES (2 COURSES)	€30 to €45
TELEPHONE	+33 4 50 54 07 52
TABLE RESERVATION	Essential