FORESTIS, the five-star mountain retreat in South Tyrol, announces the launch of YERA, an immersive dining experience created by owners Teresa and Stefan Hinteregger and Executive Chef, Roland Lamprecht. Hidden within the forest and built into the mountainside, it offers a unique exploration of forest cuisine inspired by the rhythms and harvests of the surrounding alpine nature.
Restaurant Design
Accessed by a discreet mountain path behind the historic FORESTIS house, YERA invites guests into a subterranean dining space sculpted directly from the red earth of Peitlerkofel mountain. The restaurant is concealed from view, honouring ancient craftsmanship and echoing the protective cave structures once built by early settlers. Named after the word for ‘harvest’ in the language of the Rhaetian Celts, YERA marks the celebration of the forest’s bounty – a moment when seasons meet and the cycle of nature is renewed.
The cave’s interior showcases natural design, shaped by the elements and landscape. Red mountain earth defines the floors and walls, while the wooden structure of the ceiling evokes the hull of an upturned boat. At its centre, a ceremonial fire pit brings people together to share a ritual of nourishment and storytelling. Guests dine in circular formation, reflecting the ancient tradition of community around fire.
A return to the roots of cooking
At YERA, Executive Chef Roland Lamprecht redefines his forest cuisine – an evolving culinary language built on ingredients foraged from the local forest and preserved using traditional methods. In place of a traditional tasting menu, dishes are served in a flowing rhythm throughout the evening from the central fire and four surrounding open kitchens. There is no linear structure, only the progression of seasons, harvest, and sensory discovery.
Using ingredients like wild mushrooms, spruce needles, coltsfoot, and birch sap, Lamprecht’s team prepares intricate compositions with ancestral techniques including fermenting, drying, salting and low-temperature infusions. Guests are encouraged to eat with their hands, or with custom wooden utensils crafted especially for YERA. Tree trunks serve as communal tables.
Each dish is paired with a homemade, low-alcohol drink, crafted through natural fermentation and containing no more than 5% ABV. These elixirs form part of the menu narrative, weaving taste, and ritual into a unified dining experience. No element is incidental, everything is sourced, crafted and served with reverence for the land and its stories.
A philosophy of preservation and place
For Lamprecht, YERA is not only a restaurant but a living tribute to Alpine heritage. ‘We do nothing differently than our ancestors – we only see it anew,’ he says. ‘The forest gives us everything we need. We simply listen.’
Guests can expect to share conversation directly with the culinary team, who prepare many of the dishes live and invite participation in the experience. The architecture, cuisine, and philosophy converge to offer a rare and immersive encounter – a ceremony in the forest, and a meal that reconnects guests with the ancient rhythm of the land.
YERA is the second chapter in a series of new openings at FORESTIS, following the announcement of the FORESTIS Villa in December 2024.
