This summer, a new restaurant opens deep in the South Tyrolean mountains, in Italy, inside a cave. Named YERA, the project is the latest step by Teresa and Stefan Hinteregger, the couple behind the FORESTIS retreat, and signals a striking evolution in forest-based dining. Chef Roland Lamprecht, known for his natural, hyper-seasonal style, calls it a “next level” of forest cuisine.
YERA isn’t just hidden in the forest, it’s built into the mountain itself. Invisible from the outside, it’s a space designed for focus and connection. A small path behind the historic FORESTIS building leads up to a door that opens into something unexpected: a restaurant shaped by silence, soil, and the natural rhythms of the land.
The cave draws inspiration from the surrounding landscape, especially the reddish earth of the Peiterkofel mountain, which forms both the floor and walls. The roof’s wooden structure is shaped like the inside of an overturned boat, while seating is arranged in a circle around a central fire pit.
The name YERA comes from the language of the Rhaetian Celts and means ‘harvest’. Thousands of years ago, it marked the most significant time of the year, when nature’s work turned into nourishment. That sense of rhythm and renewal runs through every part of the YERA experience.
There’s no set menu, no courses in traditional order. Dishes are served around the central fire, created live by Chef Lamprecht and his team at four surrounding altars. Each dish is made using ingredients gathered from the forest and surrounding Alpine region—preserved, dried, or fermented in advance to be used year-round.
Chef Lamprecht said, “We use the time from spring to fall to fill our pantries, basically like I did at home when I was a little boy. We collect berries, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, and needles from spruce, pine, larch, and mountain pine trees—everything that nature and the forest have to offer—and then we process everything using various techniques so that we can enjoy the harvest even in the dark months of the year.”
FORESTIS, located at 1,800 meters above sea level, already reflects a deep connection to its natural setting. Built beside a 1912 Alpine Art Nouveau building, the modern towers of the hideaway blend with the forest, designed not to rise above the treetops. Inside, the design is stripped back—local wood, light tones, and nothing to distract from the view of the Dolomites.
Now, YERA takes that philosophy even further. At this cave restaurant, even the tableware is custom-made, and there’s no standard cutlery. Small wooden sticks are used to eat, or simply hands. Tree trunks serve as tables, reinforcing the raw and grounded feeling of the space.
Chef Lamprecht explains further, “We harvest what surrounds us and create a variety of new combinations. The mixture of different local forest herbs and natural products from the surrounding regions provides a new form of flavor.”
The drinks follow the same thinking—homemade, low-alcohol (never above 5%), and served to match the dishes. Fermentation is key, not just in the kitchen, but also in the glasses. The goal is a full sensory experience, but one that’s not overwhelming—just deeply human and grounded.
“We do nothing different from our ancestors. We use traditional techniques such as fermenting, salting, drying, smoking, and working with low temperatures and infusions. We use old techniques in a modern way. We prepare the food in front of the guests,” says Chef Lamprecht. “We look forward to new encounters in what is probably the most extraordinary restaurant in the world.”
YERA isn’t just another fine dining destination—it’s an intentional shift toward old-world practices in a highly controlled setting. The restaurant eliminates distractions, removes modern dining formalities, and places nature and seasonality at the center. Chef Lamprecht’s approach—cooking with ingredients he forages, using methods that preserve knowledge and minimize waste—speaks to a larger conversation happening in food today, what it means to be grounded, sustainable, and forward-looking without losing sight of where it all began.
