Cervinia's restaurants split into two kinds: high-altitude mountain huts serving polenta, hot chocolate, and grilled meats to skiers, and the village restaurants below, which range from casual pizzerias to a few more serious places working with Aosta Valley produce. Local specialities to look for include fontina cheese (everywhere — in fondue, in polenta concia, on top of veal), carbonade (slow-cooked beef in red wine), and Mocetta cured beef.
On the mountain, the Plan Maison area has a cluster of refuges with terraces. In the village, look for places off the main pedestrian street if you want value; the front-row restaurants charge a premium for the location.