What and where to eat

Eat in a gostilna, the traditional Slovenian inn, and look for the daily menu (dnevno kosilo) served between 12 pm and 2 pm: soup, main and salad for €8-12. Traditional dishes cost €8-18, seafood on the coast €12-25.

The specialties to try

• Traditional dishes (€8-18): žlikrofi (Idrija-style ravioli), štruklji (rolled dumplings), jota (bean soup), ričet (barley stew) and kranjska klobasa, the Carniolan sausage.
• Mediterranean cuisine (€12-25): on the Adriatic coast, brancin (grilled sea bass), calamari and black risotto, with Slovenian Istrian olive oil.
• Pastries (€3-6): the kremšnita (Bled cream cake), potica (rolled nut bread, the national cake) and gibanica from Prekmurje.
• Wine and beer (€2-5 a glass): three wine regions, Primorska (orange wines), Podravje (aromatic whites) and Posavska (cviček rosé). Laško and Union are the local pilsners.
• Street food (€3-7): burek (meat or cheese pastry) is everywhere. In Ljubljana, Open Kitchen (Odprta Kuhna) gathers the country's best food trucks every Friday from March to October.
• Farm-inns (€12-20 a full meal): turistične kmetije serve cured meats, cheeses and homemade bread from the farm.

Where to eat, region by region

• Ljubljana: Gostilna na Gradu for Slovenian cuisine at the castle, Strelec for fine dining in the castle tower, and Open Kitchen on Fridays at Pogačar Square.
• Lake Bled: the kremšnita at Park Hotel, Slovenia's most famous dessert; Vila Preseren for refined lakeside dining; Gostilna Pri Planincu for traditional cuisine.
• Piran and the coast: ultra-fresh seafood in Piran and Izola, with Fritolin pri Cantini in Piran for grilled fish by the sea.
• Soča Valley: Hiša Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia's most famous restaurant, 2 Michelin stars by chef Ana Roš. Try walnut štruklji and Soča trout.
• Maribor and Styria: osmice (pop-up wine cellars) and zidanice (vineyard cottages) serve wine with charcuterie boards; Mak in Maribor for fine dining.

Good to know

A 5-10% tip is customary if you enjoyed the service. The Vipava Valley is worth a stop for its wine cellars and olive oil.

Key takeaway: lunch on the gostilna daily menu, keep one evening for a special table, and never leave Bled without a kremšnita.

Read the full guide