Ever since chef Ana Roš showed off the lush green mountains and turquoise blue rivers of her native Slovenia in a 2016 episode of Chef’s Table, travelers and gastronomes alike have been curious about this lesser-known corner of Europe. Touching both the Alps and the Adriatic and bordered by the cultures and foods of Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia, Slovenia’s varied terroir is inspiring the country’s newest generation of chefs, who have put sustainable farming and local artisan producers at the heart of their cuisine.
The destination has also caught the eye of critics. In 2020, the Michelin Guide bestowed its first-ever stars to six of Slovenia’s top restaurants, including two stars for Roš’s now world-renowned Hiša Franko. The country currently holds the title of European Region of Gastronomy 2021, and the newly inaugurated European Food Summit has decided to make Slovenia its home, returning to the capital of Ljubljana in November 2021 for its second outing.
Ljubljana is where much of the gastronomic excitement is happening. “Ljubljana isn’t the hottest food destination in Europe yet, but it’s becoming one of the hot destinations, thanks to the new generation coming out strong on the gastronomic scene,” says Roš, “[These chefs are] discovering the surrounding areas and the farmers, which is an important part of developing a gastronomic tradition. It’s interesting to see the growing up of a region that has never had fine dining traditions, and I believe it’s related to this young and curious generation.”
Here’s how to plan a weekend trip to Ljubljana, Slovenia, where the city's best contemporary restaurants—advance reservations are recommended—are attracting visitors from around the world.
[Editor's note: As of July 15, U.S. travelers can enter Slovenia if they meet the RVT (recovered-vaccinated-tested) requirements, in addition to completing a Digital Passenger Locator Form. Find the complete entry requirements here.]
Getting there
Fly into the city’s only airport, Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (more commonly referred to as Ljubljana Airport). Shuttle buses are available just outside Terminal B, which will take you directly to the city center in around 40 minutes. Official taxis are also available at designated spots, and can be identified by special permits on their windshields. If you’re traveling around Slovenia, it is highly recommended to rent a car—there are many rental agencies available at the airport.
Where to eat
For breakfast swing by Pekarna Osem, easily spotted by its distinctive figure-eight shop sign (osem means eight and pekarna means bakery in Slovenian) to pick up sourdough loaves fermented for up to 16 hours. Then grab croissants to go with a kick of caffeine from Tri Marije, an artisan coffee truck in Ljubljana’s central market.
Next up is chef Jorg Zupan’s Atelje, currently Ljubljana’s only Michelin star restaurant. Head over at lunch for set menus that won’t break the bank (two courses for under $30) and to sample dishes that range from the classic to the creative. Expect anything from rabbit leg, mushroom ragout, and leek soup with pear to curveball desserts such as pumpkin mousse, marshmallow ice cream, and caramel popcorn. This is also the time of day when you’ll catch the team in a more relaxed “free-flow approach,” according to Zupan, which tends to bring up some nice surprises.
Come dinner time, the hardest part will be choosing where to go. One of the most creative restaurants in the city is TaBar, which serves tapas and natural wine. Chef Jakob Pintar tends to his vegetables on a farm owned by Luka Košir of the one-Michelin-starred Grič in Šentjošt, before serving them up in unexpected ways. Trust the team on what to order from an ever-changing selection of dishes, or go all in with the five-course tasting menu. While you’re booking TaBar, make a reservation at Monstera as well: After training at Le Cordon Bleu and cutting his teeth at Paris’s Michelin-starred establishments, chef Bine Volčič has now returned to his native Slovenia to receive rave reviews at his Ljubljana restaurant, named after his childhood plant. This is a tasting-menu-only spot—enjoy the journey through Volčič’s inventive vision of modern European cuisine with dishes like local beef tartare served with seasonal flavors of mushrooms, radishes, blackcurrants, and figs or cuttlefish "gnocchi" with kimchi and raspberries.
Lastly, it’s hard not to be charmed by the traditional and cozy interiors of steakhouse Čompa, where the signature dish is a starter of seasoned raw fillets that lets the quality of the local meat shine. Steaks are lightly cooked to perfection over the grill, and don't miss the potatoes baked in embers.
Where to drink
For a small country Slovenia packs a punch with its wine offerings, particularly those from small artisan producers who champion natural and biodynamic wines. Restaurants such as TaBar and Breg, the new everyday bistro from Atelje chef Zupan, have extensive wine lists designed to take you on a journey through Slovenia’s diverse vineyards. Make sure to try at least one glass of the fantastic orange wines and sparkling pét-nats. Also worth a visit is family-owned Wine Bar Šuklje, which sells wines from Slovenia and around the world and even have their own vineyards in Bela Krajina, Slovenia’s smallest wine region (the vineyard is open for visits by appointment).
Ljubljana’s thriving craft beer scene is shown to full effect at Lajbah, where an impressive 23 Slovenian beers and ales are permanently on tap. The pub works with some of Slovenia’s best microbreweries to curate the ever-changing selection. After dark, sip on craft cocktails at retro-style bar Kolibri where a seasonal menu is inspired by traditional recipes for tinctures, bitters, and herbal remedies.
Where to stock up on Slovenian food goods
Kraševka is a one-stop shop for packing your suitcase with traditional Slovenian food, from homemade charcuterie like Karst pršut, an air-dried ham made in the Karst region, cheeses flavored with local juniper berries, pickled olives, and oils from Istria. It also has a deliciously boozy selection of Slovenian wines and traditional liqueurs—ask for a tasting if you can’t decide whether you want your brandy blended with walnut, wild cherries, or forest blueberry.
Over at Honey House, fourth-generation beekeeper Luka Krevs sells 100 percent pure Slovenian honey from hives on his own farm, and from local beekeeping friends who still produce honey in the traditional way. Look out for honey pots filled with nuts or dried fruits, a Slovenian blend used to top everything from yogurt and toast at breakfast, to ice cream, pancakes, and cheese. At Piranske Soline, pick up varieties of Slovenia’s famed Piran Salt, harvested using nearly 700-year-old methods from salt pans outside the coastal town of Piran.
Once you've eaten your way around Ljubljana, hop in your car and keep going—from the Soča Valley, known for Tolminc cheese and trout fished from the emerald green Soča River, to Štajerska wine region, home to the world's oldest vine. There's no way to go hungry—or thirsty—in this country.
