Top 10 Places in Ljubljana for Food and Drink

Restaurants

Gostilna SOKOL - If you are looking to sample traditional Slovenian cuisine, this is the place for you. Gostlina Sokol have a large base menu which offers a large variety of meals. However, the clever thing about this restaurant is that they also have a tourist menu, where they have created a selection of traditional Slovenian 3 Course Menu selections, which allow the tourist a taste of Slovenia without having to try to choose from their large menu. I do not eat a lot of meat, so I opted for menu 3 which is all vegetable based and I would highly recommend it. Located a short walk from the famous Triple Bride, the walk to and from this restaurant is scenic and serene. The restaurant is also located a short walk from Robbov Vodnjak, an 18th Century fountain, adornished with sculptures . I would recommend passing by on your way to or from your meal as it is very beautiful.

Most - This was the first restaurant I ate at when I arrived in Ljubljana. I didn't know what was on offer at this point but I knew I wanted to go to the Old Town. Along the banks of the Ljubljanica River, I came across Most. It was a slightly more expensive place, but the food looked amazing and after a full day of travelling, I was willing to pay the price for good food. I would say however, that this is far from the most expensive place I had seen but I was travelling on a budget. The restaurant's rustic charm was what originally captured my eye. You had the option to sit indoors but the weather was lovely so I opted to sit in the sun on their terrace. I ordered Tagliatelle Most with a gin and tonic, followed by Parfait Most for dessert. I rate this restaurant highly. the service was excellent and the views of the river and the old town was incredibly relaxing. I think it is definitely worth paying the extra money if you feel like indulging yourself. If you are looking for locally sourced, deliciously prepared meals, then this is the place for you.

Tokyo Piknik - I went to this restaurant by recommendation of a friend of mine. Of course, if you are only looking to sample Slovenian food then this is not the place for you. However, for those of you planning on staying in Ljubljana a bit longer and who will have more time so try other cuisines, or if you just like Japanese food: Tokyo Piknik is truly excellent. I ordered a Donburi bowl which was a feast of rice, scrambled egg, chicken and vegetables. I also had a side of Gyozas (one of my favourite Japanese dishes) which were done to perfection and served with soy dip. Where I live in Dundee, there are not many Japanese restaurants, so I really enjoyed having some on my trip.

Pizzerias and Burgers

Aroma - I'm sure we can all relate when I say that one night I just really had a craving for pizza. I went for a walk in the old town with a group of my friends on the hunt for a pizzeria and eventually came across Aroma. They had a large selection of pizza toppings and were willing to take things off for the fussy people in the group. Our waiter was very funny and cheeky, he made all of us laugh and really added to the experience with some playful banter at the expense of one of our friends.

Fany & Mary

Fany & Mary sign

Fany & Mary - For those of you on a budget but looking for good food, Fany & Mary is located next door to Most. This small but p[pleasant restaurant offers burgers, pizza and friendly wait staff who have the typical cheeky Slovenian sense of humour and who can speak pretty good English. Their chicken burger was incredible. I have no idea what type of sauce they put on this burger but it was absolutely delicious. I would definitely recommend a visit here If you are craving comfort food. Look out for their funny signs outside!

Café

Lolita - Lolita is without a doubt the most beautiful café that I have ever set foot in. It's interior is beautifully decorated in a way that feels very feminine and boudoir, with large cherry- shaped lampshades. The café's décor is almost Parisian in style, with white walls and pops of colour here and there. The addition of a ceiling canopy in an incredibly attractive, eclectic print, is really what makes Lolita so unique. The freshly made desserts and cakes on offer here are just as stunning as the café itself - and are absolutely DELICIOUS! They are so attractive however, that it's almost hard not to eat them. however, I PROMISE that you DO want to take a bite. You will not be disappointed. I also had a coffee here alongside the decadent Tiramisu rosette that I selected from their dessert cabinet, after much deliberation.

Desserts

Kararna Cacao - During my trip, it reached around 26 Degrees (Celsius). On this day, I was in the city centre doing research for my sustainability course and I walked past Kararna Cacao, an ice cream and dessert bar. I was tempted by the large queue. 'With a queue that size, it MUST be good', I thought. Let me tell you I was not disappointed. I ordered their pistachio flavoured ice cream, two scoops. I had not however, realised quite how large these scoops were going to be. I reckon that one would have been plenty, but this didn't stop me polishing it off. It was truly delicious. I rushed off after ordering my cone from the outdoor stall because I had a lot of things to do that day, so I did not realise until later that Cacao actually has an indoor dessert bar in addition to their ice cream stall outside, it is located right across the street. I did not get that chance to visit, but I would recommend giving it a go if you are passing by. If their ice cream is any indication, their desserts are sure to be fantastic.

Drinks

Chill Out - If you love rum, you will love chill out. This bar serves Havana in every way you can possibly think of. I myself had a few rum cocktails which were amazing. Apart from that, there is not much else to say; it's a lovely bar with views of the river, great servers and it really does have a chilled atmosphere.

Captain's Cabin - I did indulge in Ljubljana's night life on two or three nights. Usually, I would be looking to try somewhere new every night. However, the first night I went out my friends and I chose to visit this bar and we loved it so much that we retuned any night we were able to have a lie in the next day. Captain's Cabin is a small but very lively bar in the centre of Ljubljana. It is tucked up an alleyway, which adds to the atmosphere. You feel as if you have discovered a secret gem. It is a pirate themed bar, located underground. The drinks here were reasonably priced, especially seeing as most things were 2 for 1 and there was a long list of cocktails to choose from. The best part about this bar was that you are the DJ: the bar have an iPad set up with apple music and you just pick your songs. This was so much fun and brought the whole bar together even thought we didn't all know one another. We met numerous groups of people and got to know them by creating play lists for the night. The bar staff are also freindly and willing to join in the party. I had an excellent time every time I visited this bar and would recommend it to anyone!

Makalonca - The best thing about Makalonca is that it is accessed through an underground restaurant. Their terrace stretched along the walls of the Ljubljanica river's canal. You can sit under parasols on the balcony and look out over the water. I ordered gin and tonic here and they did not skimp on the measure of gin, so it was very good value for money.Would recommend this if you just want to relax and chat, their coffee is also excellent.

Honourable Mentions

Other excellent restaurant I tried;

Manna | Pop's Place

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Places I Missed

I found out about these places from other on the trip of from reading reviews after I returned home to Scotland. I wish I had known about them during my trip as they all sound fantastic. I thought I would included them here for anyone who is looking for other places to try.

Namasté | Kavarna Tiskarna | Pritlicje | aRoma Gelato Experience | Julija

#Ljubljana #Slovenia