Restaurants in Ljubljana

One of the most glamorous restaurants in Ljubljana, boasting the motto “simple, but refined”, Atelje serves food that is simply sublime. With seasonal locally sourced ingredients and a dinner menu that changes on a daily basis, this is Slovenian fine dining at its best, so indulge.

Regarded by many locals as the city's best restaurant, Gostilna As combines first-rate service with understated luxury. They offer incredible dishes such as sea bass laced with fresh truffle and lamb chops glazed with wine sauce. The highlights are fresh seafood brought in from the coast, while the excellent domestic wine selection never fails to impress in this cosy and romantic venue.

Long a favourite of visiting businessmen, this classy fine-dining retreat tests the credit card; but the food is excellent. Perfectly cooked steaks and first-rate white fish come laced with delicate sauces or lifted even more with truffles. The wine list may just be the best in Ljubljana.

Restavracja Strelec will take you back to medieval times, thanks to the mix of its location in Ljubljana Castle’s picturesque Shooters Towers and the historical ambience inside. The dishes are carefully selected by Slovenian renowned chef Igor Jagodic and offer a fusion of typical Slovenian dishes and a choice of less conventional ‘castle dishes’. Booking a table is recommended, whether you opt for a tasting menu or go with the a la carte option.

For hearty traditional Slovenian cooking in Ljubljana’s charming Old Town, Gostilna Sokol is hard to beat. It may play unashamedly to the tourist crowd, but the portions are huge and the food is authentic. It’s as hearty and fun as the real countryside inns you’ll find dotted all over Slovenia.

One of Ljubljana’s chicest restaurants can be found on the first floor of a stylish hotel. In a modernist setting of silverfish colours overlooking the city centre, exquisite food is served up from a menu that changes daily. Expect the likes of risotto with red peppercorn, courgettes and ricotta, delicate grilled meats and superb Slovenian wine.

Located in one of the prettiest streets of Ljubljana, Manna offers contemporary Slovenian and Mediterranean cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With prices that won’t clear out your bank account, you should pair seasonal and locally-sourced dishes with a glass or two from Manna’s extensive wine list.

Offering delicious sandwiches, tasty salads and sumptuous soups, this cosy café now has four locations across the city, including one in the Cankar Centre (Cankarjev dom), perfect for a quick bite before or after a show.

Arguably one of the best burgers in Ljubljana. Using pasture-grazed beef and produce from the local farms, they cook your burger and chips to order. They are in four locations, including one that is just a block north from the Triple Bridge.

A real local favourite tucked away where the Bohemian suburbs of Krakovo and Trnovo meet. With a homely feel and outdoor seating, this little gem boasts real historical ambiance and Slovenian indigenous cuisine. There is no menu, but an array of daily specials often starting with a serving of venison pate or prosciutto, followed by mushroom soup and cuts of steaks and roasts. Apple strudel and layered pastries tend to conclude.

This funky little restaurant offers a smorgasbord of fresh sushi and sashimi. Offering everything from salmon caviar to spicy tuna rolls, it is a prime joint for fish lovers. The window seats are the place to see and be seen on this busy city centre thoroughfare.

For a relaxed evening and pizza that would do many restaurants in Italy proud, head to this friendly, rustic pizzeria a little way down the Ljubljanica river. With thin crust, fresh flavours and perfectly balanced tomato sauce, you might think you’ve accidentally crossed the Italian border.