The best restaurants Slovenia

Timetable

They are quite similar to those in France. For lunch, restaurants are generally open from noon to 2.30pm, and for dinner, between 7pm and 10pm. Inns, on the other hand, serve non-stop from 11am to 10pm. Establishments are often closed on Mondays and Sundays, except in larger cities.

Budget & Tips

There are four main types of accommodation in Slovenia. They can be classified by price category. Theokrepcevalnica offers simple, quick meals from 5 €. The gostilna offers traditional dishes, often rustic, with dishes around 10 €. The gostisce, a kind of more upscale inn, serves more elaborate dishes that will cost you an average of a dozen euros. Finally, the restavracija, a real restaurant, will offer more noble and refined dishes with prices sometimes reaching 15/20 € for a main course. However, the budget varies according to the region, the reputation of the establishment and the quality of its cuisine.

Finnish company Wolt (www.wolt.com/en/svn), the equivalent of Uber Eats or Deliveroo in France, set up in 2019 in Slovenia's major cities. Thanks to the online site or via the app, it is possible to have dishes delivered in just under an hour from a hundred partner restaurants. The prepayment is made online, and then the order is delivered to the desired address in an eco-responsible way by a deliveryman on a bicycle. Very practical after an exhausting day!

What costs extra

Bread is included on most tables. The same applies to the cutlery and water, which is always free and always served with the coffee. VAT is charged on food and drink in Slovenia, so tips, although advisable when an address appeals to you, are by no means obligatory.

The local way

Specialties of the Balkans, the bureks are a kind of delicacy. They are found with fresh cheese, meat, pizza or spinach. New sweet versions are now available. Cheap and invigorating, they are the perfect way to fill a small snack. Of course, they are also sold in Ljubljana's small fast-food restaurants. The most popular in the city, and probably the best, are the ones from Olimpija and Nobel, which have been competing for the market for a long time. The main advantage is that they are both open at all hours of the day and night. Perfect for late sleepers or early risers! A portion of burek will cost you the modest sum of 2 €.

On the coast, don't be surprised to receive a small bowl of Piran flower of salt at the beginning of your meal. It is the tradition in the good establishments of the coast.

Kids

They are welcome everywhere in Ljubljana and throughout the country, even if special menus are not always dedicated to them.

Smokers

Smoking is well tolerated on the terrace.

Tourist traps

The few establishments that are bringing tourists to the more visited places should be avoided.