The best restaurants Southwest

A charming little address that shines with quality Neapolitan pizzas and a modest menu featuring dishes such as homemade beef ravioli with béchamel sauce, or a revisit of vegetarian moussaka with burrata and parmesan. Starters are accompanied by wood-fired sourdough bread in the form of turnovers. Dishes are served in original, colorful crockery. Sweet tooths won't be disappointed by the Basque cheesecake or babka hazelnut cream. Freshness guaranteed!

Restaurant of Italian specialities with a very nice high ceiling room with modern decoration and a large terrace facing the Adriatic. Warm service, quality products, delicious preparations. Special mention to the homemade desserts which are true works of art, as beautiful as they are good, there is a real pastry chef in the kitchen! If only for a gourmet break, it is highly recommended to stop by. A great address. We will simply regret not having booked because, in summer, it is quickly full!

On the harbor, above the rowing club, the restaurant's dominant position offers breathtaking panoramic views of the sea, the marina and its sunsets... when the big cruise ships aren't obstructing the view. Well-located, in direct contact with the day's arrivals, the Skipper had to offer quality fisherman's cuisine. The à la carte menu includes seafood platters and fried fish, octopus and soup salad, shellfish risotto, squid, etc., accompanied by a local white wine by the jug. Grilled meat and French fries are also available.

Pri Lojzetu is one of the country's flagship establishments. The restaurant is located in a vaulted cellar in the basement of the beautiful Zernovo mansion. He's famous for his slow food cuisine. Here, the chef Tomaž Kavčič puts all his talent at the service of a permanent search for gastronomic harmony. And to say the least, it's a success! Don't miss the homemade mini-gnocchi with local cheese and wild chicory, or the pork shoulder cooked at low temperature with homemade honey. A must-have, no doubt about it.

It is in Podgorje after 8 km long straight lines to finish, after leaving the Koper - Ljubljana axis or vice versa. A hostel below Mount Slavnik, with rooms without special accents, but offering authentic and tasty local cuisine based on fresh products. Game is in honor, the "fuži" are house, mushrooms are in the corner. It's literary, it's a pity that you've got a good address in Istria.

It is rather difficult to find a nice culinary address in Postojna, many pass by... and yet the exception is here. Štorja is a modern bistro that offers elaborate tasting menus for gourmets, but also a more modest menu at low prices without compromising the quality of the offer. A small menu means a small production for an artisanal food and faithful to the culinary heritage with sometimes a whimsical mix of flavors. We can only warmly recommend this nugget.

The Grand Hotel Portorož café is open to all. Its large room with a beautiful glass vault is much appreciated on rainy days or when it's too cool to sit out on the terrace. The snack bar offers a variety of pizzas and sandwiches, as well as several savory tarts and salads, while the café gourmands menu is very tempting and varied: plenty of fruity tarts, also with chocolate, caramel, almond, etc., macaroons, cakes, sponge cakes or ice creams. The master pastry chef also caters for people with food intolerances.

The Triglav confectionery and tearoom, an old-established business with a long tradition, is sure to tempt you with its range of cookies, viennoiseries and cakes, accompanied by coffee or hot chocolate, tea or soft drinks, with or without alcohol. To be enjoyed on site, on the pleasant terrace overlooking the sea. Don't miss out on the gelateria of the same name just across the street, where the same company makes top-quality ice creams and sorbets. You can also order breakfast.

A restaurant with a strong Italian and Mediterranean identity. Refined pizzas with fresh ingredients imported from Italy, but also a wide range of seafood dishes with octopus, shellfish, white fish... Its proximity to Motovun on the border means that the menu includes a few dishes with fresh truffles and the use of Istria's famous pasta, pljukanci . There's something for everyone.

Glasswort is a plant that grows in salt marshes and in Škocjan Bay. Right on the edge of this nature reserve is this restaurant specializing in the flavors of the sea. While shellfish, fish and other seafood can be difficult to present aesthetically, that's not a problem here. Each plate rivals in elegance, and the deliberately concise menu allows for this sophistication and refinement. To complete the experience, a sommelier is on hand to expertly match food and wine!

Let yourself be tempted by the authentic flavors of Slovenian Istria and the Adriatic, with their taste of salt and rosemary. On the terrace or indoors: attentive, quality service in a white tablecloth atmosphere. With a view over the vineyards, this is a well-known address for locals. You'll find the famous fuzi, the typical Istrian pasta with truffles, or grilled fish from the day's catch. The surprise? Rather low prices for the service, which makes it difficult to get in without a reservation.

Just around the corner, this tiny sushi store is run by businesswomen determined to make a name for themselves in a country where this type of food is still relatively unknown. Fans will find tasty, freshly-crafted nigiri, maki, california rolls... and even classic, vegetarian or vegan poke bowls, all at very affordable prices, but above all to take away! Of course, a few tables are available on site, but the real luxury is to enjoy them facing the sea, isn't it?

At Pri Tinetu, you almost only come across locals! And with good reason, as the place is reminiscent of a rural corner bar, it's all about good food. It's a decision that works, as the tables fill up every lunchtime for the day's offering of just a few dishes at really modest prices. Portions are generous and presented without fuss. The service is friendly, and everyone leaves satisfied with a taut belly and a rinsed-out gullet, with an overall score that makes you want to share the good deal.

It's the restaurant of the Kempinski palace-hotel, as much a Mecca of gastronomy, which has been awarded a Michelin plate. Inspired by the Italian film diva, it is named after Sophia Loren. Here, you'll find traditional transalpine recipes, concocted with products from the region's seaside or terroir. Revamped by the chef's brigade, the elegant table offers a menu of Mediterranean dishes, enhanced by exotic and refined Asian flavors. Reservations recommended.

Superb inn behind Vipava's main square, near the pond where one of the town's rivers appears... Filled with trout - one of the house's many specialties. This charming address offers culinary specialties from the Vipava valley, based on traditional recipes, with a modern touch in preparation and presentation. The ingredients are mostly local, and there's a selection of the best local wines, with no fewer than 70 labels to choose from. The perfect place to discover the region's terroir!

Just across the street from the wine fountain, Gostilna Karjola is prized for the excellence of its traditional dishes, as well as those based on modern European cuisine. The welcome is friendly, and the local accent is emphasized by the use of refošk in certain dishes, including the famous Beefsteak Karjola. This local grape variety is the pride and joy of the village in its own right. After your meal, if you still have room, we recommend lingering for dessert at the Refoškoladnica patisserie shop next door, for one last refošk-flavored sweet.

Simply the best fish restaurant in the region. Plates are presented simply and without extravagance, and service includes a demonstration of how to cut fresh products at the table. There's no meat here, and only three- to nine-course menus. Immersion is total, with staff who know both the menu and the associated wine list. We can only recommend advance reservations, as the restaurant enjoys a fine reputation.

Probably the hippest place in town, Kogo restaurant is located right next door to the Vina Koper boutique: they share the same entrance hall. The decor is resolutely trendy, and what happens on the plate is not to be outdone, as it entered the Michelin guide in 2023 for its superb quality of service. Carefully presented Istrian cuisine and attentive service. Every weekday lunchtime, you can dine here at very reasonable prices thanks to the daily selection, which can be viewed in advance on the Instagram page.

In the Koper countryside, a large private property has been renovated for this luxury establishment, renowned in the region. Reservations are required for both rooms and restaurant, as weddings and ministerial receptions are often held here. Try your luck if you like gourmet Slovenian cuisine, meticulous fish preparation, rare gourmet products (seafood platters, game, truffles), served with a list of excellent regional, Italian or French wines.

Pretty room decorated in a rustic and traditional way: it feels like a lunch at a famous mamma's house. As you will have understood, the dishes here are mainly Italian. We will enjoy one of the highlights of the chef's menu, a risotto with octopus and white wine, a veritable explosion of flavours that create an astonishing harmony. Rare fact: homemade desserts - especially the famous tiramisù - are worth a visit. The prices are not given but frankly accessible in view of the chef's talent.