In Slovenia, we like to eat - and we like to eat well - but our personal favorite thing to do is to introduce newcomers to the delights of the local cuisine. And what better way to do that than a tour of the best Slovenian restaurants?
From classic traditional dishes to modern fusion menus, this tour will introduce you to the top rated restaurants in Slovenia: from Gostilna pri Lojzetu with chef Tomaž Kavčič which was awarded the best restaurant in Slovenia in 2019 by Gault & Milau to the Strelec Restaurant, situated inside one of the towers of Ljubljana Castle and offering a stunning view of the city.
If you do not wish to miss one of the hottest chefs in Slovenia from the celebrated Hiša Franko (headed by Ana Roš, named world’s best female chef in 2017), make sure you are booking early and we can arrange an extra day in the beautiful Soča Valley.
All together, you will be able to enjoy exquisite meals in some 15 unique restaurants while staying in equally luxurious hotels. If that sounds just like your idea of a week well spent, we agree - and we can’t wait to have you here!
Start your gourmet holiday in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Head out on a walking tour of this vibrant city through its old town and visit all the main sights and attractions. Finish the tour at Ljubljana Castle with some of the best views of the town and a gourmet dinner to start your delicious journey through Slovenian cuisine at one of the best restaurants in town.
Ljubljana Central Market is a bustling place, where you can feel the town’s pulse browsing through the covered markets, fish market and the open fresh produce market, where stands with delicious local fruits and vegetables buzz with the local crowd. Enjoy lunch at a bistro in the old town made with top-notch seasonal ingredients marked by the zero-waste cuisine concept from under the hands of a famous Slovenian chef. Enjoy a leisurely afternoon with time to yourself and become part of Ljubljana’s lively cafe scene and then join a wine tasting experience of Slovenian wines. Get spoiled with another gourmet dinner at a high-end restaurant with a unique and creative menu. Optionally, you can replace the wine tasting and dinner with a Slovenian culinary workshop and learn how to prepare traditional Slovenian dishes.
Lake Bled is one of the most popular attractions in Slovenia and we will make sure you don’t miss out! You will spend the morning on the lake, enjoying a private traditional pletna boat ride to the island. Afterwards, we will visit Bled Castle, perched on a cliff with some of the best views of the lake, a museum, and a lovely restaurant with carefully selected traditional dishes, where we will stop for lunch. Spend a free afternoon at Lake Bled for some walking, relaxing or shopping. After we return to Ljubljana, you will have dinner at a hip restaurant, popular with locals as well as visitors.
Some of the best wines in Slovenia come from the Goriška Brda wine region. Your visit to this charming region will include stops in the medieval villages of Gonjače and Šmartno with wonderful views of the rolling hills covered in vineyards. We will make two stops at family run wineries, meeting the local winemakers and tasting their wines. Between the stops, you will have lunch at a traditional restaurant, famous for its seasonal menus with local and home-grown ingredients. To top things off, your overnight stay will be in a small boutique chateau with its own wine cellar if you wish to continue tasting wines from all over the region and a fantastic restaurant.
After an easy morning, you will visit the neighbouring Vipava, an idyllic valley famous for its fruits, rustic villages and gourmet delights. Your lunch will be a slow-food culinary experience created by a creative Slovenian chef in the unique setting of Zemono Manor, spoiling your taste buds with a mixture of molecular gastronomy and authentic flavours of the area. But this will not be the only highlight of the day, as we will stop at a local biodynamic winemaker, whose cellar is located in a spectacular setting, only enhancing the delicious flavours of the organic wines. We will end the day in Portorož, the most popular resort on the Slovenian coast.
Albeit small, the Slovenian coastline offers a plethora of experiences connected with its rich culinary history. Once an important producer of sea salt, the area of Piran is still proud of its active traditional salt production, located in what is today a protected nature reserve. In the very same bay, a fish farm specialised in sea bass with a unique and creative organic approach emerged and they love to share their story through visits and culinary workshops. Another typical product of the Slovenian coast is olive oil and what better way to experience the production than a tour of the groves and the press in a vintage van, driving through the hills, accompanied by the passionate olive oil producers.
Leave the coast and head to the southeasternmost end of Slovenia to a picturesque town of Brežice and the charming region of Dolenjska. Stop for lunch at a family-run restaurant with a cosy rural atmosphere and an innovative approach to traditional cuisine. Continue to Otočec Castle, a medieval fortification that is now a luxury hotel with a superb restaurant. It is located on a river island in the heart of this green region, a real haven for relaxation in nature. Enjoy some free time in the afternoon and get ready for another exquisite dinner at the castle.
Enjoy a relaxing morning of your last day before departing from Otočec. If you are keen on more gourmet experiences, we recommend choosing a slow-food experience in a unique restaurant just outside of Ljubljana, where fun times and satisfied tastes are guaranteed.
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