Where to find delicious street food
A sunny living room for city dwellers
When the weather is nice, there is nothing better than to meet up with some friends and have a bite to eat outdoors. City streets become a sunny living room and benches become sofas, attracting both locals and visitors from Slovenia and abroad.
We all love variety. Street food is no longer just a solution for people in a hurry, it has become a special kind of treat. Sometimes you simply prefer the lively street atmosphere to the intimacy of a restaurant.
Photo: Jošt Gantar
Various street food festivals most often take place on Fridays
In the capital city, every Friday brings an opportunity to meet with people on Pogačarjev trg (Pogačar square), where the Odprta Kuhna (Open Kitchen) culinary market opens in the warmer months, whenever the weather allows it. The best food providers from all corners of Slovenia present their specialities. You can enjoy breakfast, brunch, a quick snack during lunchtime, or a relaxed lunch with friends. Some people come to grab a bite after work, others meet up for dinner. You can choose from a wide variety of dishes from different regions and different cuisines, and pair them with just as wide a variety of drinks: healthy smoothies, excellent wine, refreshing beer, the always popular kombucha, homemade gin, the list goes on and on.
The ambiance at Odprta kuhna in Ljubljana
Photo: Jošt Gantar
A couple of times per year, Odprta Kuhna visits other Slovenian cities, such as Koper, Novo mesto, Slovej Gradec, Nova Gorica, Vipava, Celje, and Ptuj. Elsewhere, similar local projects have put down roots, for example Kamniški kulinarični večeri (Kamnik culinary nights) in Kamnik, and Kuhna na plac (Kitchen on the square) in Domžale.
Similar but more mobile street food culinary festivals are organised on four wheels. Food truck meetings, which attract many visitors, are organised in several locations in Slovenia under different names, such as Kuhanu na koles’h (Cooked on wheels) in Novo mesto, or Street Food Market in Maribor.
Photo: Urban Urbanc
Delicious street food any day of the week
There are also the classic street food vendors, where you can grab a bite to eat at any time, perfect for people who want a quality meal on the go. You can find several places just a short walk from the central Ljubljana market. One such special place is Klobasarna. The star of their menu is one single delicacy, the famous kranjska klobasa (Carniolan sausage) with protected appellation of origin. This is the same sausage that Sunita Williams, former astronaut with Slovenian roots, took with her to space. In Klobasarna, your sausage will be served in the traditional manner: with mustard, grated horseradish, and a white bread roll.
Photo: Matevž Kostanjšek
In recent years, there has been a boom of burger places, even vegan or vegetarian version, for example at Kucha in Ljubljana or at the Organic Garden bistro. The locals swear by the burgers from Hood burger, Lars & Sven, or Pop’s place, where all the ingredients are carefully selected and mostly local. In Kranj, you should sample the burgers at Projekt burger, and in Maribor at Jack&Joe.
Even though Ljubljana is not on the coast, excellent seafood coming directly from the Adriatic sea could be found in Ljubljana for the last few centuries. Today is no different, and there is even seafood-based street food. One such popular vendor is Vinko at the central Ljubljana market, who serves the best fish in the city, as he likes to point out, from his food truck Ribice Vinko Privileggio. We recommend the fried picarels or sardines. Those can also be found in the Old city centre, at a place with a simple name and excellent menu: Vino & ribe (Wine&fish).
