Good in the mountains

It’s a challenge to conquer scenic peaks, for which you need good hearty food

While you walk to them, the food arrives there sometimes by air, on horses, by cable car or on the backs of mountaineers.

Don’t worry, you won’t only be served delicious typical hotpot dishes in Slovenian mountain huts. Many mountain hut keepers are masters at preparing home-made delights, such as štruklji, strudels and venison dishes. Many bake their own bread.

There are more than ten thousand kilometres of maintained hiking trails in Sloveniay and more than two thousand mountain trails. On these trails, 178 mountain huts can be found, intended for hikers and mountaineers. Some are also accessible by car for a good meal or a dessert. The best mountain huts according to visitors are usually distinguished by their typical cuisine.

High mountains, hills and lowlands: posts with typical dishes welcome hikers all over Slovenia

The friendliness and cooking skills of keepers are important criteria for the annual selection of the Best Mountain Hut in Slovenia.

Responsible hikers carry snacks and refreshments in their backpacks. But the delights found in mountain huts, which also offer accommodation, are frequently a superb award for ascending or climbing. Delicious food is often the real reason to visit vantage points.

Mountain huts offer hotpot dishes such as jota and ričet. The Pohorje Hills are, for example, known for the Pohorje hotpot. Sour milk and various žganci (mush) are available near mountain pastures. Certain huts are famous for their mushroom and venison dishes. In addition to štruklji, sweet delights include various strudels, scrambled pancakes and flancati (fried pastry). You can warm up with tea, made of herbs picked in the area surrounding the hut.

When wandering around Slovenia, you should stop at mountain huts for traditional local specialities

Experts say that some dishes prepared in the huts only contain ingredients that are grown and raised there.

Cooking in mountain huts is a true art. Many don’t have electricity, fridges and freezers, some lack running water, and in others food is prepared on wood-fired ovens. Main ingredients thus come from the local area, and the food is prepared in the same way as it was prepared by ancestors in the past.

Take a car to mountain huts that serve venison dishes

The impact of mountain cuisine reaches down to easily accessible points where mountaineers start their ascents.

If you cross the Vršič pass in the Julian Alps, you can try venison stew or roast in the nearby Koča na Gozdu Mountain Hut. The Gorjanci Hills on Slovenia’s southern border invite visitors to the Planinski dom pri Gospodični Mountain Hut where venison stew is served in a bread bowl. Traditional venison stew is also served in the Ruška koča Mountain Hut in the Pohorje Hills and many other places.

In some places, mountain huts are an excellent choice for discovering dishes and drinks typical of each region

The culinary tradition of the area that is based on local ingredients and dishes is frequently upgraded with house specialities.

• In the Planinski dom na Kumu Mountain Hut, the highest peak of the Zasavje and Posavje Hills, funšterc (a kind of omelette), a dish of the Zasavje coalminers, is served.
• In the Domu na Peci Mountain Hut, the highest peak of the Koroška region, you can try kvočevi nudlni – dumplings with dried pear filling.
• In the Krekova koča na Ratitovcu Mountain Hut with a beautiful vista over the Škofja Loka and Cerkno Hills, flancati is hand-made.
• Šmarna gora, a popular destination of Ljubljana residents, typical Ljubljana dishes and Šmarna gora tea are served.
• In addition to good food, the Dom na Joštu Mountain Hut above Kranj,is well-known for its home-made fruit juices flavoured with lemon balm, raspberry, apple and elderflower.