There is one other restaurant boasting an excellent location at Ljubljana Castle. This is Gostilna na Gradu Restaurant, where they cook in the style of Slovenian grandmothers, but give their dishes a modern twist. Michelin awarded it a Bib Gourmand. Their seasonal menus, prepared by master chefs under the careful guidance of Luka Jezeršek and Sebastjan Elbl, represent the flavours of Slovenia’s 24 culinary regions and its 178 typical dishes. Try the soft veal liver with sweet red onion, fennel and mashed potatoes or the once very popular beef tongue with green beans and smoked cottage cheese.

Nestled beneath the castle hill in the old town, the TaBar Restaurant, also awarded a Bib Gourmand, has been delighting regulars and visitors alike for years with a different approach to haute cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Chef Jakob Pintar creates culinary delicacies in his own style. He says the best cuts of meat are all cuts, and the best vegetable is the freshest one. Out of his love for the food and ingredients and his respect for the producers and their products, he tries not to throw anything away.

Michelin Star 2023

• Strelec Restaurant

Bib Gourmand 2023

• TaBar Restaurant
• Gostilna na Gradu Restaurant

Michelin recommendation 2023

• AFTR Restaurant
• Altrokè Restaurant
• Breg Restaurant
• B Restaurant
• Georgie Bistro
• AS Restaurant
• JB Restaurant
• Landerik Restaurant
• Peti 181 Restaurant
• Cubo Restaurant
• Harfa Restaurant
• Shambala Restaurant
• Separé Restaurant
• Sushimama Restaurant

From elegant restaurants with modern takes on local ingredients and traditional cuisine to authentic bistros serving a taste of traditional Slovenian or cosmopolitan cuisine, Ljubljana offers a wide range of excellent restaurants. The restaurants endorsed with Michelin recommendations are some of the best in Ljubljana.

The JB Restaurant is a legendary restaurant where the pioneer of Slovenian cuisine, chef Janez Bratovž, has been pampering the most discerning guests for decades. The first Slovenian restaurant to be included in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants remains true to its original philosophy that the key is to find quality ingredients from local farms, which chef Bratovž finds at Ljubljana’s Central Market.

The traditional Istrian family-run Altrokè Restaurant is located in the oldest part of Ljubljana, in a building revealing stories of past centuries. Traditional fuži pasta with truffles, gnocchi with Istrian beef, homemade refosco and malvasia, and homemade olive oil are just a few of the treats that will make you feel like you are right on the coast of the Slovenian Mediterranean. Young chef Tadej Dolinar finds inspiration for his cuisine both on his travels and at home, adventurously combining coastal traditions, local ingredients and modern influences.

Just a short walk away is Landerik Restaurant, with its intricate decorations carved from local wood. Its respect for tradition is mirrored in its dishes, which are served on plates designed by Slovenian artists. The restaurant’s founder, Nejc Skubic, a former Slovenian footballer, has given a central place in the restaurant to his grandfather’s kaiserschmarrn, which evokes warm memories of his childhood. The dough is made fluffy and light with home-ground flour. The restaurant’s speciality, however, is preparing tasting menus.

B Restaurant, located on the other side of the city centre in one of the tallest buildings in Ljubljana, offering a breathtaking view, will enchant you along with its superb menu. Chef Komnen Bakić prepares international cuisine harmoniously combined with local flavours. Located on the 20th floor of the InterContinental Hotel, B Restaurant will make you feel at home, no matter where you come from.

The cuisine at AS Restaurant is a fusion of the local and the global, the fresh and the succulent. Fresh ingredients and a positive atmosphere are the heart and soul of the restaurant’s owner and chef, Svetozar ‘Pope’ Raspopović. He is a fan of light food, the smell of fresh spices and a good bottle of wine.

Situated in the centre of Ljubljana, Sushimama Restaurant offers an extensive menu of the very best of Japanese cuisine and has been attracting guests with its minimalist ambiance for many years. The kitchen is open, making it a real spectacle for guests. You will be able to watch the chef, Hiroki Ishikawa, expertly preparing sushi, sashimi and other rice rolls of Japanese cuisine. Sushimama Restaurant is known for its sushi and sashimi, prepared with tuna, scampi, prawns, Atlantic bonito, scallops, sea bass, salmon, octopus, eel and mackerel. They also serve almost 40 different whiskies and Japanese sake.

The Asian restaurant Shambala has long been considered one of the best. Some of their dishes are authentic traditional Asian dishes, while others are a fusion of flavours. They themselves say that they combine Asian herbs with flavours from near and far.

The Cubo and Harfa Restaurants are two more of the leading restaurants in Ljubljana. Both rarely have an empty table, although they are not located in the city centre. The Harfa Restaurant, with its designer and elaborate decor and some interior elements resembling harp strings, is well suited to business lunches or dinners. Under the direction of owner and chef Boštjan Pavli, a harmonious orchestra of nine staff members play together to create harmonious flavours from fresh ingredients, prepared daily.

The Cubo Restaurant is deserving of its reputation and has been ‘in’ for over a decade. It is urban and sophisticated, perfect for a business lunch, a date, an anniversary celebration or a lovely meal in a cosy, chic atmosphere.

On the other side of Ljubljana, the south side of the city, one can find the Separé Restaurant, one of Ljubljana’s top restaurants distinguished by a very creative approach. Their dishes masterfully combine the secrets of different international cuisines with seasonal and natural ingredients.

Under the direction of Chef Jorg Zupan, different concepts and dishes are created at two different locations in the city centre only about one kilometre from each other. One is the AFTR Restaurant and the other the Breg Restaurant. AFTR calls itself a neo-restaurant. It is a relaxed, entertaining place to go to for dinner with a glass of wine, which combines a tradition of hospitality with culinary trends in a witty and inventive way. The Breg Restaurant is located by the Ljubljanica River and boasts one of the most renowned and picturesque views of the city. Its cuisine brings to the city a breath of international creativity with influences from Italy as well as other parts of the world. For example, the lamb ragout with humus will take you on a true culinary journey through the Middle East.

The Georgie Bistro, a new incarnation of the popular Monstera Bistro, invites you to taste the innovative and original cuisine of Chef Gregor Jelnikar, who used to be the Chef of Monstera. The bistro’s minimalist design provides a space for maximal flavours with an inviting selection of dishes with local high-quality ingredients made in a creative, cosmopolitan and modern way, taking into account the seasons.

Peti 181 Restaurant, whose dishes are created by Chef Petra Kapetanović Orlić, is not very old, but it is already difficult to imagine Dvorni trg without this elegant restaurant. It has a view of Ljubljana Castle and original cuisine offering many fish and seafood dishes while not neglecting meat.

Za ljubitelje vrhunske kulinarike je Ljubljana postala priznana destinacija, z izborom nekaj najboljših restavracij v Sloveniji.

Ljubljana has become a renowned destination for fine dining, with some of the best restaurants in Slovenia. The Michelin Guide has also recognised the quality and uniqueness of Ljubljana’s restaurants, rewarding the best. One star, two Bib Gourmand awards and an impressive 14 Michelin recommendations were awarded for 2023. Whether you are looking for modern interpretations of local flavours or traditional dishes with a contemporary twist, Ljubljana’s rich culinary offering is sure to impress.