Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the afternoon. Dinner
(večerja) -
a supper, really - is less substantial when eaten at home,
often just sliced meats, cheese and salad.
Where to Eat
Restaurants go by many names in Slovenia, and the distinctions are not always very clear.
At the top of the heap, a
restavracija
is a restaurant where you sit down and are served by
a waiter. A
gostilna
or
gostišče
has waiters too, but it's more like an inn, with rustic decor
and usually traditional Slovenian dishes. A
samopostrežna restavracija
is a self-service
establishment where you order from a counter and carry your food on a tray. An
okrepčevalnica
and a
bife
serve simple fast food such as grilled meats and sausages. A
krčma
may have snacks, but the emphasis here is on drinking (usually alcohol). A
slaščičarna
sells sweets and ice cream whereas a
kavarna
provides coffee and pastries. A
mlečna restavracija
(milk bar) sells yoghurt and other dairy products as well as
krofi
(jam-filled doughnuts).
Almost every sit-down restaurant in Slovenia has a menu with dishes translated into
English, Italian, German and sometimes French and Russian. It's important to note the
difference between
pripravljene jedi
or
gotova jedilna
(ready-made dishes) such as
goulash or stew that are just heated up and
jedi po naročilu
(dishes made to order). Lists
of
danes priporočamo
or
nudimo
(daily recommendations or suggestions) are frequently
in Slovene only. Many restaurants and inns have an inexpensive
dnevno kosilo
(set-lunch
menu).
It's important to know that not many Slovenes eat in city-centre restaurants unless they
have to because of work or because they happen to be entertaining after office hours. At
the weekend, most will head 5km or 10km out of town to a
gostilna
or
gostišče
that they
know will serve them good, home-cooked food and local wine at affordable prices.
SLOVENIA'S TOP SIX RESTAURANTS
The following half-dozen eateries not only serve local and regional specialities but make a positive obsession -
very much to their credit - out of using only locally sourced ingredients. It's all part of the slow-food, local-only
trend taking Slovenia by storm. And at times the food can be truly awesome.
Gostilna Lectar
(
Click here
) Arguably Gorenjska's best restaurant, the 'Gingerbread' in Radovlje serves en-
lightened Slovenian dishes amid authentic farmhouse decor.
Gostilna na Gradu
(
Click here
)
Slovenian-sourced breads, cheeses and meats prepared to time-tested recipes in
Ljubljana Castle.
