Sights in Ljubljana - Croatia and Slovenia - page 869

Valvas'or, the upscale option, has a dressy dining room and a posh gold color scheme
(€10 weekday lunch deal, €10-15 starters, €14-22 main dishes, €40 degustation menu,
Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00, closed Sun, Stari trg 7, tel. [phone]). Julija features homey
country-Slovenian decor inside (€9 lunch deals, €9-12 starters, €12-19 main dishes, daily
12:00-22:00, Stari trg 9, tel. [phone]). Romeo, across the street, is a lowbrow bar
serving unexceptional Mexican food...but the name sure is clever (get it? “Romeo and
Julija”). And Marley & Me comes with a warm welcome from Matej (€7-9 weekday lunch
specials,€9-14pastas,€12-22maindishes,daily11:00-23:00,StariTrg9,tel.[phone]).
I've also enjoyed a great salad lunch at the nearby Č ajna Hiša teahouse (described later,
under “Coffee, Tea, and Treats.”)
Traditional Slovenian Food
(See “Ljubljana” map, here .)
Because Slovenes head into the countryside when they want traditional fare, Ljubljana isn't
the best place to find authentic Slovenian grub. And, frankly, most visitors prefer the Medi-
terranean/international restaurants that are more common in the capital anyway. But you do
have some good options in the city center.
Gostilna na Gradu, in the castle courtyard high above town, is your single best option
for true Slovenian food in Ljubljana—if you don't mind going up to the castle to get it (the
handy funicular costs €4 round-trip). Run by a well-respected chef, it serves up a season-
al menu of traditional flavors with modern flair. The portions are small, but the prices are
surprisingly affordable. Choose between the dull vaulted interior, the glassed-in arcade, or
the outdoor tables. Reservations are recommended before you make the trip up here (€7-12
starters, €8-15 main dishes, €30 four-course meal lets you sample several flavors, Mon-
Sat9:00-24:00—foodserveduntil21:00,Sun9:00-18:00—foodserveduntil16:00,Grajska
Planota 1, mobile [phone], www.nagradu.si ) .
Touristy but Acceptable Options: Two places near the market are easy and popular op-
tionsforSloveniandishes.Bothoftheseplacescatermostlytotourists—sodon'texpecttop
quality or a great value. Sokol, with brisk, traditionally clad waiters, fills a fun, sprawling
Slovenian-village interior with jaunty polkas on the soundtrack and a very central location.
It's in all the guidebooks and deluged by tourists, so don't expect an authentic experien-
ce (€8-20 main courses, a few veggie options, Mon-Sat 7:00-23:00, Sun 10:00-23:00, on
castle side of Triple Bridge at Ciril-Metodov trg 18, tel. [phone]). A few blocks away,
acrossfromthemainmarketsquare, Vodnikov Hram hasanOldWorldinteriorunderbrick
vaults and outdoor tables overlooking a parking lot. While a variation on the same theme as
Sokol, it's marginally less touristy, and has slightly lower prices (€7-9 pastas, €18-19 main
courses, Mon-Sat 8:00-23:00, Sun 10:00-20:00—until 17:00 in winter, Vodnikov trg 2, tel.
01/234-5260).