Ljubljana's best restaurants: where to eat and drink in Slovenia's capital

Looking for the best restaurants in Ljubljana? Want to explore the best riverside bars and bistros in the Slovenian capital? Check out our guide below, then add on a few days exploring the mountain region of the Julian Alps.

Chocolate box Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture, a river romantically spanned by pretty bridges and pedestrian- and bike-friendly policies make Slovenia’s capital city one of Europe’s most civilised. It’s also one of the continent’s most foodie destinations, with a position between the Alps and the Adriatic that lends the local cuisine both an excellent range of produce and a real variety of culinary influences.

Ljubljana's best restaurants, bars and cafés

Open Kitchen Market – for a taste of Slovenia

Every Friday, from March to October, Ljubljana’s Pogačar Square comes to life as the city’s Open Kitchen Market. There’s a festival atmosphere beneath the shadows of the green-domed Ljubljana Cathedral, and all manner of vendors, from farms to gourmet restaurants, sell dishes and drinks for visitors to graze on.

Sample vibrant pumpkin seed oil and Broken Bones gin (distilled with linden flowers and rosehip from Slovenia’s Karst region), or tuck into dishes from the country’s top restaurants – Gostilna Mihovec, Vander and JB Restaurant. Finish your visit like a local by stopping off at Jezeršek’s corner stall for comforting kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancakes), topped with apple, mixed berries or chocolate sauce. odprtakuhna.si

Aftr – for relaxed bistro dinners

Pops of fun adorn this lively bistro, popular with Ljubljana’s in-the-know crowd. Striking pop art provides a backdrop to high-top tables and a disco ball hangs from the exposed industrial ceiling. A bar stands centre stage, behind which fresh, sparkling Medot Brut 48, dry Klinec Malvazija and complex Movia Veliko Rdeče blend are poured along with seasonal cocktails. The succinct sharing plates menu includes squidgy potato focaccia with whipped shallot butter, spiced pine nut studded lamb tartare wrapped in fragrant shiso leaf bites and Adriatic red snapper with white asparagus beurre blanc, finished with soft serve of the day. aftr.si

JAZ – for spotlighting Slovenian produce

Highly acclaimed chef Ana Roš is the executive chef at this bistro-style spot overlooking leafy Knafljev passage. Playful creations showcase Slovenia’s rich bounty – Waldorf salad spotlights green apple, folds of pickled celeriac, walnut mousse, kefir milk and lovage oil, while sea bream ceviche is dressed with puffed buckwheat, popping peas and fermented citrus and strawberry water ponzu. jaz.anaros.eu

Črno Zrno – for coffee

Črno Zrno translates as ‘black bean’ and this hole-in-the-wall spot is a temple to just that. Alexander Niño Ruiz sources coffee beans from his native Colombia, roasts them at renowned Slovenian roaster Stow, then serves the resulting brews in his perfectly formed coffee shop. The space is enveloped in blue and white Valencian tiles – chat with local coffee geeks over a meticulously prepared pour-over inside, or sit in the sun next to painted wooden shutters. Alexander’s niche is cold brew: try it on the rocks in a wine glass, or as an addition to a funky non-alcoholic cocktail made with Ruiz’ grandmother’s elderflower syrup. crnozrno.com

Pekarna Osem – for baked goods

The minimalist decor at this artisan bakery allows its products to shine. Dedicated young baker Andrej Gerželj is on site every morning, from 5am, preparing dough for crunchy spelt baguettes intertwined with Slovenian Tolminc cheese, and flaky pastry ribbons sprinkled with chocolate beads. The open bakery at the back means you can watch perfectly formed balls of dough being transformed into golden loaves, their comforting aromas filling the space. pekarnaosem.com

Suklje – for Slovenian wine

With its vaulted ceilings, riverside terrace and 300-strong wine list, Suklje is the place to spend a few hours sipping local wines. There are 200 bottles from Slovenia alone – grapes include fruity sauvignon blanc from the north east, the south west’s rounded and woody rebula epoca, and blue frankish from Suklje’s own vineyard in the south east, bursting with leathery notes and, red currant aromas. To go with it, order a charcuterie board of salty, silky prosciutto and marbled salami from Slovenian Krškopolje pigs, alongside aged kosect cheese and French comté. winebar.suklje.com

Gostlinca AS – for elegant seafood lunches

An atmospheric brick-lined room and sweeping, walnut tree shaded terrace are both desirable spaces to choose between at one of the oldest restaurants in town. The seafood-forward menu features grilled shrimp, tuna tartare and Adriatic monkfish, alongside pulled veal cheek and sliced roast beef tagliata baked on an open-fire grill. Plus walnut, blueberry or strawberry cake for dessert depending on the season. The extensive wine list is handily categorised by style – rich white, orange, fresh red – then divided into regional varieties including Stajerska, Vipavska Valley and Goriska Brda. gostilnaas.si

Vigò – for gelato

The queue for this popular gelato spot can stretch all the way to Ljubljana’s famous three bridges. The pull? Indulgent cooling concoctions to rival those of neighbouring Italy. Try the Vigo (fresh mascarpone, chocolate, hazelnuts and Nutella) or lemon tiramisu with mascarpone and chocolate sauce from a tap. The vegan sorbet is some of the best we’ve tried – rich dark chocolate laced with aromatic dried orange pieces. Order a cone to go and mooch through the surrounding streets as you lick it, or bask in the sun out on Vigò’s large terrace. vigo-icecream.com

Moji Štruklje – for traditional dumplings

Located in the arcade of Plečnik covered market on Ljubljana’s Pogačar Square, this family-run café specialises in štruklje dumplings. Traditional fillings range from tarragon to buckwheat with walnuts and sweet, raisin-flecked cottage cheese. More contemporary combinations include meat-pork crackling, mango-yogurt and pistachio-pumpkin seeds. Pair with a local draft beer (Union or Lasko are popular choices) or a craft pick – Yes Boss!, The 3rd PILL and Black Aurora – and soak up the bustling city vibes. moji-struklji.si

Tabar – for Slovenian tapas

Tabar, its chairs spilling out beneath sycamore trees, forms part of a buzzy courtyard set back from the city’s river. It specialises in Slovenian small plates – beef tartare with burnt aubergine, octopus with “half way” kimchi (not fermented, but cooked in spices), and warm rabbit terrine with burnt baby leeks surrounded by a moat of buttermilk and horseradish. Inventive vegetarian options include white asparagus with wild garlic, and ground chickpeas topped with bright peas and freshly picked salad leaves from the chef’s garden. The menu must-order is the “olive potatoes” – super-crispy little potatoes with notes of paprika and hidden olives. There’s also an impressive orange wine list to navigate, from mineral malvasia to raisiny jakot. Or go for Gordia’s unfiltered sparkling wine from the coastal town of Kolomban. tabar.si

Gostilnica 5-6 kg – for pizza

This rustic, brick-walled restaurant takes its name from the weight of a typical Slovenian suckling pig, cooked here in a bread oven. The slow-cooked pork is well worth a visit but so, too, are the pizzas (as they should be this close to the Italian border). The blistered crusts of Neapolitan-style pizzas wrap around bases topped with baked cherry tomatoes, confit garlic and basil. Toppings add extra punch – Pizza 5-6 kg is an indulgent combination of fior di latte, sausage, porchetta made from that slow-cooked suckling pig and roasted red pepper sauce. Or, go coastal and try the seafood pizza, complete with cuttlefish ink, sea bass fillet, royal prawns and capers. facebook.com/gostilnica56kg

Stow – for coffee

Cut through City Museum of Ljubljana’s striking courtyard and you’ll find this speciality coffee roaster. Light pours in through glass walls onto canary-yellow tables scattered across cobbled floors. Baristas treat the La Morzocco coffee machine with respect, and beans are treated as a seasonal fruit, procured from small-scale growers around the world and roasted on-site. In spring, go for the floral, honeyed notes of African burundi, or enjoy delicate jasmine and bergamot in Panama’s legendary geisha coffee. If the sun is out, sit and sip beneath a shady parasol in the museum courtyard. stow.si

Butik LePotica– for traditional bakes

This patisserie gets its name from the celebration cake it serves – shaped like a bundt, potica is traditionally eaten at Christmas and during celebrations. Walnut is the classic flavour, an earthy paste spiralled through the dough, while sweet tarragon is popular at Easter. At the small boutique, bakers create individual-sized treats and experiment with flavours such as poppyseed, chocolate, hazelnut and mint. le-potica.si

:Projekt – for craft beer

Opened in May 2025, this graffiti-clad bottle shop and bar is hidden up a paved pedestrian street in a more local part of town, not far from Dragon Bridge. Step down into the mint green space to peruse the brews on tap, shelves stocked with European craft beer and a fridge dedicated to Slovenian specialties. projekt.beer

Ek bistro – for brunch

Sit by the city’s Ljubljanica river to enjoy a backdrop of forest-blanketed hills, or settle into an exposed brick nook at this popular brunch spot. The eggs (benedict, scrambled, royale) are what draw the crowds, but larger lunch plates also shine – try plump pink duck on seasonal vegetables and sweet potato mash, or wild asparagus polenta fritters with fresh salad. Homemade ice teas include sparkling elderflower and lemongrass with mint, thyme and lavender. ek-bistro.business.site

Pop’s Aperitivo – for buzzy local feels

Catering to a lively local crowd, this expansive terrace bar and restaurant plays to Slovenia's neighbouring Italian influence with casual pizza and pasta dishes, cherry negronis and olive oil fat-washed Italicus spritzes. aperitivo.thepopsplace.com

Lajbah – for Slovenian craft beer

With 16 beers on tap and more than 130 bottles from around the world to choose from, this contemporary pub is a great place to taste some of Slovenia’s best-loved brews. Treat yourself to a beer flight and sample the likes of Pelicon’s Yess Boss! pale ale, Green Gold Brewing’s tropical IPA, and smooth, chocolatey HumanFish Baltic Porter. lajbah.si

AS Boutique Hotel – a food-centric place to stay in Ljubljana

Nestled into leafy Knafljev passage, this contemporary boutique hotel is built atop family-run dining institution Gostilna AS, right in the centre of the Slovenian capital. Designed to reflect the style of buildings in the Alpine north, the striking steel structure is entwined with plants in keeping with the area’s green status. The artistic focus continues inside, with a chic library and lounge area, walls lined with Slovenian pop art and contemporary light installations.

The owner’s art collection adorns the 30 smart rooms, along with walnut wood panelling and bespoke corrugated wardrobes. Almost all have balconies that look onto pretty rooftops, many offering glimpses of the castle perched above. The Castle Exclusive room boasts uninterrupted views of the landmark, not only from the floor-to-ceiling windows but also reflected in the glass encasing an intricate wrought iron bedframe.

There are multiple on-site restaurants to choose from: see above for more about Gostilna AS, JAZ and Pop’s Aperitivo.

Doubles from £222, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com