Slovenian cuisine: 5 delicious local dishes
Slovenia hard to describe to those who have never been there. The sun-drenched Adriatic coast has a distinctly Mediterranean feel with its red-roofed medieval towns and excellent seafood. On the other hand, alpine Slovenia – dominated by the snow-capped Julian and Kamnik-Savinj Alps – can often feel like an extension of neighboring Austria, full of sweet and hearty Central European food and dizzying mountain landscapes. Head to Slovenia’s wine regions instead and you might be forgiven for thinking you’re in Italy (another influential neighbour). And as for gourmet capital Ljubljana? It has its own unique charm of the meeting of the Balkans and Austria-Hungary.
For a country similar in size to Wales, Slovenian landscape is surprisingly diverse, and its cuisine is as broad as its topography due to the surrounding influences of Austria, Hungary, Italy and Croatia. However, no matter which direction you travel, some things remain the same. First, the food is fresh. As one of the greenest countries in Europe with an abundance of premium quality natural ingredients, eating from field to fork is less of a buzzword and more of a way of life.
Besides, the food is good. With its mix of historic inns (traditional restaurants/inns) and lively upscale hotspots – often in spectacular rural settings – Slovenia has come to the center of global attention as a culinary destination. Just last year it held the title of European Gastronomy Region, while half a dozen restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars since 2020 (a further six have received green stars for their sustainability), proving that this small country has big gastronomic chops. .