5 Best Restaurants in Slovenia

A longtime favorite with coffee lovers across Ljubljana, Cafetino is a friendly place to stop for that all-important first cup of the day. The interior is tiny and getting a seat can be difficult, so it's best to stroll up early. Beans can also be bought to take home.

The gorgeous Stari trg location and a hearty menu filled with Slovenian classics would be enough to justify a festive lunch at Druga Violina. Still, there is more to this spot than initially meets the eye: the restaurant doubles as an initiative to help people with disabilities in the region, a talented group of people who help grow the ingredients on a nearby farm and work as the waitstaff in the restaurant itself. The food is good enough to recommend alone, but the entire concept is to be celebrated.

This minimalist bistro on Poštna is as perfect for a romantic dinner as it is for a quiet afternoon coffee or beer, thanks to its focus on local products no matter which menu you are looking at. Poštna is Maribor’s best street for eating and drinking, and Isabella might be the best of both.

Every major city in the region is flooded with pizzerias these days, but only one gets to wear the crown of the oldest pizzeria in Eastern Europe. That honor falls to delightful Parma, a small pizzeria that opened in 1974 and still serves excellent pies today (from the same oven, no less). Don’t forget to order blueberry juice with your pizza, as is tradition.

Tucked away near the bus station, this little patisserie is easy to miss yet worth every effort to find. Specializing in homemade ice cream and desserts from the Prekmurje region, this charming café will tempt you and keep you coming back for more. Try the prekmurska gibanica, a harmonious medley of upmarket bread, and the cream pudding for pure bliss. They also know how to make a mean cup of joe.