11 February 2019

A Taste of Slovenia: Ljubljana's Must-Do Foodie Tour


I was most excited to visit Ljubljana, Slovenia on my recent European travels. I had heard so many wonderful things, including that it's one of the most underrated capital cities in the world.

I absolutely loved my time there and I already can't wait to return. My favourite thing I did was join one of LjubljanaYum's Food Walk Tours, Ljubljana Essentials. It was an incredible afternoon of experiencing the yummy side of the alps and discovering some amazing Slovenian cuisine.

Food tours are my favourite things to do while travelling, they are the perfect introduction to a new city and it gives you great insight into the local food and culture. It also sets you up nicely for the rest of your time there.

I have done many food tours all around the world and this was one of the very best. All of the food we tried was such high quality and absolutely delicious, I was extremely impressed!


A Foodie Experience

I met my lovely guide, Alenka, at 1 pm for an afternoon tour. The meeting point was outside the Tourist Information Centre at the Triple Bridge, which is very easy to find.

It was a frosty winter's day and knowing very little about Slovenian food, I was excited for the tour which was based around the historic city centre.


We began with a short walk around the corner to our first stop, to explore the colourful Ljubljana Central Market.


Stop #1: Local Market

We started with the indoor market, which few tourists know about. Here, you can find amazing local cheese, meats and deli products. We got to sample a couple of different kinds of cheese over the counter of a lovely stall, which were so creamy and delicious.


Back outside at the open-air market, we learned about the history, hard work and dedication of the regular vendors.


We were also told about Mlekomat, a very popular raw milk vending machine. Here, farmers refill it with milk daily straight from the cow. That's about as fresh as it gets! It's a very cheap price too for only 1€ a litre. 


I always love visiting local markets, it gives you a real feel for the place. There is also a flower market and a fish market nearby.


Stop #2: Butternut Squash

It was time for our first sit-down stop of the day, at a trendy tapas-style wine bar and restaurant.
We were presented with a most elegant looking dish, paired with a glass of local cabernet sauvignon.

We tried their butternut squash with black lentil and buttermilk, and every bite was a pleasure.
It tasted so fresh and all of the different textures worked in unison. The red wine also went perfectly with it and it was simply delightful.


Alenka chatted to us throughout and told us about the story of the restaurant and how each stop we were going to were independent and run by local families.


Stop #3: Mulled wine

When we were all ready to go we were off on a walk along the beautiful riverfront. 


Being December, it was lined with festive Christmas market stalls, and our next stop was a most-welcome Kuhano Vino (mulled wine), which is very popular with Slovenians.

We got to choose whether we wanted red or white and because I always go for a red and had never tried a white, I opted for the latter. It was fragrantly spicy and warming but I do prefer a red which I will stick to for next time!



Stop #4: Truffle pasta

Our next sit-down stop was at another popular and elegant-looking wine bar and restaurant.
As I walked in, I could smell the delicious waft of truffles in the air. I was so stoked when a gourmet plate of fuži with truffles was laid in front of me!


Fuži is a local hand-made pasta and the creamy truffle sauce was mouth-wateringly good. It was one of the top dishes I've ever had and I still often day-dream about it! It was also perfectly paired with a light and fruity Malvasia white wine. It was such a fantastic meal I was walking on Cloud Nine when we left.


Stop #5: Craft beer & platter

Off on another small walk, Alenka told us about the rising craft beer scene in Ljubljana. We then entered one of the coolest looking pubs I've been in. It looked like such a fun and lively place to hang out, with sociable wooden tables, an amazing art feature wall and sixteen different brews on tap available from Slovenia and abroad.


We got to try a glass of Forbidden Fruit craft beer from a Slovenian brewery, Green Gold Brewing. Fruity craft beer is right up my alley and it was very easy to drink and had a nice punch. 
The pub is also known for its hearty food and out came a traditional platter of bratwurst, sauerkraut and potatoes.


The plate looked amazing but to be honest, I was feeling quite full by now so I barely made a dent in it. I tried a bit of everything of course and it was all very tasty, I especially loved the flavours of the bratwurst.


Stop #6: Coffee Break

Our next stop was a well-timed caffeine break at a speciality coffee shop. The cafe was small and narrow and I would have never found it on my own, which is exactly why I love doing these tours.
The interior was absolutely stunning, with beautiful blue and white tiles and statement lamps.


We learned that their coffee supports small farmers and their families while protecting the biodiversity of their environment.

We got to try a special black bean Colombian coffee, made by a drip process. I had never tried it before and it was very nice and smooth and also strong!


It was a great little pick-me-up and of course, I couldn't help but take some Instagram photos with the help of Alenka.



Stop #7: Dessert

Heading out, I couldn't believe it was getting dark already, the time had just flown by! With that nice break, there was definitely room for dessert and we headed to a local favourite specialising in Slovenian dumplings, which was close to where the tour began.

Here, they prepare over twenty kinds of traditional and modern Slovenian dumplings, with sweet and savoury fillings and toppings. What makes the place even more special is that it's the very first Slovenian dumpling house.

It was a very busy and popular place, and freshly prepared for us, we got to try štruklji with chocolate and orange. Štruklji is a traditional Slovenian dish, made with rolled dough and various types of filling. I had heard this was an absolute must-have here so I was very excited to try it.


The dish looked absolutely incredible and it was even more of a delight to eat. It had alternating layers of dark chocolate and orange cream, with a topping of juicy oranges and melted dark chocolate. 
The perfectly cooked thin dough and flavour combinations were melt-in-your-mouth good. It was heaven on a plate!

It was the perfect way to finish and everyone was highly satisfied after a fantastic nearly four hours of trying so many highlights of Ljubljana's top cuisine.


The Details

Tour: Ljubljana Essentials

Reviews: 5/5 stars from 399 reviews on Trip Advisor

Price: 65€ per adult

Times: Daily at 11.30 am, 1 pm or 4.30 pm or by demand – except public holidays.

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Final Thoughts

This was more than just a food tour, it was a truly local experience. Each individual place that we went to was unique and special in its own way, run by passionate locals with their own stories to tell. The combination of delicious, fresh and top-quality food, along with local wine, craft beer and coffee made it the most well-rounded foodie tour I've ever done. Moreover, it was like being shown around the city by a friend.

Alenka was the most wonderful, friendly and knowledgable guide and we chatted nonstop, not only about food but about travel and what life was like in Slovenia. We also learned so much from her about the history and interesting facts of her home city.

The tour was very well balanced, with the variety of dishes and a good amount of walking between each stop. The amount that's included in the tour makes it excellent value for money, you certainly don't need to eat breakfast or even dinner on the same day!

I was so impressed by LjubljanaYum, the foodie walk was the perfect introduction to Slovenian food, drink and culture and it was a top highlight of my recent time there. Definitely put this on your to-do list if you are heading to Ljubljana yourself, I couldn't recommend this tour any higher.
As a tip, do it at the beginning of your trip, so you get all the insider info! (I can guarantee you'll want to return to many of these stops like I did!).

They do other kinds of local tours and cooking classes too, check them out here!

Happy Travels,
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2 comments

  1. I also havent heard much about Slovenian food so this was very interesting.

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