Explore Slovenia's diversity through its regional flavours. They reflect the local natural environment, which people have been incorporating in their menus for centuries. Feel the connection between humans and nature through the flavours of vegetables from the ubiquitous vegetable gardens, grains from local fields, wild food from the lush green nature, fruit from orchards and forests of one of the most forested European countries, traditionally prepared meat dishes and diary delicacies from pastures, and honey from the world-renowned Slovenian bees.
Slovenia lies at an extraordinary meeting point of four European culinary worlds. Here, the influences of the Alpine, Mediterranean, Pannonian and Balkan cuisines meet and are uniquely combined with the local tradition and the character of each area. Slovenia's 24 gastronomic regions and 3 wine-growing regions boast as many as 400 typical local and regional types of food and drink! Learn about the basics of Slovenian and regional gastronomic pyramids according to renowned ethnologist dr. Janez Bogataj, which reflect the Slovenian culinary identity.
The delicacies of gastronomic regions at the foothills of the Alps are connected to the mountains where people have been taking cows, sheep and goats to pasture for centuries. Milk is the basis of original cheeses, some bearing the protected designation of origin. Dairy delicacies go well together with flour-based dishes, such as žganci (mash). Flowering meadows and forests provide enough pollen and nectar to foraging Carniolan grey bees, Slovenia’s native bee species that is globally known. Then there are also tasty meat products, the top one being the Carniolan sausage, and, of course, Slovenia’s delicious river trout.
The crystal-clear Alpine waters are home to native trout species – the river and lake types of brown trout in the Bohinj region and marble trout in the emerald Soča river.
The typical sausage of the Slovenian Alpine region has an EU protected designation of origin. It is made according to a precise procedure that faithfully follows the recipe from 1896. Thanks to astronaut Sunita Williams, the Carniolan sausage has even been eaten in space!
You can find sauerkraut and sour turnip in menus all over Slovenia. Especially in winter, they are included in both everyday and festive menus, as a side dish or an ingredient in main dishes. Due to their moderate acidity, they also help with digestion.
The distillate from pears of the old tepka variety, which is also used in the cuisine of Alpine Slovenia, has a specific sweet aroma and taste.
People from other parts of Slovenia like to call the residents of Ljubljana "žabarji" (frog hunters) and some local restaurants in Ljubljana even serve frog legs. As the capital, Ljubljana is marked by a worldly mix of different culinary approaches and local originality. Grains – from buckwheat to barley and malt – play an important role in many gastronomic regions of Central Slovenia.
Buckwheat is an important crop and is used in many dishes. The most simple dish is buckwheat kasha, which has many beneficial properties. It has excellent nutritional value and is also suitable for people who want to avoid gluten.
The walnut filling is the most widespread and popular filling of this beloved Slovenian dessert. Thanks to Slovenian emigrants, potica has reached many parts of the world and is a true Slovenian ambassador.
Slovenia has a rich brewing tradition. High-quality water and hop fields ensure the excellent taste of the beer. In recent years, the number of microbreweries and increasingly popular craft beers has been rapidly growing.
Cuisine in the eastern part of Slovenia, where there are the most grain fields, has always been sumptuous. Gibanica with its rich fillings, meat products conserved in special ways, and typical pork meat and sausages will not let you leave the table hungry. The star of the region is the Štajersko prekmursko bučno olje (pumpkin seed oil from the Štajerska and Prekmurje regions) that has a protected geographical indication. Thermal Pannonian Slovenia is rich in mineral springs which have many beneficial effects.
The rich, dark-green pumpkin seed oil with its characteristic aroma enriches many a dish – from salads, soups, sauces and toppings to various spreads. It is also used in desserts.
Vast grain fields provide the basis for various types of dough dishes typical for the region in the head of chicken-shaped Slovenia, such as pogača, gibanica and kvasenica. The most known and popular is Prekmurska gibanica, a dessert made of four different fillings sandwiched between pastry layers.
The water with the highest magnesium content in the world and a very bubbly mineral water are the best-known mineral waters and have many therapeutic effects. However, they are not the only ones. There is an abundance of beneficial mineral waters in the eastern part of Slovenia.
Mediterranean and Karst flavours are created by salt, the bora wind and terra rosa. This is the home of delicious meat products, dried naturally and preserved with salt. In the Sečovlje Salt Pans, salt has been harvested by hand for centuries. It is the perfect accompaniment to sea bass. And because a fish must swim three times, as the saying goes – in water, oil and wine – a toast to such a delicious meal should be made with one of the excellent wines from the Primorska wine-growing region.
This hand-harvested salt with a protected designation of origin has, on average, a richer mineral composition than other salts. Gourmets will love the carefully harvested fleur de sel whose flavour will harmoniously complement any dish.
The fish farmed in the Bay of Piran with care and using expert knowledge meet the highest standards of world cuisine and are even served in top restaurants outside Slovenia. They are even more delicious in combination with the Piran salt.
Rebula is the queen of the Goriška Brda wines. Not only because of its refreshing flavour but also because of its quality, as proved by several awards received at the Decanter World Wine Awards, the most important wine competition in the world.
In Slovenia, we also consider our green future when cooking or eating. More and more restaurants are using local ingredients in their dishes and including high-quality sustainable wines in their wine cards. Ingredients found in the dishes served are produced in harmony with nature or foraged in the wild. This makes flavours rich and full, resulting in a feast for your taste buds.
Wherever you go in Slovenia, you will find special local flavours reflecting the characteristics of the particular landscape and tradition. Some dishes are specially protected. Try delicacies with a protected designation of origin, which reflect the character of a particular place or region from the ingredients to the final product. There is a number of Slovenian foods and products with a protected designation of origin, and the dishes with the traditional speciality guarantee are also worth trying.
Would you like to surprise your loved ones with something new? Add something Slovenian to your cooking. Whether you have a hankering for a meat or vegetable dish or something sweet, you can try your hand making a Slovenian delicacy.
Add a touch of Slovenia to your dishes. Picked in the wild, produced in the fields, olive groves and orchards or in the salt pans – delicious, invigorating and with the aroma of Slovenia – what will you choose?
Are you looking for a good restaurant offering local cuisine or do you prefer making something yourself from top-quality fresh ingredients? Whichever you prefer, you will find something to suit your taste in Slovenia. Choose local trademarks that ensure the authenticity of ingredients and dishes. Visit farms and markets or sit at the table of a restaurant that works together with local suppliers.
If you would like to welcome Slovenian cuisine into your own kitchen, you can order the best delicacies online and have them delivered to your home. If you would like to try gourmet masterpieces, selected Slovenian wines or genuine home-made specialties, you will certainly find something to your liking.
MoreIf you would like to welcome Slovenian cuisine into your own kitchen, you can order the best delicacies online and have them delivered to your home. If you would like to try gourmet masterpieces, selected Slovenian wines or genuine home-made specialties, you will certainly find something to your liking.
MoreIf you’re looking for something pretty and delicious from the local surroundings where you’re spending your holiday in Slovenia, choose from a variety of local brands. These guarantee product authenticity and local origin. By selecting local delicacies and certified handicraft products, you will take home a small piece of Slovenian tradition and creativity while making a step towards sustainability.
MoreFrom a field or garden to the table – this is the way of thinking followed by farm stays and world-class cuisine. Fresh produce make the flavours fuller. It is no wonder that local and seasonal food have been gaining in importance in both traditional and modern kitchens. Find out where you can get fresh local produce and products.
MoreMeet the stars of Slovenian gastronomy whose popularity is sky-rocketing and who excite gourmets all around the world with their creativity. Although every chef has their own secrets, we can assure you that all of them rely heavily on the best local ingredients from the environment in which they work.
MoreRespect for local tradition and eating habits is part of sustainable tourism. That is why you should try to eat like locals. Find out what Slovenians like to eat on holidays and weekdays, where we obtain ingredients, and how you know that the food you eat is really homemade.
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Find the providers of the typical dishes from the 24 gastronomic regions of Slovenia.
Original cuisine is delightful to taste and enjoyable to experience. Choose your experience from the 84 pages of the 2021 European Region of Gastronomy brochure, where Slovenia is presented not only a superb food destination, but also as a land of excellent wines and honey. Besides the authentic flavours of four Slovenian regions, you will get to know the best chefs, top-rated restaurants and inns, culinary events, delicious souvenirs and much more.
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