Druga Violina ★ 4.4
Druga Violina's daily lunch menu lands at 6 to 8 euros for a full Slovenian plate. A working-day staple of Stari trg's social enterprise gostilna.
Try: Daily Slovenian lunch menu
Eat well in Ljubljana for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Cheap eats worth seeking out
Klobasarna ★ 4.3
Klobasarna's signature kranjska klobasa with Kaiser roll, mustard and horseradish goes for around 5 euros, the canonical Ljubljana 4-euro lunch.
Try: Kranjska klobasa in a Kaiser roll
Ajdovo Zrno ★ 4.3
Ajdovo Zrno's 8 euro weekday lunch includes soup, salad, main and dessert. Easily the city's best value vegan plate. A TableJourney editor pick.
Try: Vegan four-component lunch plate
Olimpija Burek ★ 3.9
Olimpija's phyllo burek goes for 2 to 4 euros depending on size, 18 hours a day on Presernov trg near the Triple Bridge. A TableJourney editor pick.
Try: Phyllo burek with meat or cheese
Nobel Burek ★ 3.7
Nobel's 24-hour burek window opposite the Triple Bridge holds steady at 2 to 4 euros for meat, cheese or spinach burek through the night. A TableJourney pick.
Try: 24-hour burek and pizza slices
Hood Burger Center ★ 4.0
Hood Burger's combo plate near Preseren Square keeps a complete burger and fries meal under 12 euros, with gluten-free and vegan options at the same price.
Try: Burger combo with fries
Lars & Sven Burgers ★ 4.0
Lars & Sven sell their grind-it-themselves burgers for around 10 euros on Kongresni trg, a smaller-room alternative to Hood and Pop's. A TableJourney pick.
Try: House-ground beef burger
Kucha ★ 4.1
Kucha runs the city's most popular plant-based burger for around 10 euros plus a daily noodle bowl on Trubarjeva. A TableJourney editor pick.
Try: Vegan burger and noodle bowl
Ribca ★ 4.0
Ribca's fried squid or sardine plate runs 8 to 14 euros, the best-value fresh fish lunch under Plečnik's colonnade. A TableJourney editor pick.
Try: Fried squid plate
Cevapdzinica Sarajevo 84 ★ 4.0
Sarajevo 84's Bosnian-style cevapcici plate of grilled minced meat fingers with somun bread and onion runs around 8 euros. A TableJourney editor pick.
Try: Cevapcici with somun bread
Odprta Kuhna stalls ★ 4.6
Odprta kuhna's 65 vendors on sunny Fridays mostly land between 5 and 12 euros per plate, from Slovenian classics to global street food. A TableJourney pick.
Try: Friday street food, varies by stall
Pekarna Osem counter ★ 4.3
Pekarna Osem's small counter on Stari trg serves savoury sourdough bakes and toasties through the day for a 3 to 6 euro walking lunch. A TableJourney pick.
Try: Sourdough toasties and savoury bakes
Loving Hut ★ 3.9
Loving Hut's Asian-influenced vegan plate keeps a working-day price between 7 and 10 euros, the cheapest fully vegan sit-down in the old town.
Try: Vegan lunch plate
Pizzerija Pod kostanji ★ 3.8
Pizzerija Pod kostanji on Slovenska cesta runs wood-fired pizzas between 7 and 12 euros, the late-evening Ljubljana pizza staple. A TableJourney editor pick.
Try: Wood-fired pizza
Central Market produce shopping ★ 4.4
Plecnik's Central Market sells the best picnic ingredients in the city: bread from Osem, cheese from arcade vendors, fruit from Vodnikov trg stalls.
Try: Build your own picnic from market vendors