Food History of Ljubljana

Key eras

1. 1335-1918, Habsburg Carniola

   Carniola passed to the House of Habsburg in 1335 and became a duchy in 1364, with Laibach (Ljubljana) as its capital, until the monarchy ended in 1918. Klobasarna's history page dates the Kranjska name of the sausage to the early 19th century and the oldest written recipe, by Katharina Prato, to 1896.

   Taste it todayKlobasarna

2. 1776 and 1879, Figovec and the old gostilne

   Figovec says its hospitality on Gosposvetska cesta goes back to 1776 and that its inn tradition has continued without a break since 1879; its FAQ calls it a coachmen's inn. Gostilna Sokol says it opened in 1870 and Gostilna Šestica traces its tradition to 1776. Their menus still list Kranjska sausage and gibanica.

   Taste it todayGostilna Sokol

3. 1918-1991, Yugoslav Ljubljana

   Slovenia was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes from December 1918, became a republic of socialist Yugoslavia in 1945 and declared independence on 25 June 1991. Cevapcici, which Wikipedia places in the former Yugoslavia, and burek, of Balkan origin, are now everyday fast food in Ljubljana; Olimpija Burek says its recipe goes back to 1979.

   Taste it todayCevapciciBurekOlimpija Burek

4. 2004-2021, the EU and protected names

   Slovenia joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the eurozone on 1 January 2007. Idrijski žlikrofi and prekmurska gibanica were registered as Traditional Specialities Guaranteed in 2010, Kraški pršut as a protected geographical indication in 2012, Kranjska klobasa in January 2015 and Slovenska potica in April 2021.

   Taste it todayPrekmurska gibanicaKranjska klobasaPotica

5. 2017-2023, Ana Roš and the Michelin Guide

   Ana Roš, who took over the kitchen of Hiša Franko in 2002, was named best female chef by The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2017. Michelin Guide Slovenia began in June 2020 with two stars for Hiša Franko, which became the country's first three-star restaurant in 2023. In Ljubljana Roš opened the bakery Pekarna Ana in 2022 and the bistro JAZ in 2023.

6. 2020-2025, Ljubljana's Michelin stars

   Atelje, Ljubljana's one-star restaurant in the 2020 guide, closed in early 2023 and reopened as the casual bistro Aftr. Strelec, in the castle, held a star from the 2022 guide to the 2024 guide; the 2025 guide named seven one-star restaurants, among them Hiša Linhart in Radovljica and Grič near Horjul, and none in Ljubljana.

   Taste it todayAftrStrelec

Immigrant influences

Habsburg Carniola

Gostilna Šestica lists a veal Wiener schnitzel, and the Kranjska sausage took its name under the monarchy in the early 19th century. Bled's kremšnita came to Hotel Park in 1953.

The Karst and the Littoral

Jota is found across the Slovenian Littoral, Istria, Friuli and Trieste. Gostilna Sokol lists Kraški pršut with olives and Gostilna As cooks homemade pasta with Karst sausage.

Taste it todayGostilna SokolGostilna As

Prekmurje and Hungary

Prekmurje was under the medieval Kingdom of Hungary until the 16th century. Gostilna Sokol and Figovec list a bograč, named for the Hungarian bogrács pot, and Figovec a Prekmurska gibanica.

Taste it todayGostilna Sokol

Bosnia and the Balkans

Wikipedia places cevapcici in the former Yugoslavia and gives burek Balkan origins. Cevapdzinica Sarajevo 84 serves Sarajevo cevapcici and Bosnian pies; Olimpija Burek bakes burek to a 1979 recipe.

Taste it todayCevapdzinica Sarajevo 84Olimpija Burek

Upper Carniola and Idrija

Balthasar Hacquet mentioned žganci served with sauerkraut in Upper Carniola, and idrijski žlikrofi come from Idrija. Šestica, Sokol and Ja, pr' Lectar all list žlikrofi.

Taste it todayJa, pr' Lectar

Signature innovations

• Kranjska klobasa: EU protected geographical indication, entered in January 2015
  Taste it todayKranjska klobasa
• Idrijski žlikrofi: the first Slovenian dish with EU Traditional Speciality Guaranteed status, in 2010
• Prekmurska gibanica: EU Traditional Speciality Guaranteed since March 2010
  Taste it todayPrekmurska gibanica
• Slovenska potica: EU Traditional Speciality Guaranteed since April 2021
  Taste it todayPotica
• Kraški pršut: EU protected geographical indication, registered in 2012
• Odprta kuhna: open-air food market on Pogačarjev trg since 2013, on sunny Fridays from March to October