What to eat in Ljubljana

Ljubljana eats outdoors when it can and indoors when it must, and the dish follows the place rather than the weather. A sausage belongs to the square, a soup to the table, and a Friday to the market, where the cooks of Slovenian restaurants turn a plaza into a kitchen. Order by address and the menu looks after itself.

Klobasarna at Ciril-Metodov trg 15 is the obvious first stop, and it is obvious for a reason. The Carniolan sausage in the smaller portion is €5.50, and it arrives with mustard, horseradish and a lepinja, the flat bread that does the work of a plate. The restaurant guide Gault&Millau has listed the place in 2026, which in a city of this size counts for something, and the square outside gives the meal its setting.

The verdict is easy. One sausage is a snack, two are lunch, and a third is a decision you make with the castle still ahead of you. The path to the castle starts from this same square, so a heavy lunch has an honest remedy waiting uphill, and the climb along Študentovska Street will pay it off.

Jota and the soups

Jota at Klobasarna is €6.50, and the kitchen also cooks ričet, with or without sausage. Both are thick soups for a wet day, the sort that makes the Ljubljana weather seem a reasonable price for the food. Jota is the better pick of the two on a first visit, because it tastes of the place rather than of a recipe from elsewhere, and a bowl before the castle climb is a plan with a sound logic.

Štruklji, žlikrofi and gibanica

Moji štruklji on Prešeren Square is named for its dish, the rolled dumpling called štruklji, and Klobasarna also serves štruklji with chives and walnuts. Order one portion between two and see whether a second is needed. The square is also where the Triple Bridge begins, so the meal comes with a view.

Gostilna na Gradu, inside the castle, cooks from 24 gastronomic regions of Slovenia under the chef Luka Jezeršek, and its menu carries žlikrofi and buckwheat žganci. Gujzina on Mestni trg serves the same žganci and the gibanica of Prekmurje, a layered pastry that suits the end of a meal.

The market and Open Kitchen

The Central Market on Kopitarjeva sits in Plečnik's arcades beside the river. The two-storey halls date from 1940 to 1944. The fish market is on the ground floor, with a small fish restaurant, and the upper floor holds shops with Slovenian products and eateries, along with a gallery called DobraVaga. Plan around the closing day, since it is shut Sundays and holidays.

On Fridays from mid-March to the end of October, Open Kitchen takes over Pogačarjev trg beside the market. Cooks from Slovenian restaurants make dishes from all over the world, entry is free, and bad weather cancels the whole event. Come hungry, and treat it as dinner.

Something sweet and where to sit

Kremšnita, the custard cream cake, is the one to order, and Zvezda is the name to ask for. Falafel on Trubarjeva is the quick option for anyone tired of meat. Pick a place from the table, and sit where the street is busiest.

BudgetWhat a day of eating costs next to the tickets, the bus and the bed.What Ljubljana costs →

3 daysWhere the sausage, the market and the Friday kitchen fall in a three-day plan.Ljubljana in 3 days →

Where to stayWhich areas keep the food close, from the Old Town to the station.Where to stay in Ljubljana →

Getting aroundGetting around between the square, the market and the castle.Getting around Ljubljana →

When to goWhen the weather suits an outdoor table and when it calls for soup.The best time to visit Ljubljana →

Day tripsTrips to Bled, Postojna and Piran, with the food page's sausage as a packed lunch.Day trips from Ljubljana →

MistakesThe food mistakes that cost a Sunday market or a Friday kitchen.Mistakes everyone makes in Ljubljana →

Hidden gemsThe Friday kitchen on Pogačarjev trg also has a section of its own on the page about places off the usual route.Ljubljana Off the Usual Route: Nebotičnik, Šmarna Gora and Open Kitchen →