Nothing defines a culture like food does.
So, whenever I travel, I always try to sample local food. Local dishes reflect local society and even history. The ingredients that are used in traditional dishes are intertwined with the history of a certain culture or country like nothing else.
This is why, when we were in Slovenia last summer, I made it my mission to try at least one local dish for every day we were there. This brought my grand total to 7.
In this new blog post, I wanted to feature those seven Slovenian dishes—Slovenian food that I recommend you try as well, when you visit this relatively unknown, but amazing small Southeastern European nation.
Contents
Slovenian Food – 7 Recommendations
Steak with Truffles
Truffles are a much-used ingredient in Istria, the coastal region that extends between Slovenia and northern Croatia. This quaint region is home to extensive old oak forests, which happen to be the perfect habitat for truffles. As it is rather difficult to find good truffles—dogs are specifically trained to find truffles that are buried deep in between the oaks’ roots—they tend to be quite pricey. It’s absolutely worth splurging on a dish that contains truffles, though. They taste unlike any other mushroom that you’ve ever tasted.
Place to eat this: Hotel Piran in Piran on the beautiful Istrian coast.
Grilled Trout
Home to many a beautiful lake and countless rivers and mountain streams, Slovenia is a country where fish is often found on menus. The ultimate fish to try in Slovenia is river trout. After a day of outdoor fun, make sure to order a whole grilled trout with some mashed potatoes on the side. If you’re going to have any traditional Slovenian food, let it be grilled trout.
Place to eat this: Hotel Tripič in Bohinska Bistrica
Veal Stew with Lard and Buckwheat Mush
As a historically rural country with a significant agricultural background, Slovenia loves its stews. There are many different types of stews, their ingredients ranging from vegetables to all types of meats and even actual intestines. I had this fantastic veal stew with lard and the typical complementary buckwheat mush before heading out for a hike in the Julian Alps in Triglav National Park.
Place to eat this: Chalet Merjasec at the Vogel Ski Center, Bohinj
Grilled Cheese
Slovenian grilled cheese is nothing like what Americans refer to as grilled cheese. This is an actual chunk of cheese that is grilled until it’s hot and a bit crispy—somehow it doesn’t melt. Served with a healthy portion of grilled vegetables, this makes for a fine and filling meal after a day of sightseeing.
Place to eat this: Hotel Tripič in Bohinjska Bistrica
Additional reading: 8 Delicious Belgian Dishes
Pork, Cheese and Potato Wedges
This may not be a dish typical for Slovenia, but I did eat it there and it was delicious. Before or after a hike in the mountains of Triglav National Park, there is no better way to fuel up or replenish your body than with a well-filled plate of pork cutlets with cheese, gravy and potato wedges.
Place to eat this: Gostilna Pri Hrvatu in Srednja Vas, Bohinj
Cheese Dumplings
Another typical Slovenian food is cheese dumplings. These dumplings contain cottage cheese and are sometimes sprinkled with a little bit of sugar to give it a somewhat sweet taste. Served with sour cream, this is another hearty Slovenian dish—excellent to fill your stomach after an active day of sightseeing.
Place to eat this: Hotel Tripič in Bohinjska Bistrica
Prekmurian Layer Cake
The Prekmurian layer cake, called gibanica in Slovenian, is a typical Slovenian dessert that contains different layers. This hearty dessert contains nuts, raisins, seeds and ricotta and should only be ordered if you have some place left in your stomach after the main course—it’s spectacularly good, but rather filling!
Place to eat this: Hotel Tripič in Bohinjska Bistrica
If you’re interested in things to do and places to see in Slovenia, or simply want some inspiration in the form of beautiful photographs, I would like to refer to the following blog posts:
Piran – A Pretty Stop on the Adriatic Coast
8 Highlights of Bohinj
Ljubljana in 20 Photos
I would like to thank the Slovenian Tourist Board for helping us visit Slovenia, and express my gratitude toward Hotel Piran, Hotel Tripič, Chalet Merjasec and Gostilna Pri Hrvatu for their immense hospitality.
Jess
Tuesday 10th of November 2015
This made me hungry, I love cheese any time any where! Looks awesome :)
Bram Reusen
Tuesday 10th of November 2015
Yep, it was tasty! :-)