The Spoonful Trail
Šmarnogorski Ričet at the KULT316 Centre for Culinary Arts and Tourism
At the KULT316 Centre for Culinary Arts and Tourism, dishes are prepared using locally sourced ingredients and fresh produce. Each dish maintains authentic flavors while preserving the sensory qualities of the ingredients. Traditional dishes from the Central Slovenia region are crafted with a modern approach, with students from the Biotechnical Educational Centre Ljubljana actively involved in menu creation. During the November Gourmet Ljubljana festival, visitors can enjoy Šmarnogorski Ričet, a traditional recipe featured in the Taste Ljubljana collection, served by the spoon.
Location: KULT316, Prušnikova Ul. 74, 1210 Ljubljana - Šentvid
Date: available every weekday (Monday to Friday) in November
Price: €8
Prešeren-style Hot Chocolate
Welcome to Chocolarium Ljubljana, the first chocolate museum in Slovenia! In their café, you can indulge in hot chocolate so thick it’s enjoyed with a spoon. This November, savor the rich and velvety Prešeren Hot Chocolate, topped with a delicate hint of hazelnut syrup and fluffy cream, sprinkled with crushed hazelnuts for a crunchy contrast. Alongside it, you’ll receive a Prešeren chocolate ball to dip into your hot chocolate. A sweet treat that delights the soul and warms all your senses.
Location: Chocolarium Cafe, Ajdovščina 3, Ljubljana
Date: from 3 to 30 November
Price: €5.90
Gluten-Free and Autumn-Inspired: Game Goulash and Apple Tart
Dežela Okusov, a restaurant offering 100% gluten-free dishes, presents two hearty spoonable dishes for the November festival. Warm up with game goulash with chestnuts, dried plums, and polenta, and indulge in a seasonal apple tart with walnut cream and persimmon. 100% gluten-free, 100% spoonable delight!
Location: Eipprova ulica 11, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: throughout the festival
Price: €21: Game goulash with chestnuts, dried plums and polenta,
€8: Autumn apple tart with walnut cream and persimmon.
Pumpkin crème brûlée with chestnut mousse and pumpkin sorbet
A village inn that draws city visitors to Bojanji Vrh even on weekdays, while locals no longer come just for pizza. Their philosophy is simple: they love good food, good drinks, and sharing both in great company. This November, indulge in a spoonable dessert! The inn will serve pumpkin crème brûlée, chestnut mousse, and pumpkin sorbet.
Location: Antonač, Bojanji vrh 4, Ivančna Gorica
Price: €6.50
Beef Bourguignon with homemade spelt dumplings
In this French-inspired restaurant, set in the idyllic surroundings of French Revolution Square, the chefs have prepared a classic French spoon dish with a Slovenian and modern twist for the November Gourmet Ljubljana festival. Exclusively during the festival, you can enjoy Beef Bourguignon with homemade spelt dumplings - a comforting blend of French tradition and local creativity.
Location: Trg francoske revolucije 4, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: throughout the festival
Price: €17.90
Ljubljanski Dvor: Ričet with Carniolan sausage
The first wood-fired pizzeria in Ljubljana is offering more than just pizza during the November Gourmet Ljubljana festival. This November, you can warm up with a hearty barley stew with Carniolan sausage, a true winter classic and part of the Taste Ljubljana collection.
Location: Dvorni trg 1, Ljubljana
Ljubljana dumplings in traditional and modern style
Moji Štruklji Slovenije invites you to both Ljubljana locations, the idyllic Štruklji house under Plečnik’s Arcades and the BTC Market, to enjoy their štruklji in countless variations! They offer the traditional Ljubljana štrukelj with tarragon, part of the Taste Ljubljana collection, as well as many sweet and savory modern interpretations of this timeless dish. During the festival, try the special autumn pumpkin štrukelj with cottage cheese.
Location: Moji štruklji Slovenije, Ljubljana (BTC covered market and under Plečnik’s arcades)
Date: throughout the festival
Price: €5.80
Homemade Turkish cuisine at Naša kuhinja
At Naša kuhinja, the aroma of authentic Turkish cuisine fills the air, radiating warm hospitality. Here, you’ll find both traditional and modern Turkish dishes, always prepared with the freshest ingredients. During the festival, enjoy the traditional Turkish dish Mantı, delicious dumplings in sauce - along with lentil soup and a pumpkin dessert with tahini. Let the flavours and scents of the exotic warm you on chilly November days.
Location: Celovška cesta 163, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: throughout the festival
Price: Mantı €7.99, lentil soup €5, pumpkin dessert with Tahini €3.99
Sea Tofu Soup with Fish Balls
Come and enjoy a hearty spoon dish inspired by traditional Chinese home cooking. The fish and shrimp are hand-shaped into tender fish balls, complemented by silky tofu and egg. The dish is enhanced with the sweet-and-sour flavor of tomatoes and the freshness of young bok choy. This light-coloured, richly textured soup is nutritious and perfect for the whole family.
Location: Niam Niam Garden, Trubarjeva cesta 50, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: from 1 to 30 November, from 12:00 to 22:00
Price: €13.50 €
Sauerkraut with millet and smoked ribs
At Restaurant and Hotel Bistra, November brings a taste of nostalgia. Enjoy a timeless dish passed down from our grandparents – sauerkraut with millet and smoked ribs.
Location: Restaurant and Hotel Bistra, Bistra 2, Borovnica
Price: €15
St. Martin’s Celebration at Bistro Švicarija
Come and enjoy a hearty spoon dish at the bohemian Bistro Švicarija, tucked in the forest just above Tivoli Castle. The bistro team has prepared two spoonable dishes available throughout the festival: For the classics, barley stew with Carniolan sausage. For the more adventurous, veal ragout with Ljubljana tuber vegetables, creamy polenta with thyme oil, crispy greens, and pea shoots.
Location: Bistro Švicarija, Pod turnom 4, Ljubljana
Date: throughout the festival
Price: ričet without meat: €12, Carniolan sausage: €10, veal ragout: €18
Bookings: [email protected] or +386 31 705 170
Zuppa maritata, "married" juha
Warm up this November at Pizzeria Trappa with Zuppa Maritata - the "married" soup. A traditional Neapolitan peasant dish, it combines garden vegetables, meatballs, fregola, young spinach and Parmesan into a rich, hearty broth. Served with pizza breadsticks.
Location: Koprska ulica 94, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: throughout the festival
Price: €8
A Spoon Journey from Appetizer to Dessert at Zlata Ladjica
At Zlata Ladjica, enjoy a festival menu that begins and ends with a spoon. Start with a welcome amuse-bouche, followed by charred cauliflower with goat cheese cream and black truffle, and duck breast with roasted pumpkin, tuber vegetables, and caramelized plums. Finish with a spiced pumpkin panna cotta with salted granola praline, white chocolate, and cinnamon ice cream. All dishes highlight local, seasonal ingredients, interpreted by chef Erik Florjanc in a modern and playful way.
Location: Zlata ladjica Restaurant, Jurčičev trg 1, Ljubljana
Date: throughout the festival
Price: 3-course dinner €45, wine pairing €25
Bookings: 01 42 11 111 ali [email protected]
Traditional French Dessert – Mont Blanc
Visit La Mousse Goose and taste their interpretation of the classic French dessert Mont Blanc. Chestnut sponge cake, light white chocolate and rum namelaka, chestnut cream, aromatic chestnut paste, and delicate meringue sticks — could it get any more delicious? A dessert to be discovered spoonful by spoonful, layer by layer, flavour by flavour.
Location: Dunajska cesta 209, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: Throughout the festival
Price: €7.20
Pumpkin and Chestnut Roulade
At Moja Rolada, you’ll be treated to a delightful autumn dessert full of warmth and gentle sweetness. During the festival, you can enjoy their light sponge roulades filled with rich pumpkin or chestnut cream, topped with pumpkin seeds or roasted chestnuts.
Location: Kolodvorska ulica 18, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: Throughout the festival
Price: €6
Chestnut Glass with Persimmon Purée
Chestnut cream with chocolate and vanilla, served with silky smooth persimmon purée. This delightful autumn treat combines the sweetness of ripe persimmon with the gentle creaminess of chestnut. Inspired by the autumn colors of Ljubljana – when parks glow in warm shades of orange and brown – each bite brings a harmonious blend of flavors and the comforting warmth of the season.
Location: All Zvezda Cafés in Ljubljana
Date: Throughout the festival
Price: €8
Lolita’s Spoon Desserts - Where Tradition Meets Modernity
Lolita has created four special festival flavors, where tradition meets modernity in a glass. Inspired by traditional recipes from the Taste Ljubljana collection, these delicious desserts carry the pâtisserie’s signature touch.
Location: All Lolita Pâtisserie & Café locations in Ljubljana
When: Throughout the festival
Price: €5.50
Apple strudel with vanilla cream in a glass
A refined reinterpretation of the classic Ljubljana strudel. Gently caramelized apples with cinnamon and raisins mingle with luxurious vanilla cream and buttery crumbs, creating the perfect balance of warmth, texture, and elegance.
Štrukelj with tarragon cream in a glass
Inspired by the traditional Ljubljana woodruff strudel, one of the city’s most iconic desserts. This modern version is served in a glass, with layers of delicate pastry intertwined with silky cream made from sour cream, egg yolks, and fresh woodruff. Instead of a baked roll, enjoy a light, airy dessert that combines familiar flavors in a sophisticated presentation.
Mila cream slice in a glass
This exquisite dessert dates back to the post–World War I era and found its home in the Maximarket pâtisserie, where it has been continuously made since 1971. The recipe was passed down from master pastry chef Avgust Plestenjak, who reportedly first created the cake at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle, delighting members of the British royal family with its luxurious flavor. Known for its exceptional moistness, the cake features vanilla cream with hazelnut and walnut bits, all encased in a velvety chocolate coating that completes its perfection.
Tower (Stolp) single-serve cake
Created in 2015 by the Kaval pastry masters to commemorate 1905, when the City of Ljubljana purchased Ljubljana Castle from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Named after the castle’s tower—one of the city’s most iconic landmarks—the cake pays tribute to history, the city, and its culinary tradition. Its rich flavours come from a light sponge and cinnamon cream, enriched with Dolenjska Protected Fruit Brandy and seasonal apples from Ljubljana’s orchards.
Taste of the Universe – Noordung Menu at Pivnica Maister
Savour a refined culinary experience at Pivnica Maister, where the richness of dark beer meets the warmth of homemade flavours, served by the spoonful.
Location: Dunajska cesta 18, 1000 Ljubljana
Date: throughout the festival
Price: €17.90 (10% discount during the festival)
Beef Goulash with Noordung Dark Beer, Bread Rolls with Butter and Garlic
At Pivnica Maister – Pri Trubarjevi mami, the classic goulash takes on a new dimension with the addition of Noordung Porter dark beer. Used in small amounts as a seasoning, the beer enhances the rich flavors of the meat and sauce. The porter, with its notes of roasted malt and coffee, adds depth, warmth, and a subtle caramel touch without overpowering the other ingredients.
Chocolate Cake with Noordung Beer
Inspired by the same beer, the chocolate cake or cream in a glass combines the gentle sweetness of chocolate with the slight bitterness of the dark beer. Noordung Porter acts as a subtle aromatic accent – highlighting the chocolate notes, creating a silky texture, and leaving a pleasant, long-lasting harmony between sweet and roasted flavors.
Noordung Porter
Noordung Porter is a dark brown beer of medium body, delighting lovers of rich, balanced flavors with its aroma and slightly sweet cocoa notes. Its finish is bittersweet, elegant, and full of character, giving the beer a warm, deep profile. The beer is inspired by Slovenian rocket engineer and cosmonautics pioneer Herman Potočnik Noordung, designer of the first space station concept, later inspiring Stanley Kubrick’s iconic film 2001: A Space Odyssey.