The Slovenia, a company that has been publishing Slovenia’s In Your Pocket city and regional guides since 2008, has compiled a list of the best dining establishments in Slovenia. On Tuesday, March 21, an award ceremony was held at Fužine Castle to announce the winners of the 2017 Slovenia Restaurant Awards, including the regional winners and the winner of the expert committee.

A total of 140 Slovenian restaurants were in the running for the awards. The prestigious regional awards went to: Vila Podvin (North), Ošterija Debeluh (South), Gostilna Rajh (East), Hiša Franko (West), and Restavracija Strelec (Ljubljana and central Slovenia).

The longlist was compiled by a jury of distinguished experts: Helena Cvikl (director, Vocational College for Catering and Tourism Maribor), Mira Šemič (wine connoisseur, gourmand and gastronomic traveller), Dr. Janez Bogataj (Emeritus Professor of Ethnological Sciences), Assoc. Prof. Aleš Gačnik (Head of the Department for cultural tourism and cultural heritage at Turistica, and head of the Centre for gastronomy and wine culture at the University of Primorska), and Yuri Barron (editor, Slovenian editions of the In Your Pocket city and regional guides). The best restaurants in each category were then selected by the Chefs & Foodies Academy, which consists of chefs, culinary experts, critics, wine connoisseurs, wine makers etc.

Only restaurants that have been around for more than a year have made the longlist. Two Ljubljana restaurants that have recently sent shockwaves through the local foodie community are therefore missing from the list: Monstera Bistro headed by master chef Bine Volčič, and Atelje headed by Jorg Zupan.

K. K.; translated by D. V.