© Matej LozarRestaurant House Denk stands proudly with its bold presence and just like its chef A varied and an integral whole is gently woven into rural surroundings You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email They say the best way to experience a country’s history and culture is through its food where the varied landscape; prime location in the heart of Europe; and proximity to countries like Italy and Hungary are the perfect recipe for rich culinary journeys and the sea—all within a two-hour drive—Slovenian dishes vary vastly from one region to the next creating a tasting menu on a national scale The country’s culinary creations have ignited a fire of international attention Gault & Millau—one of the best-known French restaurant “bibles’” alongside the Michelin guide—recently recognized a raft of Slovenian eateries with six restaurants received four Gault Millau hats each (out of a possible five): Hiša Franko in Kobarid Gostilna pri Lojzetu at Zemono Manor in Vipava Mak Restaurant in Maribor and Strelec in Ljubljana Hiša Franko offers diners welcome relief after a long journey Slovenian chefs themselves have earned an array of accolades too—all of which is inspiring foodies to flock here and find out what the fuss is about Perhaps the most famous of these chefs is Ana Roš the charismatic owner of Hiša Franko—an unassuming-looking eatery featured in the Netflix series Chef’s Table in 2016 and located close to the sleepy town of Kobarid Roš has reinvented traditional Slovenian dishes turning them into works of art that are putting the country on the international culinary map Take her treatment of beef tongue—a traditional Slovenian favorite—which Roš serves with oysters and a salad of samphire The result is an immaculately-presented “surf-and-turf” creation reflecting the nation’s proximity to the sea Despite all the talk of Roš’ creative flair in the kitchen if you ask her the secret behind her world-renowned dishes nature is the source of Roš’ inspiration—just as it is for her husband and business partner the couple’s pink-walled Hiša Franko was originally built as a roadside inn in 1868 tree-covered hills have nurtured the creativity of some illustrious guests—including Ernest Hemingway who allegedly penned A Farewell to Arms here while recovering from injuries he incurred during World War I the landscape serves as Roš’ natural larder and nuts from the surrounding hills; vegetables grown in the restaurant’s biodynamic garden; cow’s milk collected from the herd grazing in the lush mountain pastures above the restaurant; or freshly-caught trout from the nearby Soča River the Hiša Franko menu options evolve with the seasons While Roš is one of the most famous faces of cutting-edge Slovenian cuisine there is an entire generation of chefs who are making their names on the international stage including a spot on the Top 50 list of the world’s best restaurants Bratovž draws upon Slovenia’s diverse bounty of natural ingredients with inspiration from the four elements of earth and air—all represented via different taste profiles and you’ll experience tantalizing hot-and-cold combinations like marinated seabass on cucumber and lime “snow” with raspberry and chili Sun streams in from behind a row of trees on Vršič Mountain Another chef earning international plaudits is Tomaž Kavčič Based at Zemono Manor in the Vipava Valley—about an hour from the capital—Kavčič blends the best of the Slovenian ingredients in dishes such as smoked Vipava trout served with a “dust” of tomatoes There’s much more to Slovenia’s foodie scene than just fine dining Ljubljana boasts a thriving street-food culture the highlight being a weekly “Open Kitchen”—or Odprta kuhna—which runs from spring to autumn the open-air culinary celebration draws food producers from all over the country locally sourced offerings like sweet cherries served alongside black wild salmon burgers from the likes of Organic Garden stop in at one of the many waterfront bars serving tasty Slovenian beers Toast the day—and your culinary discoveries—by sitting back and sipping the froth off a local brew while watching the world go by in the early evening sunshine with more than 20 gastronomic regions to explore features traditional farms making their own sausages mountain huts preparing savory stews for hikers and coastal towns offering fresh seafood from the Adriatic Whether you’re a passionate foodie or casual traveler It’s the first new Michelin guide since the pandemic began If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy The guide includes just six starred selections. Hiša Franko, a fine dining restaurant in Kobarid, is the only Slovenian restaurant to receive two Michelin starts. Its chef Ana Ros was named the World’s Best Female Chef in 2017 by separate fine dining awards institution World’s 50 Best. Her restaurant is currently ranked no. 38 on that list Michelin explained its decision to cover Slovenia “a country that brings together different European cultures [and] is committed to developing sustainable and continental tourism.” And according to international director of the Michelin guides Gwendal Poullennec the guide “confirms that Slovenia has a fine score to play in the concert of the world’s top gastronomic destinations.” Slovenia is also considered a coronavirus success story home to newly crowned two-star restaurant Hiša Franko has been virus free throughout the global pandemic and unlike many of Michelin’s other territories restaurants in Slovenia are open to Slovenian diners as well as to tourists from select European countries The freshest news from the food world every day