Dining in Slovenia: Cozy delights at Špajza Restaurant

It’s a rainy day in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and there’s seemingly no end in sight to the raindrops as my mom and I cross the Dragon Bridge, huddled together under the protection of our single umbrella.

We make our way through the Old Town of Slovenia’s capital city and stop in front of a charming red house at Gornji trg 28. As soon as we enter through the welcoming door to Špajza Restaurant, we are greeted by a cozy, warm ambience that is the perfect cure for the rainy day blues.

Wooden floorboards creak beneath our feet as our waiter Andrej leads us to a dark oak table near a window. I feel cozier than a mouse in a teacup as I watch the rain drops hit the cobblestone streets outside, dry and happy, illuminated by the soft light that bounces off the red walls.

Dining in Slovenia: Cozy delights at Špajza Restaurant

But a pleasant atmosphere isn’t the only thing Špajza Restaurant offers. The food served here is first-class. Local dishes are prepared with fresh ingredients bought at the nearby farmer’s market.

Andrej tells us for a warmer starter we must try the homemade spinach gnocchi with monk fish, honey mushrooms and truffles. Slovenian folklore says that this dish was a favorite of Napoleon, whose former Ljubljana lover made it for him during his visits to the city.

I do not eat seafood, but my mom does and she also tried the scallop au gratin as an appetizer. She admired the taste and I admired the beautiful presentation.

Mushroom soup was my warm starter of choice.

As a main dish I have beef fillet topped with mushrooms and served with fresh green beans and carrots.

My mom opts for veal medallions, served with asparagus and mashed potatoes.

All of the dishes we ate were extremely flavorful, prepared uses the highest quality of ingredients.

The restaurant was such a lovely place to be that we ended up spending nearly three hours at our table, chatting with Andrej, drinking Slovenian red wine and feeling warm and content.