NEW MICHELIN STARS TWINKLING OVER LJUBLJANA

The most famous culinary guidebook in the world has once again been enchanted by what Ljubljana’s cuisine has to offer. While last year the first of these recognisable stars glowed red on the front of the Atelje restaurant run by top chef Jorg Zupan, this year it was joined in the Central Slovenia region by Grič headed by chef Luka Košir.

European Region of Gastronomy 2021

This year, with Slovenia bearing the title of European Region of Gastronomy, the Michelin Guide stars carry a special significance. The demanding inspectors, who visited Ljubljana restaurants between February and June of 2021, were won over by a full 17 restaurants, which were then placed in the Michelin selection.

The cult-status red guidebook, which this year for the second time toured through Slovenia, offers various categories which in total included 53 restaurants, of which there were a full 18 in the Central Slovenia region.

In the Ljubljana area, alongside Atelje run by chef Jorg Zupan, this year a first star was awarded to Grič in Šentjošt pri Horjulu, with chef Luka Košir at the helm. This is also the sole new star this year for Slovenian restaurants.

The Michelin Guides have a hundred-year tradition, whereby the best restaurants in the judgement of their inspectors are awarded the famous stars. A restaurant can receive one, two or three stars. In the pioneering times of the Guide, which was first intended for motorists who needed tips on long journeys, one star signified a superlative restaurant of its kind, two meant an outstanding restaurant worth making a detour for, and three stars were given for a restaurant deserving a journey in its own right.

The stars have been maintained to the present day, and most certainly rank among the most desired and recognised gastronomy awards, and in recent years they have been joined by new categories: Bib, plate and a special rating for sustainability.

The Bib Gourmand depicts a pictogram of the smiling Michelin man, who in a restaurant thus designated is highly satisfied with its value for money. In Ljubljana the popular and heart-warming Bib designation has been given to Gostilna na Gradu and TaBar.

The Michelin Plate category is used to designate a restaurant in which fresh ingredients have been carefully used to prepare a simply good meal. In Ljubljana (end elsewhere in the Central Slovenia region) the following establishments were placed in this category: Gostilna AS, B-Restaurant, Restavracija Cubo, Dvor Jezeršek, Harfa, Restavracija JB, Landerik, Maxim, Monstera Bistro, Separé, Shambala, Strelec, Sushimama, Valvas'or and Vander.

Last year the red stars were joined by the green sustainability star – and the green capital city of course earned distinctions in this category, too. This year once again a green star is retained by Grič.