Published: June 2024, Last visited: May 2023, Number of visits: 2
I have now been to Slovenia twice, and it really is the most beautiful country and I would highly recommend visiting. My first trip was in 2009, my first holiday after I was diagnosed coeliac – long before I used Instagram or my blog to document my travels and pre dating many dedicated gluten free restaurants. However, we had an amazing week road tripping around the country taking in Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj and Triglav National Park. We spent time exploring caves, mountains, white water rafting on the Soca River, cycling around Bohinj and chilling by the beautiful lakes and I can remember hardly anything that we ate!
Returning to this beautiful country had been on my bucket list for a long time, and in May 2023 we had the chance for a weekend visit as I had a business trip to the country. For work I visited the cities of Ljubljana, Koper, Celje, Nova Mestro and Ptuj. However, due to the timing of the trip I was able to extend it for two nights for Paul to join me and we decided to have a chill weekend at Lake Bled. However, May 2023 saw some extreme weather across Europe from wild fires and extreme heat to flooding. Unfortunately my trip timed with torrential rain across Slovenia and it didn’t let up pretty much the entire time I was there.
Both of my trips have effectively been road trips as my business trip was also a whirl wind trip of site visits with my colleague based in Slovenia driving us around the country. Therefore, I didn’t spend long in each place and I would describe this post as a gluten free highlights reel for visitors to the country looking for some great gluten free food rather than an in-depth guide to the country especially for any one living in Slovenia.
Ljubljana
Gluten Free Eats in Ljubljana
Dežela Okusov – 100% Gluten Free
Luckily I got the chance to eat at this 100% gluten free restaurant twice during my recent trip whilst in Ljubljana as there were so many things that I wanted to eat from the menu! The ribs looked and smelt insane but when I thought I was only eating there one time I thought I should try something different. This led me to ordering – what turned out to be a huge portion of – fried chicken and potato salad. Honestly I would have been fine with half a portion of this but it was delicious.
I also didn’t know the portions were so large when I also ordered the fresh bread rolls with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, although I would still probably have devoured them even if I had known this beforehand as they were so good!
For my second meal, I decided to go for the ribs after all and these were amazing smoky ribs served with chips, and it was another excellent meal whilst not having to venture out again in the pouring rain!
I also got a slice of cheesecake to takeaway. If you only have one meal/night in Ljubljana then this is the must visit restaurant for sure.
This dedicated gluten free cafe/deli isn’t really in an ideal location for tourists on a short trip as it is located in BTC shopping mall, but as that was where I was working I was so excited to be able to eat somewhere conveniently located that was 100% gluten free!
One of my Slovenian colleagues very kindly joined me to eat at Cojzla, where they enjoyed a gluten free wrap and I of course made the most of the opportunity of eating lunch at a gluten free restaurant by ordering the chicken tenders and chips, which were so good even if they weren’t the healthiest or lightest of lunch options during the working day! There were some tables inside to be able to eat in, and they also sold a few sweet treats too.
I bought a poppyseed pastry which I didn’t love. It wasn’t very sweet which may appeal to some more than me and I found it pretty dry (but I did eat it the next day).
Due to the rain, I didn’t end up exploring Ljubljana as much as I would have liked and ate twice at each of my hotel restaurants. I did however have Hood burger saved after I saw several reviews for excellent burgers that can be made with gluten free buns and that they stock the Celia gluten free beer. They have a branch in the centre, as well as at BTC shopping mall which is how I originally found it. There are plenty of reviews that suggest that it is brilliant for gluten free, but their website does not show this from what I could see in English.
Pizza
I have fond memories of sitting eating a four cheese pizza by the river in Ljubljana during my trip in 2009 but I have no idea where we went, or even know how careful I was at that point regarding cross contamination. I was hoping to try and get pizza on this trip but again decided against it due to the rain, especially since I wasn’t even sure if I walked to the restaurants that I had saved if I would even consider them as safe. If you have more time in the city to try and check the options, I had Trta, Capriccio and Pizzeria Foculus saved in my google map due to reviews mentioning gluten free. However there was no mention of cross contact measures in place on any of their websites, and be warned that some show that the gluten free pizzas come with a surcharge for those who don’t like to pay extra for a gluten free base.
Where to stay in Ljubljana
Bed and Breakfast Dežela Okusov
Not only is Dežela Okusov a dedicated gluten free restaurant but it is also a bed and breakfast and I jumped at the chance to stay here! It was amazing to be able to eat at the restaurant with total peace of mind and so many options.
The breakfast that was included was quite small and basic, but totally fine for me staying one night and I loved being able to start the day with absolutely no worry of glutening myself at breakfast.
There were scrambled eggs, bread and spreads, fresh fruit, marble cake, yoghurts, cereal, orange juice and tea and coffee. As I stayed one night I’m not sure how much they change this on a daily basis.
I also stayed at the Radisson Blu which I wouldn’t recommend as a tourist on a short trip to the city as it is too far out. I did eat at the hotel restaurant – Plaza Restaurant – two nights for dinner though for convenience and found them to be accommodating of my needs with allergens marked on the menu, but the meals were pricy for Slovenia (but very good).
They were also advertising gluten free items being available at breakfast.
Sightseeing, Treats and Coffee in Ljubljana
Ljubljana Castle
Despite the rain I went up the funicular to the castle.
It was so grey, wet and bleak when I arrived at the top that I didn’t have the best views so I hope you have better weather! I’ve also read reviews online that the restaurant here can cater for those with coeliac.
Prešernov Trg
This quaint Central Square dedicated to the poet Prešeren is a must visit with the pink church and the Triple Bridge.
Love Bridge
A really cute independent shop selling locally produced honey. The member of staff was so lovely and explained the products, and how they were made. After I had been lured in with a few different samples I bought the ginger honey that I loved.
Market Stalls
I saw a few market stalls during my time spent in Ljubljana to be able to pick up fresh fruit whilst exploring the city.
This coffee shop was fantastic and we loved the coffee, and vibe here (but they did use gluteney oat milk so be careful what you order if you worry about the use of this and cross contamination in coffee shops).
Lake Bled
Lake Bled is beautiful and I absolutely love visiting. However, on this trip it poured with rain so I was so glad we had splurged on a lake side hotel so we could enjoy the view without leaving the hotel too much!
The hotel could cater for me and we ended up not eating out, but instead buying plenty of picky bits to sit and eat on our balcony overlooking the lake. We purchased these items from the small supermarket Mercator in Bled a short walk from the hotel.
Gluten Free Eats in Lake Bled
This restaurant comes highly recommended and was top of my list of restaurants to try mainly for the pizza restaurant upstairs at the time of my visit. Sadly though this appears to have closed but the restaurant downstairs still seems to be able to cater for those with coeliac.
Public Bar and Vegan Kitchen, Lake Bled
I did scope out the menu at Public Bar and Vegan Kitchen with a view to return to eat. They had gluten free options that included salads, chickpea fritters, potato wedges and a chocolate cake and they assured me that they took cross contact measures when I went in and spoke to the staff.
Slaščičarna Lincer, Lesce Train Station – 100% Gluten Free
I travelled back to Ljubljana from Lake Bled by public transport. I could have taken a bus, but instead got a taxi to Lesce train station for a bit more time before taking a train for the rest of the journey. This worked well as Lincer is right next to the station and it meant I could stop for a gluten free lunch and sweet treat! It’s more of a cafe than any information I found online showed which generally showed photos of celebration cakes.
I asked for a local recommendation for lunch and ended up getting what I think was a savoury version of Štruklji filled with cottage cheese and tarragon but as it was also topped with a lot of honey and I wouldn’t order this again as the flavours just weren’t to my taste. I have a sweet tooth when it comes to desserts but don’t love sweet and savoury main meals and this honey topped kind of crepe/dumpling was too much for me as my main meal.
I did however absolutely love the slice of Bled Cream Cake that I ordered – a kind of custardy marshmallow slice which I first enjoyed in Croatia and had also seen advertised all around Lake Bled as this is where it originated so I was so excited to be able to find and order a gluten free version. This made it worth the visit alone!
Where to stay in Lake Bled
This beautiful hotel is well worth the splurge to stay here, and we absolutely loved our lakeside room. This totally made our trip on such a rainy weekend as we could sit out and eat, drink and read on the balcony for a chilled couple of days despite the torrential rain. I would 100% recommend this hotel especially out of season for this reason.
It also meant we could see the nighttime view of the lake from the balcony, when some of the buildings along the lake were lit up.
Breakfast was included in the price we paid and whilst they gave me gluten free bread at breakfast when I asked about gluten free options I wouldn’t say they were that helpful with the rest of the buffet breakfast despite advance notice that I was coeliac.
Beyond Ljubljana and Lake Bled
Koper
Pastello- 100% Gluten Free, Sugar Free and Keto
We had a site visit in Koper one morning which meant after a drive from Ljubljana and an early start we were able to have coffee with a view of the sea, and I was able to pick up something to eat from Pastello. They had some beautiful looking cheesecake type desserts but as we were eating on the go and early in the morning, I bought the peanut butter cookie that was really good and my colleague enjoyed one too.
Celje
For lunch in Celje we tried the Vietnamese restaurant Wok and Roll where gluten free options were marked on the menu, and I also had my colleague to explain what I needed in Slovenian.
They do state the cross contamination risk on the menu so despite the gluten free options I was cautious over the options marked as not containing gluten and opted for a curry over a stir fried dish with the staff assuring me they would keep it as safe as they could.
Maribor
I had Slovenka saved for my trip as an option to stop at for a safe meal but sadly we weren’t in Maribor at a time that suited stopping to eat.
Podčetrtek
Lipa Kavarna – 100% Gluten Free
As a dedicated gluten free restaurant Lipa has been on my must visit list for ages, and would be ideal for anyone travelling both Slovenia and Croatia on the same trip as despite being in Slovenia, it is also close to Zagreb. The menu, especially the pizzas look amazing.
Zalec
Malí, Craft Beer and Snack – 100% Gluten Free
Despite the name Malí Craft Beer and Snack actually opens from 7am – 7pm and shows as a coffee shop in google maps and images on Facebook showcase some mega looking fast food options.
Other Recommendations for Slovenia
Slovenian Society for Coeliac Disease
Adele in Slovenia – I found this blog whilst sensor checking my information post trip, and went down a total rabbit hole of reading all about life in Slovenia.
Gluten Free in Slovenia Facebook Group – Celiakaši v Sloveniji – a Facebook page (I believe in Slovenian) run by Adele who also has answered lots of posts on Coeliacs Eat Abroad for recommendations for eating out in the country.
Instagram account – @glutenfreewithmegi – I also found this account post trip, but Megi’s account features some absolutely beautiful bakes as well as some posts on eating out in Slovenia including this reel on Lipa so it’s definitely worth checking out before a trip to Slovenia.
This post has been in my drafts for so long, so I wanted to get it published for the summer as its a country I’ve had a few DMs about. It also looks like @celiacsarahexplores is also currently posting content from her trip to Lake Bled.
Beyond Slovenia
Gluten Free in Europe: The Ultimate Travel Planning Resource
Trieste , Italy
On both of my trips I have ended up driving through Trieste. During my business trip we were going to try and eat in Trieste as there were several options including gluten free bakeries, pizzerias and McDonalds but sadly the rain and our change in plans meant we didn’t need to eat whilst passing through the city and was too far to go back to for dinner. If you’re travelling through Western Slovenia you may find eating out in Trieste is a good option for you.
A World Without Gluten – 100% Gluten Free
Pasticceria da Ily – 100% Gluten Free
Tips for Slovenia
- Take a rain coat even in the summer!
- Take water shoes for time at the lakes or rafting. We did white water rafting in Slovenia and canyoning in Croatia.
- Splurge on a stay at Grand Hotel Toplice balcony rooms if you are going out of season or during bad weather for lake views without having to go out so often in the weather!
- Don’t miss out on the Bled Cream Cake in Lesce – whether you are visiting Lake Bled by car or train you should be able to work out a detour to get this!
We really have had the best time in Slovenia on both visits and we hope to get back again soon to travel more of the country, and to revisit Bohinj as a quieter lake option. Fingers crossed for less rain next time…
Happy Gluten Free Travels!
Note: Writing a gluten free travel blog is a passion project of mine but the website has an annual subscription cost so it actually costs me money to run. If you find my guides helpful please consider buying me a virtual coffee through my kofi link to help me run this free resource for gluten free travel. Thank you!
The Sightseeing Coeliac 