Great location and an unmissable beef goulash
Restavracija Julija (or Julija restaurant) is positioned right in the centre of Ljubljana’s old town, along the cobbled Stari Trg that runs parallel to the river. It has a distinctly French interior style and on the pedestrian street in front, a collection of well-spaced tables. It’s an extremely popular spot, especially in the summer when these outdoor seats are at a premium.
The menu is a mixture of classic Mediterranean and Slovene dishes. And because many of the summer clientele are tourists, the menus are all translated and the staff speak predictably perfect English. The food is excellently prepared and there are some good local wines too, most of which you may not have encountered before.
The first page of Restavracija Julija’s menu is for specialities and it’s where I always look first. Actually, that’s not entirely true as I generally end up just ordering the beef goulash with polenta and a mixed salad right away, whatever else is on offer. For around €15, it makes an extremely satisfying lunch. It’s an especially perfect choice for colder days and taking a seat by the large window to watch the world stroll past is a pretty great way to spend an hour.
My only tip here is that as in many places in Slovenia, the salad comes undressed and there is a collection of balsamic, olive and pumpkin oils on the table for you to use. I tend to do a terrible job of this task so always ask for the chef to dress the salad in whatever way they think best. It’s invariably delicious.
GALLERY
