Favorite eateries in the Balkan States
 

We are flying into Venice and touring in Slovenia and several cities in Croatia. Can anyone tell us about special eateries, pubs, happy hours, etc in Venice, Bled, Lubliana, Rovinj, Split, Korcula, Dubrovnik, or Plitvice Lakes?

We are driving from city to city and have an idea about what we want to see in each place but are new to this area and want to know if there is anything we would not want to miss?

I don't know that you go to the Balkans for the food, although there is some good wine. However, I did enjoy a good food tour in Ljubljana last year:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...la_Region.html

There's a good Indian restaurant in Ljubljana, too.

Be very careful in Dubrovnik, it gets too many cruise ship passengers and I had one really bad meal there (Wanda).

If you get tired of fish in Venice I can recommend La Bitta.

I am not going to the Balkans for the food but I thought that I would eat a few times while I was there. Since I am going to eat, I thought I would seek out the best places with input from the previous travels of Fodorites. I thought that was what this web site was for.
Fireman

Sheesh, what's your problem? I'm just pointing out that the area isn't known for great restaurants.

Yes but whatever great restaurants they do have I want to eat there. I also want to find out what and where they are before I get there and not walk around like an idiot looking for them. No problem.

Brian Fireman:

You've been a Forum member for 5 years...aside from a few of your own topics, you've not once commented on posts by other Fodorites. Do your homework, look at some maps and guide books. This is a forum primarily for people who should be doing a good deal of their own resarch.

Best advice..."Leave that chip on your shoulder at home"...

In Slovenia you have lots of very good restaurants, but not so many people know about it. Italians and Austrians drove there to eat.
I'll give you some recommendations;

Ljubljana - Strelec in Ljubljana Castle, Spajza in Old Town, Valvasor in Old Town, Julija in Old Town, Das is Valter - very good Serbian food, Cad - Serbian food, Pri Skofu - traditional Slovenian food, Burek is snack - you can buy it in many places, best on Miklosiceva Street and then Klobasarna in Old Town, the best Slovenian sausage snack.

Kobarid - Hisa Franko - one if not the best Slovenian Restaurant, Topli Val - very good sea food.

Bled - Restaurant 1906, Ostarija Peglez'n, Gostilna pri Planincu - traditional Slovenian food, Gostilna Lectar in nearby Radovljica.

This is just small part of very good restaurants in Slovenia and if you want more just look at Tripadvisor.
And then you have lots of excellent wines - Slovenia produce one of the best wines in Europe, but productions is small and almost nothing got exported, so nobody knows how good are our wines. One interesting fact - the world's oldest producing vine is in Slovenia, in Maribor.

Aleksander57,
Thank you kindly. Exactly the type of response I was hoping for and have learned to receive from Fodorites.
Tower, first of all who asked you? Where do you get you misguided facts? I have offered on everything from the best food trucks in San Diego to finding the tallest saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert. Go fishing somewhere else.

While walking the Stradun in Dubrovnik, I noticed a sign for D'Vino, a wine bar recommended in Rick Steves' book. We needed a break and decided to grab one of the handful of tables outside. It was the best food decision of our trip! The wine was good, but the cheese and sausages were divine. Highly recommended!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio..._Dalmatia.html

In Ljubljana, Cacao for ice cream, cold drinks, light food http://cacao.si/
We had a good lunch at Na Gradu in the castle complex; the central market on Saturday morning was a treat and on Fridays they have an Open Kitchen event at the market (we missed this due to Assumption Day); and Foculus for pizza. Yes, on vacation we eat ice cream, pizza and some local specialties such as cream cake in Lake Bled at Kavarna.
Not entirely sure why your inquiry was met with some hostility. Have a great time as we really enjoyed Ljubljana and Lake Bled.

Hey Tower, just now cooled off enough to read your next to last sentence. Who put you in charge of what this forum is primarily for. I guess I mistakenly thought it was for the sharing of information. That what I think the rest of us think it is intended for.

Any of the road side Inns near Pasjak offer a fantastic lamb dish on Sunday. A whole lamb for peanuts to attract Italians across the border. You get something similar down towards Trieste

"Not entirely sure why your inquiry was met with some hostility."

Seemed to me that the hostility was on the OP's side. All I did was point out that the Balkans are not exactly a foodie destination - <i>along with a couple of suggestions</i> - and the OP ignored the suggestions and gave me a very snippy response.

He needn't worry - he will be getting no more responses, hostile or otherwise, from me.

Hey Tower,
You were pretty quick on the trigger to pop off. Where did you go? Tuck tail I presume.
Fireman

Fireman: thursdaysd gave you a useful response -- merely saying that the Balkans aren't a foodie wonderland but included a couple of suggestions in Ljubljana and Venice, an interesting link, and a warning re Dubrovnik.

Nothing was AT ALL snarky or rude . . . and you come back w/ >> . . . <i><blue> I thought that I would eat a few times while I was there. Since I am going to eat, I thought I would seek out the best places with input from the previous travels of Fodorites. I thought that was what this web site was for.</i></blue><<

Her post was helpful and informative, yours was snarky and uncalled for.

Thanks, janisj. That was exactly my feeling!

as usual, Janis, you're spot on...that's what prompted my post in defense of Thursdaysd (not that Kathy needs any help from me). She is one person who can handle things perfectly well as she did! It's difficult enought to TRY to help some posters...vagueness is bothersome and Fodors has become a receptacle for it in too many cases. Maps, guide books...does anyone use them at all anymore?

Tower, then again when YOU misrepresent them with accusations that are 100% false, as you did, that makes your post 10 x's worse than anything I could post.
F

Why don't you give it a rest Fireman. At east let's not hijack further. If you want to reach me, for 10 years I never hide behind my screen name: (make it civil, and you'll get a civil answer to anything you ask)

rozstu1 at aol dot com

or

sgtbranko at aol dot com

Anyone for a coffee and a chocolate biscuit :)