8 Best Restaurants in Slovakia

One of the city's most elegant fine dining experiences, Restaurant Albrecht near Bratislava Castle serves sumptuous, strictly seasonal French cuisine using the highest quality locally sourced ingredients; menus often list individual farms and producers. Head chef Jaroslav Žídek is known for his elaborate, multicourse tasting menus, but you can also order the dishes à la carte: opt for the tuna ceviche to start, the lamb back with sheep-cheese ravioli for main, and the plum dumplings to finish. If you don't want to trek back to town after dinner, you can stay at the attached hotel; it's a gorgeous 1920s building with great wellness facilities.

It may look unassuming from the street, but step inside and it becomes immediately apparent why this is considered one of Europe's most beautiful cafés. The walls and ceilings throughout the interior are plastered in majestic Renaissance-style frescoes, while seemingly every nook and cranny of the old building is filled with antiques, some dating back to the 16th century. It's such a gorgeous interior, there's an entrance fee (€10 per person), although this does include a coffee and a cake. Fortunately the dining experience measures up to the decor, with bone china tea service and elegant patisserie.

In recent years, Bratislava has been taken over by ice cream stores, and today it's hard to find an Old Town street without a high-quality gelato option. But if you have to choose only one scoop while you're in town, opt for Koun (pronounced "cone"). Run by Barbara Szalaiova, who studied the art of gelato making in Italy, this award-winning gelateria has an ever-changing rota of flavors, with only eight of their hundreds of recipes available on any given day.

The UFO-like structure perched atop the Novy Most Bridge across the Danube River was installed during the five-year construction of the bridge starting in 1967. Now it's a 278-foot high restaurant that serves as one of Bratislava's elite dining establishments. The international menu features an eclectic selection, like poached fish in Thai curry, lamb with parmesan polenta, and grilled duck breast in masao sauce. A seven-course degustation menu is available for 75 euros. Seats are at a premium during sunset. The observation deck above the restaurant was closed during the communist era to prevent people from seeing capitalist Austria in the distance. Now non-diners can go up and enjoy the view for 6 euros.

Long in the shadow of its beer master cousins in the Czech Republic, Slovakia brewing has grown leaps and bounds in the past decade and is finally coming into its own. Of the many excellent brewpubs in Bratislava, this one stands out because the two homebrews on tap come directly from the brewing vats, rather than kegs. There are also 13 rotating guest beers from small Slovak and Czech brewers. The multi-room pub is a no frills space with shared tables and includes an outdoor terrace during the summer. A menu of classic pub grub complements the beer.

Melt-in-the-mouth eco-farm beef, crunchy double-cooked fries, and crisp craft beers are the order of the day at this excellent burger joint. There are half a dozen burger options to choose from, including veggie mushroom and vegan patty ones; all are cooked medium as standard and served with tasty sides like rosemary or garlic fries, kimchi, and coleslaw. It may be out of the city center but this place is seriously popular at lunch and dinner, so either book ahead or come early.

Bratislava's role in the Austro-Hungarian Empire receives culinary tribute at this boutique restaurant in Hviezdoslavovo Square, a cobblestone's throw from the river. Dishes are beautifully presented but hearty and heavy, like smoked sausages, sheep cheese soup, Austrian boiled beef, piglet knuckles, and Hungarian goulash. With a wink at aristocracy, an old-world ambience permeates the white with green trim dining area. The interior is elegant, with silk-covered banquettes, glass chandeliers, and black-and-white photos of days past.

With dishes based on traditional Austro-Hungarian recipes, this well-located café and restaurant makes a pleasant stop for lunch or dinner. Expect everything from traditional Austrian schnitzel and tafelspitz (boiled beef served with minced apples) to Hungarian beef goulash and somlói galuska (sponge trifle), as well as Slovakian specialties like halušky (small potato dumplings with sheep cheese, sautéed bacon, and sour cream). The interior is classy but cozy, and you can sit out on the tree-shaded terrace most of the year.