The famous french red restaurant guide announced the first-ever recipients of Michelin Stars in Slovenia back in June. And we couldn’t be happier that Slovenia is now the proud owner of 6 Michelin starred restaurants.
There are currently over 2000 restaurants around the world, who are the proud recipients of (one, two, or even three) Michelin star(s). Let’s take a step or a look at the Michelin star restaurants located across the Slovenian border.
Croatia – 7 Michelin star restaurants
Our Southern neighbors, the Croatians, have brought the Michelin guide to their country in 2016. The beggings were quite humble, to say the least. In the first year of the arrival of the Michelin guide, (only) one Croatian restaurant received a Michelin star. The first-ever recipient of Michelin star in Croatia was restaurant Monte, which is located in the charming and very popular summer destination Istrian town of Rovinj. Restaurant Monte has helped put Croatia on the culinary map of the world.
In the second edition of the Michelin Guide Croatia in 2018, Dubrovnik’s 360 and Šibenik’s Pelegrini were also awarded Michelin stars and happily joined restaurant Monte with their honors. Fine dining Restaurant 360 is located in the town of Dubrovnik, a UNESCO heritage site. Exquisite terrace stretching along medieval walls and fortresses of St John opens up with a unique sea view to an old town and its port. Pelegrini is a well-known restaurant located in Šibenik with many awards (from JRE to Gault & Millau) under their “belt” or better said on their plates.
The third edition of the Michelin Guide Croatia was released in 2019 and as a result, Croatia has been awarded with two more Michelin stars. In 2019 the proud winners who received Michelin stars in Croatia were restaurant Noel in Zagreb and Draga di Lovrana from Lovran. Restaurant Noel, which is located in the capital city of Croatia, brings a whole new and exciting concept of fine dining to the local gastronomy scene. Draga di Lovrana is a gourmet restaurant, located on Opatija Riviera, which is based on traditional Mediterranean flavors combined with a hint of Italian and French cuisine.
The Croatian recipients of Michelin bib Gourmand are Agava, Batelina, Dunav, Konoba Fetivi, Konoba Mate, Tač and Vuglec Breg. Among the Michelin Guide Croatia recommended restaurants you will find around 41 restaurants.
New Croatian Michelin starred restaurants on the Croatian horizon
The Michelin Guide Croatia 2020 has two new restaurants that have been awarded one star. The LD Terrace restaurant in Korčula, run by chef Marko Gajski, is renowned for its refined gastronomic cuisine in which local produce and flavors from across the world bring a subtle balance to the dishes.
Combining delicious preparation and innovation, the use of local Croatian produce is the strong point of chef Matijas Bregeš at Boškinac at Novalja – his creativity brings out the full intensity of the flavors.
Austria – 13 Michelin star restaurants
If you are headed over to our northern neighbors, the Austrians, you will come across 13 Michelin star restaurants. But keep in mind they are all located in Vienna and Salzburg. 2019 was a huge success for Austria in regard to the Michelin stars. They received their first 3 Michelin star restaurant – Restaurant Amador run by a german chef by the name of Juan Amador. Juan is a sort of free spirit in the kitchen as he does not like to follow “any fashions or trends” as he likes to point out.
Coming in “hot” right behind restaurant Amador with two Michelin stars are Konstantin Filippou, Mraz & Sohn, Steirereck and Silvio Nickol, which are all located in the capital city of Austria. The eponymous Restaurant Konstantin Filippou offers fine dining on the highest level which is the main reason why Michelin Guide has awarded them with two Michelin stars. Mraz & Sohn is located on the outskirts of Vienna and offers some of the most creative dishes in Austria. Their food is full of flavor in a distinctive and modern setting. Steirereck restaurant is also recognized as one of the world’s 50 best restaurants of 2019 – they ranked as 17th on the list. Steirereck represents Austrian cuisine in a contemporary way.
Austrian restaurants with (only) one Michelin star are Aend, Pramerl & the Wolf, Shiki, Edvard, Tian, Das Loft, Le Ciel, and Walter Bauer.
Hungary – 6 Michelin star restaurants
Hungary started its “star-studded” path to Michelin Guide in 2016. In their first year of the arrival of Michelin Guide, 4 Hungarian restaurants received their Michelin stars and also managed to keep them to this day. The first luck four Hungarian restaurants to receive the Michelin honor were Borkonyha, Costes, Costes Downtown and Onyx. Borkonyha Winekitchen is located in Budapest and it is most known for combining the French bistro style with modern Hungarian influences. Costes is located in Raday Street in Budapest and it is the first member of Costes Group and their main commitment is bringing gourmet cuisine. Costes Downtown is the sister restaurant of Costes which offers meals prepared in an open kitchen. It is the perfect spot for all breakfast lovers which are elevated to a higher level. Onyx Restaurant is located in the heart of Budapest’s downtown, their philosophy is based on tradition and innovation which they have successfully presented on their tasting menu.
Three years later, in 2019, two more (Michelin) stars were light up over Hungary. Joining the four Hungarian restaurants who have kept their Michelin stars from 2016, were Babel and Stand, bringing the Hungarian total to 6 Michelin star restaurants. Babel restaurant is located in Budapest and according to the Hungarian Michelin Guide it is a stylish, intimate restaurant run with real passion. Cooking is innovative and flavorful. Stand restaurant presents Hungarian classics in a contemporary and modern way.
Acknowledged with Bib Gourmand recommendations are Stand25, Petrus and Fricska.
Italy – The Michelin “All-Star”
Our next neighbor country is Italy or as we like to call them “The Michelin All-Star” with a grand total of … wait for it … 340 Michelin star restaurants. Piazza Duomo (also on the list of the world’s 50 best restaurants of 2019), Da Vittorio, Dal Pescatore, Reale, Enoteca Pinchiorri, Enrico Bartollini al Mudec, Osteria Francescana, La Pergola, Le Calandre, St. Hubertus and Uliassi are all the proud owners of 3 Michelin stars.
The closest Italian Michelin star restaurants to Slovenia are located southern Tyrol, where you will find one restaurant with 3 Michelin stars, 4 with two Michelin stars and 14 restaurants with 1 Michelin star. The 3 Michelin star restaurants closest to us is St. Hubertus which is set against the dramatic backdrop of the peaks of the Dolomites. We could say the restaurant St. Hubertus is where Michelin stars meet the magic of the Alps. Their tasting menu includes flavors from mountains and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Fun fact this Michelin star restaurant was once a little pizzeria. They have come a long way since then.
Michelin stars in Slovenia
Who will receive a Michelin star (or two, optimistically three) in Slovenia is still a “guessing game” at this point. However, the skies over the best Slovenian restaurants will soon clear up as we are only weeks away from the official announcement and release of the Michelin Guide Slovenia.
We dare to speculate that one of the following restaurants will receive the Michelin star Gostilna pri Lojzetu – dvorec Zemono with the amazing head-chef Tomaž Kavčič, Hiša Franko with award-winning chef and Ana Roš, Hiša Denk run by head-chef Gregor Vračko, Ošterija Debeluh with chef Jure Tomič, Restaurant Mak with David Vračko as the head-chef, Strelec run by the talented Igor Jagodic, JB restaurant run by talented Janez Bratovž, Pavus where chef Marko Pavčnik cooks, Vila Podvin run by Uroš Štefalin, Restaurant Maxim with the head-chef Peter Kovač, Dam Restaurant where the head chef is Uroš Fakuč, and Gostišče Grič with the amazing chef Luka Košir.