The back story 1
Café culture.
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The back story
Ljubljana’s café life: the back story
Coffee by the river is Ljubljana’s favourite pastime: terraces on both embankments, grand hotel cafés, cake shops and a wave of specialty roasters.
32 of the best · Ljubljana, Slovenia
The Best Cafés in Ljubljana
Ljubljana lives on the river terraces. Here is where to sit, sip and watch the city go by.
Our 32 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
What's onThis week in Ljubljana
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Insiders' picks
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Ljubljana.
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Roasted in Ljubljana
Cafe Čokl
A tiny specialty-coffee bar by the market, serving coffee from its own roastery.
Krekov trg 8Explore View on map
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Cakes on Congress Square
Kavarna Zvezda
A popular café and cake shop on Congress Square, known for its cakes and ice cream.
Kongresni trg 3Explore View on map
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Views from the skyscraper
Kavarna Nebotičnik
The café and bar at the top of the Nebotičnik skyscraper, with a terrace over the city.
Štefanova ulica 1Explore View on map
The full list: Cafés, A–Z
Show 31 of 32 places on a map
Neighbourhood
Specialty coffee 5
For a proper coffee.
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Roasted in Ljubljana
Cafe Čokl
A tiny specialty-coffee bar by the market, serving coffee from its own roastery.
Krekov trg 8Explore View on map
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Ground in front of you
Cafetino
A small coffee shop on Stari trg that grinds coffees from around the world in front of you and sells the beans to take home.
Stari trg 5Explore View on map
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On Gornji trg
Črno Zrno
A specialty-coffee bar on Gornji trg at the top of the old town.
Gornji trg 17Explore View on map
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Specialty coffee
Stow
A specialty-coffee roaster and café on Gosposka, with a second small bar by Prešeren Square.
Gosposka ulica 15Explore View on map
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Gallusovo nabrežje
TOZD
A riverside café and bar on Gallusovo nabrežje, coffee by day and wine by night.
Gallusovo nabrežje 27Explore View on map
Riverside & bistro cafés 6
Terraces on the Ljubljanica.
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On the right bank
Kavarna Rog
A stylish café and bistro on Petkovškovo nabrežje, open from breakfast to evening tapas.
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A Parisian corner
Le Petit Café
A long-loved café and bistro near Križanke, with breakfasts, cakes and a terrace.
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On Rimska cesta
Neks
A relaxed café and lounge bar on Rimska cesta, pouring wines and sparkling wines from Štanjel in the Karst.
Rimska cesta 6Explore View on map
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Next to the Town Hall
Pritličje
A café, bar and cultural space next to the Town Hall, beside a comic-book shop.
Mestni trg 2Explore View on map
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Only Slovenian
Slovenska Hiša
A tiny riverside bar serving only Slovenian products, from coffee and juices to wine and spirits.
Cankarjevo nabrežje 13Explore View on map
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One of the city’s finest gardens
Svetovna kavarna Sputnik
A suburban café on Tržaška cesta with a distinctive interior, a big garden, lunchtime menus and DJ nights.
Tržaška cesta 128Explore View on map
Cakes, ice cream & views 12
Sweet things and a rooftop.
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Ice cream by the Triple Bridge
Cacao
An ice-cream café on Petkovškovo nabrežje, a short walk from the Triple Bridge.
Petkovškovo nabrežje 3Explore View on map
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French pastries by the river
Fetiche
A French patisserie and cocktail bar on Cankarjevo nabrežje, with macarons, éclairs and croissants and a garden facing the Cobblers’ Bridge.
Cankarjevo nabrežje 25Explore View on map
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In the castle courtyard
Grajska kavarna
The café in the courtyard of Ljubljana Castle, with ice creams, house cakes and Slovenian wines and sparkling wines.
Grajska planota 1Explore View on map
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Home of the Maxi slice
Kavarna in slaščičarna Maxi
One of Ljubljana’s oldest cake shops, in the Maxi department store on Republic Square, home of the famous Maxi walnut slice.
Trg republike 1Explore View on map
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Views from the skyscraper
Kavarna Nebotičnik
The café and bar at the top of the Nebotičnik skyscraper, with a terrace over the city.
Štefanova ulica 1Explore View on map
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Art Nouveau grandeur
Kavarna Union
The café of the Grand Hotel Union, an Art Nouveau landmark of 1905.
Miklošičeva cesta 1Explore View on map
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Cakes on Congress Square
Kavarna Zvezda
A popular café and cake shop on Congress Square, known for its cakes and ice cream.
Kongresni trg 3Explore View on map
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Cakes by the river
Lolita
A pretty cake shop and café at the start of the river embankment.
Cankarjevo nabrežje 1Explore View on map
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By the fountain on Stari trg
Slaščičarna pri Vodnjaku
A cake shop by the fountain at the end of Stari trg, known for its ice creams, hot chocolates and its “icy” apple strudel.
Stari trg 30Explore View on map
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Vegan ice cream
Slaščice Mihalek
A family cake shop on Celovška cesta with classic cakes, potica, baklava and doughnuts, and well-loved vegan ice cream.
Celovška cesta 56Explore View on map
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Gelato by the Triple Bridge
Vigò
A modern ice cream parlour between Prešeren Square and the Town Hall, with many flavours and vegan and gluten-free treats.
Stritarjeva ulica 4Explore View on map
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Precision desserts
Yauya Patisserie
A modern patisserie on the Breg embankment making precise, beautifully finished desserts.
Breg 12Explore View on map
Museum cafés 2
Coffee with culture.
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At the Moderna galerija
Kavarna Moderna
The café of the Museum of Modern Art, with a terrace looking towards Tivoli.
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At the Ethnographic Museum
Kavarna SEM
The café of the Slovene Ethnographic Museum in the Metelkova museum quarter.
Metelkova ulica 2Explore View on map
Tea rooms 2
Herbal teas and a garden tea room.
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A monastery herbalist’s legacy
Čajnica Pater Ašič
A tea house and monastery shop keeping alive the recipes of Pater Ašič, the herbalist of Stična Abbey.
Poljanska cesta 6Explore View on map
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In the Botanical Garden
Čajnica Primula
The tea room of the Ljubljana Botanical Garden, with ice creams, sweets, fruit and vegetable cocktails and natural juices.
Ižanska cesta 15Explore View on map
Bakeries & brunch 4
Sourdough, croissants and brunch.
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Vegetarian and organic
Bazilika Café & Shop
A café and shop on Miklošičeva with vegetarian and vegan soups, pies and sandwiches, and its own Slovenian organic products.
Miklošičeva cesta 22Explore View on map
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Sourdough and croissants
Brot Pekarna
A craft bakery on Poljanska cesta with sourdough breads, hand-rolled butter croissants, sandwiches and quiche.
Poljanska cesta 11Explore View on map
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Brunch by the river
EK Bistro
A breakfast and brunch bistro near the Grain Bridge, with organic-egg dishes, cinnamon buns and croissants.
Petkovškovo nabrežje 65Explore View on map
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Entirely gluten-free
Moja Rolada
A small bakery near the station making sweet and savoury roulades, all of them gluten-free and suitable for coeliacs.
Kolodvorska ulica 18Explore View on map
