The former coronation city of Hungarian kings invites you on an experiential gastronomic journey through historical eras. You can't take a wrong turn at the famous Central European crossroads of diverse tastes.
The grandeur of the monarchy comes to life on porcelain
You will be tempted to take a trip to the times of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy by the traditional delicacies of Pressburg, historic name for Bratislava. Try the wild duck with roasted šúľance (rolled potato dough dumplings) and plum-beetroot sauce at the Leberfinger restaurant on the right bank of the Danube River near Sad Janka Kráľa (Janko Kráľ Park), whose history dates back to the reign of Maria Theresa. And how about a unique Tafelspitz, Szeged goulash, Pressburg schnitzel or Kaiserschmarrn with blueberry chutney? Zylinder, a restaurant in the heart of the Old Town, which has been crowned with prestigious awards offers specialties that were also loved by Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Photo: www.leberfinger.sk
Looking for a place to satisfy your sweet tooth? Take a trip to the Konditorei Kormuth pastry shop near Hlavné námestie (Main Square), which relies on the best ingredients. Cookies and excellent Italian coffee are served exclusively on historical porcelain here. It is in perfect harmony with the impressive spaces decorated with paintings and frescoes in the Renaissance style, from which the city’s famous history breathes on you.
Photo: www.konditoreikormuth.sk
First Republic’s tasteful legacy
How about visiting the restaurant at the Carlton Hotel on Hviezdoslavovo námestie (Hviezdoslav Square), where Jules Verne, Alfred Nobel, and Albert Einstein used to stay? In Savoy restaurant, you can enjoy seasonal vegetables, freshwater fish, and juicy meat from local farms and forests. All the meals are prepared following the original recipes and the latest gastronomic trends. The Mirror Bar there will show you a cocktail can be an experience for all the senses. Every drink becomes a work of art for a fleeting moment thanks to the original service and mastery of Peter Marcina here. Do you want to see how Bratislava looked 100 years ago? Enter through the so-called Golden alley with replicas of facades of the buildings that no longer exist to the iconic Flagship restaurant on Námestie SNP (SNP Square). Tourists from all over the world order traditional Slovak dishes on three floors in this once legendary cinema. You can taste the cabbage or garlic soup in the loaf of bread and continue with the bryndza dumplings (potato dough dumplings with sheep cheese). You will be informed by the imaginative menu in a fun way how this authentic Slovak specialty with the smell of the sheep cheese is prepared.
Photo: www.mirrorbarcarlton.com
Cod in a retro living room and hipster trdelnik eaten standing up
What about a return to the Czechoslovak socialism era of the 70s? In the stylish cafe Naštartované retro, whose title refers to the (at the time extremely popular) Škoda 100 car, millennials will feel like they are in their grandparents' living room. Whether it's the interior, theme music, or specialties on the plate. Try cod or Parisian salad with a roll, milkshake, traditional bottled lemonade or Kofola, the popular herbal cola.
Photo: www.nastartovaneretro.sk
In the streets of the Old Town, fans of high-quality street food will also find something to their liking. Street Food Park fills the square in front of the Stará tržnica (Old Market) every month with stalls with popular local classics and exotic novelties. Even demanding vegan, gluten-free, or lactose-free taste buds will enjoy them. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, you can bite into traditional párance (pasta strips), juicy burgers, Brazilian or Indian specialties, and also taste local wine, beer and lemonades – all this is in the spirit of zero waste concept. However, you can enjoy a good lunch every weekend in Stará tržnica. During Saturdays Trh-Piac-Markt, where you can buy fresh, fair-trade food. You will be welcomed in the Kantína's pop-up kitchen from 11.00 a.m. until everything is sold out, where a menu of interesting flavors awaits you, prepared from ingredients from market vendors.
Photo: Street Food Park
You cannot leave Paris without climbing the Eiffel Tower, and a your trip to Bratislava will not be complete without a visit to the 95 m high observation tower in the shape of a flying saucer (hence the nickname "UFO") on the Most SNP (SNP Bridge). And not only because the suspension bridge over the Danube is a unique piece of architecture. An elevator in one of its pillars will take you from zero to a amazement and a luxurious restaurant, where you will easily blend in the imaginative combination of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine and the atmosphere of the vibrant city below you. From here, you can see the distinctive silhouette of Bratislavský hrad (Bratislava Castle) and the huge St. Stephen's crown on the tower of the Gothic Dóm sv. Martina (St. Martin’s Cathedral), which is a reference to the most famous chapter in the history of the city.
Photo: www.visitbratislava.com
For the fair taste of malt and award-winning wines
They are also definitely worth tasting. Here, they are served to you in carefully selected portions by local guides, with whom you can go on several thematic culinary tours. Be sure to try Bratislava rolls with a generous poppy or walnut filling and the fluffy Skalica trdelník (spit-roasted pastry) made from fresh sourdough. The elaborate sweet treat with cinnamon sprinkles is deliciously combined with homemade ice cream, hot chocolate, or strawberries. Take a look behind the scenes of artisanal breweries, learn the story of the "beer bell" above Michalská brána (Michael´s Gate), which once announced the last chance to order beer, and taste any of award-winning Slovak wines. Especially the ruby Blue Frankish from nearby Rača, which was already loved by Empress Maria Theresia, or the wine of refined white grape variety Devín, which you can only taste in Slovakia and Moravia. Its fruit-honey-spice flavor is internationally acclaimed. Or take a sip of the Devín currant wine which has been awarded in France and became a phenomenon known far and wide. It tastes best under the majestic ruins of Hrad Devín (Devin Castle), from where the ancient Romans controlled the border of their empire. Attention! The view of the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers and the charming natural scenery can make the visitor who tastes the current wine for the first-time really dizzy!
Photo: www.visitbratislava.com
Cover photo: www.konditoreikormuth.sk
