National Geographic
23 Best Restaurants
incl. Hiša Franko Soča Valley, Slovenia,
Self-taught chef Ana Roš has been credited with putting Slovenia on the culinary map, having appeared on Netflix’s 2016 series Chef’s Table and led Hiša Franko to the nation’s first Michelin star. Her cooking centres around innovative takes on Slovenian flavours — especially local cheeses and pastas, and greens and herbs grown or foraged nearby — as well as incorporating influences from Italy, just a few miles away. The once-humble inn now has an expanded dining room and a second star. 15-course tasting menu: €225 (£198).
In the area: Pine-covered peaks shape the Soča Valley, in the Julian Alps, where hiking, rafting, fishing and mountain biking are all on offer. The waters of the Soča River produce particularly prized trout – a regular feature at Hiša Franko – and you can also drive about an hour south to the Vipava Valley for some of the best wineries in Slovenia, including Posestvo Burja and Batič.
