We couldn't believe our luck when we realised there is such a special cluster of fantastic local restaurants to choose from, just a stone's throw from the Lodge in the neighbouring Vipava Wine Valley, with such high quality, locally grown food, unique local wines, amazing service, ambiance and quite frankly everything we would personally look for when selecting a special restaurant to get a real taste of Green Slovenia..

But you could have knocked us down with the swish of a baby Dragon's tail when we stumbled upon ANOTHER secret cluster of equally imaginative and exciting local restaurants in ANOTHER nearby mini region.. ALSO just over 20 mins from the Lodge.. so just like the Vipava cluster, well within the range of our guests to have an amazing choice for a meal out!

This new restaurant cluster is in the Brkini, an extremely secret, exciting and undiscovered mini region with a bit of a comedy name, but at least it is pronounceable and memorable! It is NOT a wine region, but does border and interlace 3 of Slovenia's 7 wine regions, so each different restaurant might have wine from each or all of them! 

Every little detail combines to make a perfect eating experience in Mahorcic..

The Brkini is like a hilly hidden Green island, just 30km long and much narrower, wedged into the Green Slovenian Treasure Map between the Coastal Hinterland, the Teran Karst wine region, the Vipava wine Valley and our own Green Karst region..

We always knew about the mysterious Brkini.. that it was a remote, beautiful farming region, stuffed with fruit trees and stunning blossoms, picturesque villages and a few castles & caves dotted around too..

On your way from the Lodge to either the Slovenian or Croatian coasts, you might even spot the few brown tourist signs, (frustratingly still JUST in Slovenian), placed on the edge of this secret region, saying "Sadna Cesta".. Fruit road.. if you only knew!

Bear prosciutto, porcini mushroom ice cream, black walnut and blackcurrant starter at Mahorcic..

Bravely cross into the Brkini and try following one of these signs though and you will be completely on your own in this stunning secret mini region hidden in the middle of everything in plain sight and touching distance.. With no more instruction or help available to know where to go, what to see and how to do it!

So we were absolutely determined to fully explore the Brkini region and discover how to open up this Bermuda Triangle of picture perfect wiggly roads that criss cross and then often just stop at a village in the middle of nowhere, making it extrememly tricky to navigate your way round such a tiny area in logical direct lines!

a range of local Brkini products for sale at Pri Filetu, Slope..

But isn't that the very definition of a Green adventure, where you might like to go explore, maybe get lost a bit, have a hike, explore, see some unique nature, maybe a castle or a cave too.. and then of course, to have a nice meal!

Your problem will be you almost certainly scheduled WAY too little time to visit the most beautiful country in Europe and so you just do not have time to lose trying to find your way around a mini region you have not even heard of!

So this is also why we tried to make things simpler for y'all!

Pasta dish at Pri Damjanu, Slope..

We already knew it wasn't that far from the Lodge to the traditional & main access points with those myterious brown signs into the Brkini to the south near the Croatian border at Prem Castle and via Podgrad.. So last year we really went for it.. spending a few different days totally exploring ALL around and following those spooky roads across the Brkini and we made a fantastic discovery that changed everything!

After almost 10 years living here, we only went and found a secret back door into the top part of the Brkini that takes a little over 20 mins direct from the Lodge!

Part of our mission had been to find at least one or two local restaurants anywhere in the Brkini where guests could experience local Brkini cuisine and then these would help to make it possible to have a really good unique "Brkini" day out into the bargain..

Have you ever had a desert like this, Mahorcic..

We already knew some Green Adventures and secret Green Places to visit in the Brkini and whilst it is also really easy to leave this mini region and nip over to some of the fantastic restaurants in the other neighbouring regions, we were determined to find some local Brkini ones!

On one of our trips, we landed in the village of Rodik on the way home, just before we popped out of the Brkini and we were shocked when we realised that this same exit road was just around the corner from the uberimpressive Skocjan Cave.. so a really quick route back to the Lodge!

So this secret back door into the Brkini is really close to one of the very best and unmissable tourist attractions you might have even heard about in Green Slovenia.. the Skocjan Cave.. one of the many Green attractions Lodge guests are lucky enough to go see..

Chicken soup, poched egg, parsley noodles and chicken at Mahorcic..

We got a map from the Local TIC, (Tourist Info Centre) in Rodik and noticed there were actually quite a few local restaurants nearby, something not repeated anywhere else in the Brkini..

Even at this stage we really couldn't have guessed or had any idea or intention to find yet another very special restaurant cluster, but that is exactly what happened!

We spent the next fantastic month and a bit visiting each one of these restaurants on the list every Sunday in Rodik and in the next village of Slope and we were totally SHOCKED at how unique and fantastic each one was, week after week after week.. we just couldn't believe it..

inside at Pri Damjanu, Slope..

We had lucked out and therefore, so have you, if you read this.. We would recommend ANY of these Brkini restaurants to our guests as a FIRST choice eating out location now we know them all.. just depending on what you want to eat, when and which one you might prefer..

Each one is a little different, quirky and absolutely fantastic in their own way, but any one of them will help you find the answer to aquestion you might have.. What is so special about Slovenian Cuisine?!

So now we are gonna tell you a little about each one of these very special restaurants in the Brkini Mini Restaurant Cluster!

Cold seafood strter at Trost, Rodik..

Firstly, we should say restaurants do tend to open, close and change hands in Slovenia, in general all the time, so we sincerely hope all of these 6 special Brkini eateries remain open in the years that pass from this article being written, but YOU SHOULD ALWAYS double check your choice of restaurant's opening times, (some of them just at weekends in the Brkini) and ALWAYS book ahead.

Nothing is easy about discovering the hundreds of secret Green places in Green Slovenia, which is exactly why we write these articles to help you out, but just cos it might be a bit tricky to get to eat at one of these Brkini restaurants or the fact you might need to organise your time to make sure you visit near the weekend or maybe a Thursday or Friday, then that one is for YOU to sort out!

Our mission is to at least make you aware of what you are missing out on and if you have committed that most common mistake of allocating WAY TOO LITTLE TIME for your Green Slovenian adventures, then again this is not something we can do anything about..

Honestly can't remember what this delicacy was, but just try it, amazing at Mahorcic..

But if you do find this little article before you allocate your schedule, make some more time and you might have lucked out..

We can tell you for sure that this Brkini cluster has already been discovered by local Italians living just over the border and this is another very positive sign from the Food Gods that the cuisine here is really good, but it also means that especially for Sunday lunch, you are gonna have to be savvy and book at least a few days ahead to get your desired table..

We are pretty sure that it is only a matter of time before trusted publications like Lonely Planet start putting the Brkini into top ten lists of European secret places and stuff like that, so now you are still ahead of the game.. 

A key requirement on your hollibubbles is to have somewhere fantastic to eat out and boy oh boy, just have a look below at the choice you have for a unique Brkini restaurant to get a better understanding of why Green Slovenia is still one of the most under valued, undiscovered food nations in Europe..

Expect to get the best apple juice in Green Slovenia in the Brkini mini region..

the Brkini Restaurant Cluster..

(in no particular order or preference, cos we love them all, each one has a different level and menu, but ALL are exceedingly good value for the type of local dishes they offer)..

Remember these restaurants are so good and in demand by the few lucky people who know about them, that they only need to open at weekends to be full and maybe Thursdays and Fridays too, so you really must check first and plan your week to ensure you do get to eat out in the Brkini..

(We would say the best trick is to maybe go for a Brkini meal outside the most popular Sunday lunchtime slot, if possible, maybe have a lunch here after a visit to the Skocjan cave).

Mahorcic in Rodik, (24 mins from the Lodge)..

A stunningly good, understated Michelin restaurant specialising in creating Brkini delicacies that will entertain & surprise you and tantilise your tastebuds..

The highest compliment we can pay this fantastic restaurant is to say we felt that we had gone to another place on this planet when we first went through the front door and spent several hours here in a magical different world.. Everything, every little detail is just perfect and uncomplicated..

the friendly bar at Mahorcic..

Each diner can go "a la carte" if they prefer or we tip to choose a very reasonable 4, 5 or more course menu together, with some cold and hot starters, main dish and spectacular desserts. (You can always choose your own dessert with this group option and we recommend you do)!

The owners are so friendly and down to earth that you cannot quite believe you are lucky enough to be eating in a Michelin, but the service, ambience, imagination and love for local food, plate after plate, makes this an eating experience you could not have expected, but will never forget!

Delicious home made crusty bread and a choice of cold starters at Mahorcic, Rodik..

Trost in Rodik, (24 mins from the Lodge)..

A stunningly good Fish restaurant, some say the best in Slovenia, (but incredibly, there is another Fish restaurant just down the road from here and just down this Brkini list too)!

If you are not sure what fish choices to go for then just ask the waiter to help you choose and our favourite combo here is to go for a cold and hot mixed starter, followed by a risotto or pasta second plate and then whichever fish of the day takes your fancy.

Warm seafood starter at Trost, Rodik..

Oh yes and very good advice here is to leave room for dessert, if at all possible.

Trost is another top, top restaurant where every detail fits so well with the image of the place.. the location and the food here are just fantastic!

Of course, you need to like seafood, cos this is JUST a fish restaurant, but wow, the selection, preparation and presentation surprised and amazed us. 

A marine theme in the seafood restaurant Trost in Rodik..

Domacija Linc in Rodik, (24 mins from the Lodge)..

A farmhouse style restaurant, specialising in locally made dishes and some fish dishes too.

We were blown away with the quality of the local food and choices available here.

Domacija Linc in the centre of Rodik, the Brkini..

The Slovevenian Tapas starter of typical cheeses, olive oil and cold meats can feel like a meal in itself, so order for the group to share and then choose from the menu for a selection of local Brkini pasta and fish dishes.

Truffles are very common and plentiful here in the Brkini and are scattered generously over the dishes, but some plates you can choose are just Truffle gnocchi or pastas if you are a real "Truffler"!

This is another Brkini restaurant where you really need to leave room for a desert!

If you like truffles then Green Slovenia is the place for you to go eat..

Godina in Kacice, (21 mins from the Lodge)..

We noticed this restaurant on our way back home from exploring Rodik visiting those other restaurants and every single Sunday the little car park was stuffed with just Italian cars!

So Godina is marginally the closest of these Brkini restaurants to the Lodge and yet another incredibly friendly family style restaurant specialising in fish dishes with very, very good home made deserts!

Inside Godina Fish restaurant in Kacice, just before Rodik..

Either you will know what you are doing at a fish restaurant, otherwise we strongly recommend asking the friendly waiteress to help you out with your choices..

Often a mixed shared starter, maybe an excellent fish soup can be followed by a risotto or pasta second plate and then get some advice as to which fish to choose for the main course..

Godina is arranged with a marine, fishing theme and we should warn you again that if it wasn't for the car park packed with Italian cars, we might not have even noticed this was yet another fantastic restaurant, so do look out carefully for this wonderful place when you drive through the little village of Kadice.. and watch out for those village speed bumps!

It would be a mistake to come to Godina just for the fish, cos the desserts are home made and really delicious..

Not just a fish restaurant at Godina, the deserts are hand made and look like this..

Domacija Pri Damjanu in Slope, (27 mins from the Lodge)..

Godina has a "sister" restaurant  in the stunning little Brkini village of Slope, on the other side of Rodik, called Domacija pri Damjanu and this one specialises in meat dishes.

Being in a village called Slope, this is a forewarning for the sharp turn and steep rise up to the little car park next to this famhouse style restaurant, housed in a tourist farm.

main entrance to Pri Damjanu in Slope..

But inside the restaurant interior is surprisingly modern and has a real restaurant feel about it.. and like we said, you are here to eat some really good meat!

You do not get beef tartare French style in too many other places in Green Slovenia and we were actually caught out by the mound of butter served on top of the meat to spread on the toast that comes with this dish!

One of the Lodge team was also delighted to be able to order a side dish of mushy peas here.. a first for Slovenia and they were great!

You get toast with this generous beef tartare to spread all this butter on at Pri Damjanu..

There are lots of local meat options available in the first and second plates and huge steaks too..

This is the ONLY restaurant we have been to in Green Slovenia where it was impossible to even squeeze in a dessert as we just felt too full, but we challenge you to give it a go!

Pri Damjanu specialises in meat dishes..

Pri Filetu Farm, Slope, (26 mins from the Lodge)..

This was actually the first restaurant we tried out in this Brkini cluster as we wanted to see if there really were specific "Brkini" dishes and this is a farm that opens on weekends for delicious simple home cooked food..

It is fair to say that there are elements in the dishes here that are unique to the Brkini, but your menu choices WILL be familiar to you, the special and different touch here  being the food is from the farm, so locally grown and this is the overwhelming, main reason why Slovenian cuisine is just so amazing..

This is what we are talking about when we say Slovenian tapas, baby..

So here you can tuck into Slovenian Tapas meat starters, fried chicken and Pork dishes, with homemade apple strudle for desert and wash it all down with wine or the most amazing locally produced apple juice! 

The farm had some local food souvenirs for sale too, so in the Brkini, look out for locally made schnapps, Gin and apple related products especially.

a hearty Brkini Sunday lunch at Pri Filetu farmhouse in Slope..

Wow, what about all that then.. We wish you a really wonderful day out in the Brkini and a wonderful meal too.. Even with this extra knowledge, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

We are concentrating here on telling you about the food options in the Brkini Restaurant Cluster, but if you would like to know more about the secret Brkini mini region, then we have also written a Secret Place to Visit about the mysterious Brkini too, to help you plan the perfect, most unexpected day out in your Green Slovenian adventures!

A glass of home made Brkini Gin and the bar at Brin Gin, Rodik..

There are Brkini hikes, bikes, castles, caves and even a sensational local Brkini Gin or Cider makers to visit for make an amazing Brkini day out..

But maybe you are just looking for a special restaurant choice to go with your visit to the spectacular Unesco protected Skocjan cave..

And if you cannot get a place at any of these Brkini Cluster restaurants then the Slovenian Hog Roast road is also nearby or maybe you just want a fantastic pizza in another Michelin rated eatery at Pizzeria Etna in nearby Divaca!

We didn't even order these house starters from Mahorcic, they were brought and our eyes popped open..

Finally, here is a link to our article on the Vipava Restaurant Cluster, but it is impossible for us to say which of these two restaurant clusters is our favourite, we are just so happy to have BOTH of them so close and accessible! 

All we can say to conclude is that if you REALLY want to find out what the secret of Slovenian Food is all about, then you need to make time to eat out at least once in BOTH the Vipava Valley cluster AND the Brkini cluster and we completely understand there is a very good chance you had never heard of either of these amazing mini regions before..

It might come down to a straight shoot out in your timetable for eating out.. Bled or the Brkini, Ljubljana or the Vipava Valley, but if you want to look outside the restaurant window and see where your food was grown or prepared, then you now know which place to choose!!