Grad Štanjel Restaurant & Lounge bar

Rating: 15.5
Author: Gault&Millau

Štanjel 1A, 6222 Komen, Slovenia

15.5/20
Remarkable Restaurant

6 PHOTOS

Cooking: Creative | Local | Modern
Services: Access for people with disabilities | Pets allowed
Style: Exceptional setting

Gault&Millau's review 2026

When you cross the castle entrance of the medieval Štanjel, you are embraced by the serenity of the courtyard, where the sun draws beautiful shadows of the ancient walls during the day. There, the kitchen awaits you, where Kras speaks through plates. Dishes follow the rhythm of nature, from seasonal herbs picked in the eye-face to local meats, homemade pasta and fresh vegetables from nearby gardens. And already the greetings from the kitchen show that the experience will be anything but normal. On the plate, traditional olives and truffles in olive oil, in a pasta bowl of roasted beef, refined with juicy cubes of prawns and drops of lemon olive oil, and on the stone crispy wild rice chips, on which mullet pâté is intertwined with trout roe. Homemade spaghetti with delicious zucchini pesto, rolled into a cone, complemented by crispy fried pancetta and tender mozzarella mousse, is a playful blend of flavors, textures, and naïve presentation. For refreshment, they served fig sorbet sprinkled with their homemade vermouth. The dessert is also original, as it combines the milky tenderness of goat yogurt and white chocolate with the freshness of raspberry sorbet sprinkled with pistachio groats, fresh raspberries and drops of pistachio cream. A visit is not just a stop within the castle walls, but a culinary encounter with the Karst – peaceful, thoughtful and full of flavors.