Restavracija Mak

Rating: 17
Author: Gault&Millau

Osojnikova ulica 20, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

17/20
Prestige Restaurant

4 PHOTOS

Chef: David Vračko
Cooking: Creative | Gastronomic | Modern
Style: Elegant

Gault&Millau's review 2026

Chef David Vračko still cooks his own way – like a conductor who turns the score on its head: he improvises, adds, subtracts and builds the evening until it sounds like a really good piece. Poppy is not just a restaurant, Poppy is a stage. And once you enter, you become part of the story with no rigid rules, but with a clear pace. The evening begins with greetings from the kitchen, one after the other coming as opening chords. Sometimes gentle, sometimes provocative, but always playful enough to arouse curiosity. Then the plates change like pieces on an album – each has its own character, but together they form a whole. There are no classic transitions here, but there are a lot of details. And this is where Mak hits the hardest – in contrasts, subtle connections and unpredictable combinations. Cucumber, which finds itself in combination with gin. The sea playing with the garden. Textures that surprise and delight. Poppy just needs a guest he trusts – that's when he shows what he can do. It all has a slightly rocker effect, you just have to catch the rhythm and let the kitchen surprise you. This is an evening that the guest plays together with Mak. And when it's over, you're left with the excitement of a good concert – you're still impressed, but there's only one thing that resonates in your head: I'd love to experience it again.