Dining in a foreign city can be a dramatic, disappointing or even downright distasteful experience, depending on which particular restaurant you choose. To help make your visit to Ljubljana as enjoyable as possible, we've assembled a list of quality restaurants featuring Slovenian and other cuisines that have received favorable reviews from foreigners and locals alike.

 Review of Joe Pe��s

 Review of Pri Skofu

 Review of Zlata Ribica

Kitajski zid, Cesta Ljubljanske brigade 5, 01/505 33 59, 12pm to 11pm daily

Though endless debates about "the best Chinese food in Ljubljana" seem every bit as futile as the ones about the best pizzeria, Kitajski zid, i.e. "The Great Wall of China", certainly has its supporters. Despite an off-center location, the place is often filled to the last of its 200-seat capacity. Pondering over the bountiful menu takes some time, but experience has shown that it's hard to go wrong here.

Sichuan, Gornji trg 23, 01/251 93 37, Mon to Sat 11am to 11pm

Suitably set on Old Town's tranquil Gornji trg, this most centrally-located of Ljubljana's half-dozen Chinese restaurants has none of the gaudy colors and tacky gewgaws common to its ilk. Lacquered woodwork and quiet traditional music alone fill the small dining area, creating a perfect atmosphere for an intimate evening. Sichuan offers more than thirty entrees, including five veggie options. The food is fresh, flavorful and refined, though a bit lacking in pizzazz. Portions are fair, prices moderate.

Chez Eric , Mestni trg 3, Tel: 01/251-2839, Mon-Sat 12pm - 4pm + 7pm - 11pm

Formerly situated in a corner of the Fu`ine castle, Chez Eric has recently relocated into the center of the city, directly next door to the Ljubljana Town Hall. The setting is posh, as would be expected for the location (which oddly enough retains the name "Rotov{" on the exterior, since the building is a historical landmark and cannot be modified) and the menu offers a unique fusion of French and Slovenian cooking. The selection is broad for both food and wine, and the service is prompt if not ceremonious.

Gostilna As, Čopova 5 (entry from Knafljev prehod), 01/425 88 22, 9am to 2am daily

The pedestrian court linking Wolfova and Slovenska is blessed with plenteous shade trees and a couple of swanky eateries. Gostilna As has been around a while now, and looks it; yet its menu of Slovenian specialties, seafood, pasta and fine wine remains superb. Not to be confused with As Pub, its loud-mouthed live-at-home offspring, Gostilna As is a cozy, intimate dining establishment that demands your Sunday best, a big wad of cash and, most likely, a reservation.

Bachus, Kongresin trg, 3, 01/241-8242

The Bachus Center is more than just a restaurant, in fact it's a laybrinth of entertainment options, offering a bright and roomy cafe, a cavernous nightclub, and even a pool hall and lounge. In fact, at first glance you might even miss the subterranian restaurant altogether. Once located, however, you can expect an underwhelming and somewhat sterile atmosphere.

Casa del Papa, Celov�ka 54, 01/434 31 58, 11am to 2am daily

Having blazed new trails in Ljubljana nightlife, Casa del Papa is now settling down to a comfortable, even complacent middle age. This three-floor funhouse still hosts literary evenings, salsa dancing, fine dining and copious drinking night after night. Papa's food is imaginative and fresh, while prices are sober. House cocktails and a breakfast menu are especially popular features of this celebrated immovable feast.

Guliver, Vilharjeva 43, 01/434 44 28, Mon to Fri 9:30am to 12am, Sat 12pm to 12am, Sun 12pm to 10pm

As befits a place named after this legendary traveler, Guliver is located not far from Ljubljana's train and bus stations. The menu offers decent if unspectacular Slovenian and Mediterranean fare, including a cheap daily set menu and a great selection of colorful salads (or try the salad bar). The dark, comfy interior houses both the restaurant and a pub, while the shady outdoor patio gives you a great view of outbound traffic through the vegetation.

Pri Vitezu, Breg 20, 01/426 60 58, Mon to Sat 12pm to 12am

There's been an eatery of some sort at this riverside address for almost 250 years now. The latest change of management has put Pri Vitezu at the very top end of Ljubljana's cuisine scene. The menu may seem a little pricey (starters 1500-2500 SIT, main courses and wine 3000 SIT and rising), though the consensus seems to be it's well worth it. Truly excellent food is complemented by pleasantly posh decor (period paintings and such) with a convivial combination of old and new styles.

Tartuf, Mali trg 3a

Located in a semi-concealed courtyard just off trendy Trubarjeva Street, this small, friendly restaurant is a great favorite with students and vegetarians. Offering quick snacks (pizza, crepes, pies, soups) as well as full meals, many items on the menu draw on solid, character-building ingredients like buckwheat, millet and barley. There's also a number of meat entrees and a well-stocked salad bar. The atmosphere is laid-back, prices are reasonable (did we mention students?) and outdoor seating helps ease the lunchtime crowding.

Vinoteka Movia, Mestni trg 2, 01/425 54 48

Though there's probably a food menu here just waiting to be dusted off, Movia is much more a place to come after a fine meal than a place to get one. This charming wine bar, situated right next door to Old Town Hall, boasts all manner of vintages and varieties. If the choice overwhelms you, the man behind the bar will be glad to advise. And yes, all those nice bottles are for sale.

Foculus, Gregorčičeva 3, 01/251 56 43, Mon to Fri 10am to 12pm, Sat+Sun 12pm to 12am

The most likely off-the-cuff reply to any survey about the best pizzeria in Ljubljana, Foculus is certainly very popular these days, with all the crowd-related ailments that that entails. Still, the pizza (over 50 varieties) ranges from average to excellent, and the salad bar is fresh and colorful. The overloaded waiters grin and bear, while the muted decor helps keep things relatively civil. Be warned: you may have to wait a while for a table.

Ljubljanski Dvor, Dvorni trg 1, 01/251 65 55

Neatly coinciding with the completion of chaotic building work in its near vicinity, this veteran of the Ljubljana restaurant scene seems to have undergone some rejuvenation lately. That goes for the quality of the service as well as the food, with the vast selection of tasty and enormous pizzas a particular highlight. Ljubljanski Dvor's two spacious patios, offering wonderful views of Old Town just across the river, make it a summertime favorite of locals and tourists alike.

Mirje, Tr�a�ka 5

Located just a few blocks south of the city center, this fairly new self-styled trattoria boasts a wide array of pizza and pasta, plus desserts, breakfast options and a cocktail list. While the clean, roomy interior, with its light wood furniture, checkered tablecloths and blue and white trim, is a bit too spiffy to rank with your average mom-and-pop Italian diner, it does make a pleasant, comfortable environment for a fine meal.

Napoli, Prečna 7, 01/231 29 49

Housed in a quaint little building that looks a bit like a giant pizza oven, Napoli is an old-timer with a slightly tarnished reputation. However, the pizzas here pretty much always meet the local standard, and some of the other dishes (hearty gorgonzola gnocchi, spicy spaghetti alla siciliana) can be surprisingly good. The salad bar, however, is to be shunned. The interior's rather dim and characterless, while the waiters can be all too chummy. Prices are reasonable.

Luka Gourmet, Pasta Nona, Gosposvetska 2, Tel: 01/438-2424, Mon - Sat 9am to 10pm

Another Luka Gourmet eatery, the Pasta Nona bistro sits directly next door to the well-known Evropa caf�. Pop inside and you'll find a refreshing morning menu with Amsterdam-style breakfasts, a lunch menu with pasta and salads served the Italian way, as well as an evening menu with hearty steaks, pastas, and more.

La Storia, Linhartova 3, Be�igrad (beneath Plava Laguna), 01/234 45 92, Mon to Sat 11am to 10pm, Sun+Hol 12pm to 11pm

Located just fifteen minute's leisurely stroll from downtown, Puccini is a heady m�lange of carved wood, quaint antiques and thick pastels, practically a condensation of the maestro's music � rich, garish, even bombastic. None of this, however, should distract you from the menu, which offers generous portions of well-prepared pasta (sorry, kids � no pizza), delicious desserts and fine wine, all moderately priced and politely served. And then there's the grand piano salad bar, a very happy marriage of form and content � true art.

Trta, Grudnovo nabre�je 21, 061/126 50 66, M-F 10am to 11pm, Sat 12pm to 11pm, Sun+Hol 4pm to 11pm

The best pizzeria in Ljubljana? Sure, you've heard that one before, but if it's the genuine Neapolitan article you're after � rich, slightly oily layers of cheese and fresh tomato sauce, plus loads of toppings � then Trta is IT. The ingredients, including seafood and seasonal vegetables like ruccola, are always amazingly fresh and flavorful. Add to this good house wine, attentive service and a slightly quirky dining room, and you'll never need to go anywhere else.

Tunnel, Karlov�ka 5, 01/426 40 00

Set right beside the entrance to the car tunnel under Castle Hill, and bearing an uncanny resemblance to a highway motel, this two-story pizzeria does tend to attract motorists; yet it's an easy walk from anywhere downtown, too. Though it has a proper wood oven churning out two dozen kinds of big, tasty pizzas, a decent salad bar and OK service, Tunnel is somewhat lacking in atmosphere. Worth a stop, for sure, but you'll soon be on the road again.

Joe Pe?a's Cantina y Bar, Cankarjeva 6, 01/251 08 68, Mon to Thu 4pm to 12am, Fri+Sat 4pm to 1am

The only place for Mexican in the city center, many would say this two-tiered, mellow-yellow saloon is the best in town. Simple decor and keep-smiling service create a relaxed atmosphere even when Pe?a's is packed � as it almost always is. The food � a wide selection of soups and starters, plus main dishes like enchiladas, fajitas, tacos and grill specialties � is fresh and well-prepared, though a bit pricey, and probably not as spicy as you'd like.

Mexico 1867, Medvedova 18, 01/438 24 50, Mon to Sat 11am to 12am

Like a sudden blast in the dull industrial zone behind Union, Mexico 1867 hits you with lurid colors, fiesta fanfares, unappetizing murals of civil war scenes, loads of typical Tijuana holiday junk, and a big newspaper-style menu with lots to choose from. Try the great tomato soup for a start, then sip a cool margarita while awaiting chimichangas, tortillas, fajitas or tacos, all delicious, if somewhat on the mild side. Just two catches: reservations are basically essential by evening-time, and service here can be bracingly rude.

Emonska Klet, Plečnikov trg 1, 01/421 93 00

Residing in the once-hallowed halls (or rather cellars) of the Ursuline convent, Emonska Klet has stopped catering to the party elite and made its appeal to the partying masses, who manage to fill even this cavernous space with beer-fuelled revelry night after night. The food here � traditional Slovenian fare, pizza, a faraway salad bar � seems like an afterthought, though prices are decent, and it makes good ballast for the night ahead. Huge murals of debauched demigods provide just the right backdrop.

Gostilna Sokol, Ciril Metodov trg 18, 01/439 68 55, Mon to Sat 6am to 11pm, Sun 8am to 10pm

Two rather spooky black birds mark the spot, midway between Old Town Hall and Cathedral, where sits this unexpectedly labyrinthine dining establishment. A narrow entryway leads into a vast open courtyard with seating on two levels; fair assurance that you'll always find room here. The similarly voluminous menu includes steaks, pasta, lunch specials, better-than-average pizzas, even some quite palatable veggie concoctions. A big favorite with the lunchtime crowd, evenings can find this place rather deserted.

Kratochwill, Kolodvorska 14, 01/433 31 14

Ljubljana's one and only micro-brewery has concocted a fine Bohemian-style pale lager, as well as superb wheat and dark beers. And whereas meals in Czech beer halls tend to be forgettable (if you're lucky), the menu at Kratochwill offers lots of tasty, well-prepared meat, pasta and veggie options, plus soups, salads and desserts. If it's crowded downstairs or outside, never fear, there's more seating upstairs. Open every day till midnight.

Pri Kovaču, Pot k Savi 9, 01/537 12 44

A popular spot as far back as the 19th century, this acclaimed family-run restaurant on Ljubljana's northern outskirts, named for an ancestral blacksmith business, features traditional Slovenian and Central European fare. The head chef favors cooking what the season offers, so the menu's subject to change. But since Pri Kovaču hosts business lunches and dinner parties all year round, making a reservation seems wise. Once you're in, save room for the homemade ice cream.

Pri Pavli, Stari trg 21, 01/425 92 75

Apart from being a museum-quality specimen of socialist-era beer culture, "Pavla's Place" also boasts a prime Old Town location and a solid, standard pub menu featuring soups, salads, pizza, pasta, seafood and lots and lots of schnitzel. Both Union and La�ko beer on tap, and plenty of other favorite drinks besides. The prices are old-school, the service matronly, the clientele sedentary.

Alamut offers an array of Iranian, Persian, Afghan, Arabian, Turkish cuisine, with a daily lunch special (student discount bonds accepted) and live entertainment Saturday evenings at 10pm, featuring DJ and live Afro/Oriental music events. This quaint, bohemian restaurant is decorated in the fine handcrafts from Iran, which are also on sale upon request.