B-Restaurant Ljubljana Review: Lunch Above the City

B-Restaurant Ljubljana sits on the 20th floor of InterContinental Ljubljana, above the rooftops and within sight of the castle. We came for lunch, where the view set a high bar for the kitchen. The meal held our attention through Slovenian wines, carefully composed plates, and service that let us linger.

The elevator opens onto a glass dining room looking across the city center toward Ljubljana Castle and, in the distance, the Alps. From a table up here, the familiar geography of Ljubljana suddenly has a different scale.

Our lunch moved from a bright Garden starter and a beef Tartaccio to trout, filet, and two desserts. We have kept the dishes as we experienced them; the restaurant’s menu changes, so this is a review of that meal rather than a promise of what will be served today.

If you are planning to stay upstairs, our InterContinental Ljubljana hotel review covers the rooms and the wider hotel experience.

B-Restaurant Ljubljana: Setting and View

B-Restaurant occupies the top floor of the hotel, with an open kitchen, a glass-walled dining room, and a terrace alongside B-Bar. It appears in the MICHELIN Guide, though a Guide listing is not a star. The hotel credits chef Komnen Bakić with the menu. The setting carries a certain occasion, even at lunch.

From our table, the city center sat below the windows, with Ljubljana Castle and the Alps beyond. The distance is part of the pleasure: you can follow the city with your eyes while still feeling removed from its bustle.

The interior is modern and comfortable, and the terrace gives the view another dimension when it is open. We would ask for a window table when reserving; the outlook is part of why this restaurant is memorable.

B-Restaurant Drinks and Slovenian Wines

Slovenian wines were a highlight of our lunch. We began with a Colnar sparkling wine, then chose a Verus Pinot Noir and Jakončič Carolina Red for the main courses. B-Bar next door also has cocktails, including honey-led drinks that echoed a recurring ingredient in the food.

The cocktail selection we saw made room for different Slovenian honeys. It was a neat connection to the name and to the honey dessert at the end of our meal, without demanding that every order follow a theme.

There were classic cocktails and alcohol-free choices too. We also noticed Broken Bones Gin and Slovenian vodka on the list. Drinks change more readily than the view, so check the latest list if a particular bottle matters to you.

Our Wine Choices

The Colnar sparkling wine opened with citrus and apple notes, followed by a little bready depth. It was a lively start before the richer plates arrived.

With our mains, Verus Pinot Noir brought raspberry, plum, pepper, and clove, then a soft cherry note at the finish. It had enough character for the food without dominating it.

Jakončič Carolina Red went in a deeper direction, with ripe berries, spice, and cherry. Choosing two Slovenian reds gave the meal a useful contrast.

Food at B-Restaurant Ljubljana: Our Lunch

The food at B-Restaurant Ljubljana was strongest when a familiar ingredient gained one unexpected partner. Goat cheese met papaya and pomegranate; trout came with smoked cabbage and pickled pear. The beef dish stayed closer to tradition, which gave the lunch a welcome change of pace.

The honey motif returned at dessert, where it had more to do than simply make things sweet.

Starters

Garden

The Garden starter layered beet hummus with pomegranate, papaya, and the slight bitterness of Radicchio di Treviso. Goat cheese coated in pumpkin seeds gave it a softer center and a little crunch, while balsamic vinegar and hazelnut oil brought the elements together. There was a lot on the plate, though each ingredient had a reason to be there.

Tartaccio

Tartaccio combined beef tartare and carpaccio, with truffle and a poached egg for richness. Roasted hazelnuts and thin celery ribbons broke up the softer textures. We liked that the beef remained recognizable beneath all the additions.

Main Courses

Trout

The trout was tender and carefully cooked, served with smoked savoy cabbage and pickled pear. Almond cream and lemon oil rounded out the dish, while a thin crostini with Antonius caviar added a final salty bite. The pear was the detail we kept returning to: a small, sharp counterpoint to the fish.

Grassfed

The Grassfed main was more direct: grilled beef filet with porcini sauce, smooth potato purée, baby carrots, and broccolini. After the more elaborate trout, we appreciated a plate that let the beef and mushrooms do most of the work. The porcini sauce was especially good with the purée.

Desserts

Honey

The Honey dessert paired honey ice cream and honeycomb with yogurt cream, mandarin jelly, and a Joconde biscuit. A hint of salt and the yogurt’s acidity kept the sweetness from flattening the other flavors. It made sense of the honey thread that had appeared earlier on the drinks list.

Toffee

Toffee took a richer route, with chocolate mousse and glaze, rum ice cream, melted caramel, roasted hazelnuts, and a chocolate cookie. The nuts and cookie gave this otherwise soft dessert some welcome texture. If honey sounds too delicate for the final course, this was the more indulgent choice at our lunch.

Is B-Restaurant Ljubljana Worth Visiting?

Our lunch at B-Restaurant gave us more than a handsome view. The Garden starter had real variety, the trout made clever use of pickled pear, and the Slovenian wines deserved attention in their own right. Service allowed the meal to unfold at an easy pace. We would choose it for a long lunch or a special dinner in Ljubljana, with a window table requested in advance.

For the rooms, spa, and service beyond the restaurant, read our review of InterContinental Ljubljana.

B-Restaurant Review Card

• 9.5/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.5/10
• 9.2/10
  SERVICE – 9.2/10
• 9.3/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.3/10
• 9/10
  FOOD – 9/10
• 9.4/10
  DRINKS – 9.4/10
• 9.3/10
  VALUE – 9.3/10

B-Restaurant Ljubljana: Practical Details

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