Since Slovakia borders simultaneously with Austria, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, this has left a serious imprint on its cuisine.
That is why, being in any of the local restaurants, among other things, you will definitely find on the menu Hungarian goulash soup, Austrian strudel, Polish dumplings and “pies” (a type of dumplings) and in some places even Ukrainian borscht. However, Slovak cuisine still exists. Its basis, first of all, is soups - thick, fragrant, usually with smoked meats, often seasoned with sour cream. Let's start with them.
SLOVAK SOUPS AND SNACKS
(Fazul'ova polievka): thick, rather spicy, cooked with red beans and several types of smoked sausages.
(Cesnakova polievka): a garlic-flavoured, thick creamy soup, often topped with cheese, served with croutons. Contrary to expectations, it is not too sharp, by the way.
Cabbage butterfly(Kapustnica): A sauerkraut soup with smoked sausages, reminiscent of Russian stewed cabbage hodgepodge, but thinner in consistency. In some places dressed with sour cream.
As for snacks, be sure to pay attention to dumplings with cheese(Halusky s bryndzou), which are purely outwardly very similar to our lazy dumplings, and fried cheese breaded (Vyprazany syr) - for this dish, a locally produced cheese called Ostiepok is used.
WHERE IS THERE WITHOUT MEAT?
However, do not think that this is where the Slovak national dishes end. For example, here they perfectly know how to bake meat. Local chefs are equally good at cooking beef, lamb, and pork.
In the photo: baked beef ribs in the Liptovska Izba restaurant
One of the Slovak specialties can be called baked pork knuckle(Pecene udene bravcove koleno). However, in the Czech Republic this dish is also considered their own, but they call it “Baked Boar Knee”. However, nothing surprising - the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been part of the same state for so long that even local dishes are mixed here.
In the photo: Slovak pork knuckle
The chef of the restaurant at the Druzba hotel told me that this dish takes about three hours to prepare. First, the shank is boiled with vegetables for an hour and a half, and then baked in the oven for about an hour. Between cooking and baking, it is marinated in a special mixture of lemon juice, mustard, salt and honey, after which it is stuffed with garlic cloves. Cooking this dish, of course, takes a long time, but it is very tasty.
In the photo: "Cigansky spiz - pork on a skewer with onions and peppers.
In one of the local restaurants "Liptovska Izba" in the town of Liptovsky Mikulas, in which I ended up, I was offered "Cigansky spiz" - a local cooking option pork skewers with onion and pepper. Unlike the barbecue that is familiar to us (and closely related to this dish), the meat is marinated only slightly before cooking, which is why it may seem slightly fresh in taste.
In the photo: Janosikova kapsa - chicken stewed in a thick meat sauce with spices
However, I was personally very impressed by another local specialty - chicken with mushrooms stewed in a thick meat sauce with spices, “packed” in a potato pancake - the same “pocket” (this is how kapsa is translated from Slovak).
FOR SWEET: DESSERTS AND LOCAL WARMING DRINKS
As for desserts, in my opinion, you should definitely try tender and airy dumplings with poppy seeds. You can drink all this either with local wine, which is produced here a lot, or with Czech beer, but personally I preferred “varne wine” - a local version of mulled wine. And good, and tasty, and according to the weather - it warms perfectly.
In the photo: dumplings with poppy seeds - a traditional Slovak dessert
If you ended up in Slovakia in the very cold, then you should switch to heavy artillery and try local warming drinks. Among them there are a number of Czech vodkas - juniper Borovicka, very reminiscent of gin in taste, several fruit types (strength from 35 to 40 degrees) - pear (Hruskovica), raspberry (Malinovica) and apricot (Marhulovica). And the most daring will certainly be interested in trying the local moonshine, the strength of which reaches 52 degrees - plum brandy (Slivovice).
In the photo: Slovak tinctures Demanovka and Slivovice
Of the Slovak strong drinks, in fact, we can name Demanovka cranberry tincture (it exists in several other types, for example, on herbs), as well as a whole line of seven types of TatraTea strong drinks (strength from 22 to 72 degrees), in which you can find citrus and peach flavors, wild berries and more. In general, it will not be possible to freeze here, even if you really want to.
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Maria Causeni- Professional journalist and PR man, I travel for my own pleasure. For some time now I have been trying to figure out how to simultaneously satisfy my interest in world architecture and extreme sports, love for warm climes and snowy peaks.
Slovakia often suffers undeserved insults from its "sister" Czech Republic. It is mistakenly believed that Czech cuisine is great, and Slovak cuisine is at best a duplicate of Czech, and at worst, completely unworthy of attention. Of course, this is not the case, and real gourmets use any occasion, whether it is a vacation in Slovakia or a business visit, to once again enjoy the wonderful local cuisine.
The basis of Czech cuisine is simple and solid products typical of central Europe. These are vegetables and fruits, as well as meat and poultry. Spices are used in moderation. In Slovak cuisine, meat is the head of everything. Pork, chicken, less often beef and lamb, as well as game and poultry form the basis of the table.
Recipes of Slovak cuisine. Dishes for the holidays. National New Year's recipes.
First meal:
Main dishes:
- Baked goose with stewed cabbage and lokshe
Dough dishes and desserts:
National drinks:
- Local wines “Tokaj”, “Vlashsky Riesling”, “Rachenska Frankovka”, “Limbashsky Silvan”
Salads in Slovakia are simple and unpretentious, but tasty and healthy. Most often it is a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, sauerkraut, or potato salad. Sometimes sheep cheese is added to the set of products - fresh or smoked.
For a snack, all kinds of pastes are often used - from game, meat and poultry. Paired with fresh bread, they are simply divine, especially after a long and intensive tourist day. Cheese is used as a filling for dishes, as an addition, or as the main note in culinary masterpieces. Trout stuffed with cheese and roasted on a spit. Cheese with bacon or ham, fried in breadcrumbs. Dumplings with cheese, dumplings with cheese and bacon and much more form the classics of the national cuisine.
The main attention is given to soups, which are not counted in the local cookbook. It is worth coming to tourism in Slovakia, counting on the most unexpected discoveries, although many delights are well known to us. So, pea soup with smoked meats here is completely original and does not look like anything else. An interesting variation is sour cabbage soup with smoked meats. Gorgeous and healthy vegetable soup, mushroom, there is even garlic soup, which has a crazy aroma and taste. You can try soup from sauerkraut, meat and sausage. The Slovak fish soup, which is made from carp, mackerel and trout, is also completely unique. There is also potato and bean soup and, where without it - cheese. In general, with the first courses, there is definitely no shortage and is not expected.
The second is usually served with meat delights, prepared with taste and skill. We recommend taking the most delicate schnitzels for the second, which, according to gourmets, will be even tastier than Viennese ones. The famous Slovak, and not only Slovak, treat is “boar knee”, or simply a baked pork leg. 
It is impossible to refuse delicious envelopes stuffed with bacon, cheese, asparagus and other fillings. Local stews and goulash enjoy well-deserved fame and love. Here you have goulash with meat, champignons and potato pancakes (“Spish pohutka”), and stew with vegetables. Especially fine Slovak trout from fast mountain streams. But other varieties of fish here are able to cook in proven ways. The main fish dish “pstrukh” is fried trout, very tender, cooked with a minimum of spices. Fans of fish cuisine also recommend baked carp and fish fried with vegetables. Well, a goose baked with dumplings or a roast duck with sauerkraut is an imperishable classic of world cuisine, so if you come to rest in Slovakia, you are lucky enough to touch the treasures of international culinary art. Dumplings have already been mentioned more than once in this article, and not by chance.
It is hard to imagine any meal in Slovakia without these great dishes. Dumplings with fruit, dumplings with cottage cheese, dumplings with liver, dumplings with cheese and many other fillings will make you fall in love with Slovak cuisine.
Nothing is more satisfying after a tiring vacation marathon than a hot meatloaf. Any tourist will tell you this. Incredibly delicious dishes quickly satisfy your hunger, give you strength, and you can again go on adventures in Slovakia, which await in the bosom of stunning local nature or surrounded by priceless architectural monuments of the country. 
What makes a holiday in Slovakia so attractive is its novelty: the country has often remained behind the scenes of the tourism industry, although travelers are interested in it no less than the famous European powers. And the cuisine plays a significant role here, because an exquisite meal is a full part of an unforgettable vacation. Breaded pork, baked turkey, juicy beef tenderloin steak, chicken cooked with spices and sauerkraut, melt-in-your-mouth fish casserole, chicken stewed in its own juice, scrambled eggs with oyster mushrooms in smoked bacon, stuffed chicken with paprika, dumplings with cheese and many other good dishes.
Desserts in Slovakia are simple and varied. First of all, these are pancakes with peaches or chocolate. Pancakes can have other fillings - fruit, berry, cottage cheese, creamy, with condensed milk, just with peaches - the most popular. Fruit jelly cake has ruined the diets of thousands of visitors to the country. And gingerbread and biscuit cookies will appeal to little sweet tooth. An unusual and colorful sweet dish - donuts fried with butter and garlic. And, of course, the incomparable, fabulous strudel is an airy roll with apples and nuts, with the most delicate taste and a disarming appetizing look, in front of which all appeals to willpower are meaningless.
Slovakia has a huge selection of drinks. The country is famous for its wines, spirits, tea and coffee. In addition, hot chocolate is very popular here. Local beer enjoys good fame, and tourism in Slovakia is a great opportunity to try a foamy drink brewed according to centuries-old recipes. It is worth trying and even buying Tokay wines. Various liqueurs, fruit tinctures and liqueurs are in use - slivovitz, pear, borovichka, mead, and since the Czech Republic is nearby, then Becherovka. There is also an extensive selection of brandies, herbal liqueurs and sweet wines.
The national cuisine of Slovakia was formed under the influence of Hungarian, Austrian, German and other European cuisines. The successful combination of the European school with the components of the national color predetermined the great diversity of this cuisine. In general, the dishes are quite simple to prepare, but, nevertheless, very tasty, satisfying and healthy. The main brands of local cuisine are meat, dumplings, dumplings, cheese, beer, wine.
Meat is widely used in many Slavic cuisines. Slovakia, in this sense, is no exception. Pork and chicken are especially popular here. You should definitely try the favorite dish of the Slovaks " spish fuck» — meat goulash with champignons and potato pancakes. Another traditional dish is baked boar knee» - fried pork leg. Not infrequently, in the menu of many cafes and restaurants, you can find " baked goose with dumplings», « fried duck with sauerkraut", a variety of game meat pates, "schnitzel" and " goulash in Slovak ", « pork wraps» with cheese and asparagus, smoked meats, chicken legs, sausages…
First courses are the hallmark of the national cuisine of Slovakia. These are vegetable soups, broths, cheese soup, mushroom soup, meat soup and even garlic. All Slovak soups have an amazing aroma and taste.
Slovak chefs treat local cheeses with respect. The most famous "parenitsy" and "shtepki" are sheep's cheese, reminiscent of brynza. Excellent national dishes are prepared with this cheese:
- "shepherd's dumplings",
- "vyprazhanny cheese" (fresh cheese with a side dish, fried in breadcrumbs),
- "khalushki" (dumplings with cheese) and many others.
Things are very successful in Slovak cuisine, with flour and confectionery products. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of trying " longoshe" - donuts fried in oil with garlic, " Slovak pancakes" - where, as a filling, peaches are used. A wide variety of sweet pastries, by the way, it tastes very similar to Austrian (remember " Viennese strudel").
Favorite drink in the national cuisine of Slovakia ,
considered beer. Although Slovak beer does not have such great fame as neighboring Czech beer, it is not inferior in terms of taste. The best varieties are Topvar and Sharish beer.
Slovak wine is also excellent. It occupies a worthy place among other European wines and, at the same time, is much cheaper than the latter. Worth a try " Limbashsky Silvan", "Rachenska Frankivka", "Green Velteliner", "Vlassky Riesling". Of the strong drinks in Slovakia, Borovichka - juniper vodka and Slivovitsa - plum vodka are popular.
Welcome to hospitable Slovakia and bon appetit to all!
A series of stories about my last year's trip to Austria and Slovakia, I end with a traditional post about local cuisine; this time - Slovak.
Despite the fact that Slovakia is a rather poor country (compared to Western Europe, of course), and prices in Bratislava are lower than Western European ones, this does not apply to the cost of dishes in establishments that offer their visitors a menu with a variety of dishes of Slovak national cuisine. On average, the cost of a full-fledged meat dish is about 15 euros, which is even higher than in many German cities.
But we were lucky. On the ground floor of the house where our apartments were located, there was a small dining room. Yes, it is the dining room - the way it is in the traditional sense of a person from the post-Soviet space. It is aimed at locals working in the center of Bratislava - it was at lunchtime that there was always a huge queue. However, the daily selection of dishes in it was purely Slovak, and the prices left no hope for more reputable establishments from the historical center: soup here could be purchased for 1 euro, and the most expensive dishes cost around 5 euros. Yes, of course, there is no sophistication in the interior and service, but if it is more important for you to get acquainted with Slovak cuisine than to sit on more comfortable chairs and at a wider table, then there is simply no better place in the center of Bratislava! I will even leave here the address of this institution, which I have never done before: Dunajská 2, Bratislava. And the dining room is called "Pasta & Schnitzel", although with me there was never any pasta or schnitzel in the assortment.
Well, now about the kitchen itself.
The Slovak national cuisine did not develop as a completely original one, but drew ideas from its neighbors - Czechs, Hungarians, Austrians and even Ukrainians - and adapted it to its own tastes.
Of the first courses, I managed to try cabbage soup - a local analogue of cabbage soup. Luckily, in Slovakia the idea of putting sour cream in cabbage soup is not very common, so I found the soup very pleasant. But since, in general, I don’t really like “shchi-like” soups, I can’t say that I really liked cabbage soup. A good middle ground in my personal rating of soups. 
The most interesting and original dish that I had a chance to try in Slovakia was slings - small pieces of dough mixed with stewed sauerkraut and pieces of lard. It was delicious!
Also in the Slovak national cuisine there are fried breaded mushrooms. Of course, there is nothing extraordinary in such a dish, but it is also impossible not to mention them. 
The main fish dish in Slovakia and, in general, one of the main dishes of Slovak cuisine is pstruh (or river trout). Pstrukh is prepared only in oil and with the addition of salt - no other seasonings are allowed so as not to interrupt the taste of the fish itself. In addition, the pstrukh must be served with an unseparated head.
Of course, very tasty! 
Unlike many Western European countries, in whose cuisines a variety of treats, desserts and pastries occupy almost the main place, in Slovakia things are much more modest with “sweet” things. Actually, there are practically no local sweets there. The most striking indicator is that one of the main national Slovak treats is the usual walnut roll. Yes, delicious, but not original at all. 
Another national Slovak treat is pancakes. In general, pancakes belong to the national cuisine in many European countries, but in each of the countries they are cooked in their own way. For example, in Germany and the Netherlands, pancakes are most often eaten with meat, while in France and Slovakia, pancakes are a dessert. But even here there are differences: in France, a sweet filling is added inside the pancakes, and in Slovakia, the “filling” is placed on top of the pancakes. And, of course, the dough itself is also different. 
In general, the Slovak national cuisine turned out to be quite simple, but at the same time close to our traditional cuisines.
The national cuisine of Slovakia was formed under the influence of Hungarian, German, Czech and Austrian cuisines, but, despite this, it has its own special flavor. The meals here are quite simple and satisfying. The brands of Slovak cuisine are meat, cheeses, dumplings, dumplings, wine and beer.
In Slovakia, you can taste delicious first courses with amazing aroma. It is worth trying cheese, meat, vegetable, mushroom and garlic soups and various broths.
Very widely used for cooking various dishes in this country and cheese. Here you will try “vyprazhanny cheese”, which is fresh cheese fried in breadcrumbs, dumplings with cheese or shepherd's dumplings with cheese.
Meat dishes in Slovakia are very similar to Czech, Hungarian and German dishes. Here you can try the baked boar's knee, Spisska Pohutka - excellent meat goulash with champignons and potato pancakes, baked goose with dumplings, pork wraps with cheese and asparagus, and various sausages.
Those with a sweet tooth should definitely try sweet pastries, which are very similar to Austrian ones. It is also worth enjoying pancakes with peaches, fried donuts, Bratislava walnut or poppy cones, Skalica trdelnik and delicious cakes: rum, spitz, veternik and Bratislava.
I recommend trying national cuisine in Bratislava at the Slovak Pub restaurant. It is located at Obchodná 613/62, 811 06 Bratislava - Staré Mesto. A very interesting and colorful place that is loved by the locals. The interior is original, there are several halls decorated in different styles, the waiters speak Russian and the prices here are quite democratic. Be sure to try garlic soup in bread, dumplings with cheese, ribs and cabbage. The restaurant is open daily from 10:00 to 02:00 at night.
You can have a great lunch with the family at Ludwig Restaurant and Café, located on Venturska 7. Here you can taste homemade cuisine. It is worth ordering venison with lingonberries and mushrooms, duck liver in wine sauce and various vegetable salads with goat cheese and nuts. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 to 24:00.
You can drink delicious coffee and enjoy desserts in the Mayer cafe, which is located on the main square of Bratislava in the Old Town. The place is certainly touristy, but the cafe is very old and beautiful, both outside and inside. Delicious coffee is brewed here and wonderful desserts are served. The cafe is open daily from 9:30 to 23:00.
You can have a great dinner and spend a pleasant evening listening to the sound of the piano in the Roland restaurant. It is located in the center of Bratislava, not far from the Maximilian Fountain. It has an exquisite interior, around antiques and good cuisine. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 to 01:00.
While in Bratislava, try to visit restaurants that are away from touristy places where locals dine, and remember the portions here are large, so you can often order one serving for two.
