GORIČKE IŽE

This restaurant is a real surprise, located outside the village in a house that looks like all the others, but which opens onto an extraordinary delicatessen on the ground floor. The restaurant is on the first floor, which is equally welcoming, with an open kitchen. The menu focuses almost exclusively on meat, offering cuts from different breeds, from beef to the famous Mangalica and Krškopolje pork, as well as extraordinary hams; in short, a real treat!

The fine dining arm of the Lilli gastronomy concept offers foodies the chance to savour an ambitious set menu created by Walter Triebl and his team. It comprises four, five or six courses, such as sturgeon, Alpine caviar, iced beurre blanc, cauliflower and hazelnut, or Amur carp with pörkölt (Hungarian paprika stew), parsnip and capers. The ingredients are outstanding and sourced with a clear emphasis on regional producers. The restaurant's modern interior is just as inviting as the adjoining garden area, separated only by a glass partition that can be fully opened in summer, lending the indoo

This U-shaped property is set in a quiet and secluded location in the Königsdorf mountains, surrounded by meadows, forests and greenery – the perfect backdrop for Cathrin Maric and Philipp Kroboth to live out their concept of sustainability and self-sufficiency. On their organic farm, they grow vegetables, fruit and herbs, keep goats and chickens, and harvest honey from their own bees. Everything else is sourced from like-minded producers in the immediate vicinity. Diners are served a seasonal surprise menu featuring flavoursome, ingredient-led dishes. The proprietor himself recommends the win

This charming country house stands on the outskirts of the village, right next to a well-known winery, Neumeister Weingut. Talented chef Christoph Mandl and his wife Ruth, cordial hostess and expert sommelier, are your friendly and dedicated hosts. The chef's cleverly conceived cooking has a pleasing clarity and reveals his own signature style. Classic dishes such as salmon trout, dill, horseradish, or fawn, pea, mint, polenta, yoghurt are all about the ingredients. You can choose from the seasonal menu or à la carte dishes. Inside the atmosphere is cosy; outside on the pretty terrace, the vie

In the quiet village of Trautmannsdorf, overlooking Bad Gleichenberg, siblings Richard and Sonja Rauch have established themselves as pillars of the Austrian fine dining scene. Chef-patron Richard Rauch draws on local and international influences, showcasing the right amount of creativity in dishes such as "Styrian Orient – melanzani, spices, free-range pork, citrus hollandaise, pepper" or "Soul Food – cauliflower, smoked ricotta, chanterelles, Tropea onions, sunflower seeds". These are served in the form of two tasting menus. The ingredients used are second to none, and the restaurant's own p

It is the fifth generation that now confidently stewards this small gem, one of the most interesting restaurants in the region. The cuisine is deeply rooted in the territory, reread with modern accents and elevated by raw materials of great quality, handled at times with elegance, at others with a more rustic touch. The duck pâté with buckwheat toast and hazelnuts, the dödoli – potato and grain dumplings – with mushrooms, and, among the desserts, the not-to-be-missed prekmurska gibanica are but a few of the dishes capable of making one fall in love with a truly extraordinary cuisine.

The Krispel family, who have forged an interesting bridge here between Genusstheater and their stylishly designed winery, welcome you with a striking contrast of old and new architecture. The lovely restaurant itself and the gorgeous courtyard terrace are equally inviting. Both hearty traditional fare and fine dining cuisine feature on the menu. Flavoursome dishes are made with top-drawer ingredients from the region – including, most notably, organic pork from the owners' own woolly pig stock. The exceptional wine list boasts over 600 labels, naturally featuring the estate's own wines among th