Grič

The story

Grič Restaurant Vrhnika: Michelin-Starred Farm-to-Table Dining in Slovenia

Wild. Domestic. Green.

In the rolling hills above Vrhnika, Grič is a family restaurant that brings the gifts of nature to the table. Chef Luka Košir, together with his family and friends, has been writing the story of this place since 2009. The story is written by the immediate surroundings—the edges of the forest, the wide meadows, the nearby gardens and fields, and the dedicated local producers. The team is proud of the honest bond they have woven with nature and the relentless drive to transform its gifts into good food.

The Story Behind the Stove

In 1993, Luka's parents opened a wooden lodge here, a simple refreshment spot for local workers. When Luka took over the kitchen in 2009, he began experimenting with the recognized culinary concepts of Scandinavian, Japanese, and Basque traditions. He looked over the fence for good ideas, wisely combining his acquired knowledge and open-mindedness with the familiar home environment. Exotic techniques were reserved for first-class ingredients from the family garden, where Barbara now reigns. Luka delved into foraging and developed traditional and modern methods of preserving, pickling, drying, salting, smoking, and fermenting like few others.

The restaurant operates the first certified organic duck farm in Slovenia, developed with Swedish breeder Peter Blombergsson, prioritizing the well-being of the ducks over rapid growth. Luka has connected with local breeders, producers, fish farmers, hunters, and masters of wild catch from the Adriatic, creating a community of like-minded suppliers who care about nature and a green future. The kitchen team, including Benjamin, Nejc, and Viktorija, helps create combinations of dishes that do not easily fade from memory.

A Philosophy Rooted in Nature

Grič is committed to sustainability and traceability, holding the Green Key certificate for environmental responsibility. The menu changes with the seasons and the whims of the weather. The team waits for sufficient amounts of birch sap, discovers hidden mushroom sites, and opens jars in the fermentation room with reverence. The philosophy behind the plates always adapts to the cycles of nature, occasionally reaching for stores from the cellar.

The pride of the kitchen lies in the recently renovated cellar, where a wealth of knowledge in fermentation has been acquired: the preparation of kimchis, dashi, and garums, their own versions of soy sauce and miso paste, and the aging of fish and duck meat. The restaurant's cuisine is a direct expression of this connection to the land, a fact recognized by the Michelin guide with a star for high-quality cooking. The menu is presented as a shorter or longer tasting menu, which changes daily according to current inspiration and the supply of ingredients, paired with a selection of mostly natural wines or homemade non-alcoholic beverages.