Slovenian restaurants received the country's first ever Michelin stars on Tuesday with Hisa Franko getting two out of the maximum possible three stars and five other restaurants one each.
"Finally we have confirmation that Slovenia is a good gastronomic destination ... It comes at the right time because times are not easy for tourism and restaurants," Ana Ros, the chef at Hisa Franko, told Radio Slovenia after being awarded two stars.
She said there are many more candidates for Michelin stars in the country. Ros is known for creating dishes from local, seasonal ingredients.
The restaurant, in Kobarid near the Italian border, attracts food-lovers from around the world with quirky dishes such as pasta filled with suckling pig, fake guacamole of lovage and smoked egg, and fermented wild magnolia flowers.
"Prepare yourself for an exciting culinary adventure and an extraordinary dining experience!" the Michelin Guide says about Hisa Franko.
Slovenia's tourism and restaurants were badly hit by the coronavirus epidemic as the country went into lockdown in mid-March and started to gradually lift it over a month later.
Restaurants and small hotels were able to reopen in May while large hotels reopened earlier this month.
Slovenia has so far reported 1,499 coronavirus cases and 109 deaths.
(Reporting by Marja Novak; Editing by Giles Elgood)
