Bratislava has some fantastic options for bars and restaurants throughout the city. This includes some cheap places to eat out and some more posh restaurants. Most places in the city serve at least one option for Slovak beer, AKA pivo.
You can also find many restaurants that specialise in Slovak food. For those that travel with pets, there are many options for pet friendly places to eat out. We found most places accepted card, however some pubs were cash only, so you might need to find an ATM.
The Best Restaurants & Bars in Bratislava
These are details of the bars and restaurants that I enjoyed dining out or having a beer while sightseeing in Bratislava. Many of these served traditional Slovak cuisine and beers. This guide also includes some of the cosmopolitan eateries serving international cuisines in the city.
Zylinder Cafe Restaurant Near The Theatre
Near to the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava is Zylinder Cafe Restaurant. It is a fantastic place to dine out for traditional Slovak cuisine. They have a lovely inside dining area and outside seating in the shade of some gigantic trees.
They have some fantastic drinks on their menu, including local beers and some fancy lemonades. For food we ordered the highlighted special from their menu: Tafelspitz.
Tafelspitz was advertised as: Your personal server will first serve, as is traditionally. First up was marrow bone and grilled bread, followed by strong beef broth used to cook the Tafelspitz. Along with vegetables and meat strudel. Finally, the boiled beef with creamed spinach, Austrian roasted grated potatoes, horseradish bread sauce, chive sauce and apple puree.
The Tafelspitz was delicious and very filling and a great dish for those that enjoy beef. Overall, Zylinder Cafe Restaurant was a great place to dine out for a special occasion.
Signature Bar & Lounge
Signature Bar & Lounge is inside the Clarion Congress Hotel in Bratislava. They have a nice à la carte menu with some fantastic options. Signature bar also has some fantastic drinks including Slovak beer. I enjoyed a few beers with my meal.
After lots of deliberation, for food I enjoyed their pork loin. They cooked this with Dark Beer and they served wit with Creamy Celery, Crispy Cracklings and Chervil. The food was delicious and the service great, so I highly recommend Signature for a meal out or drinks in a posh bar.
Cafe Restaurant Michaela
Near our hotel, and the city’s market, is Cafe Restaurant Michaela, a good value eatery. They have a nice inside dining area and a terrace overlooking the food markets. The staff here are friendly and provide excellent service. It has a good selection of drinks, including some nice Czech and Slovak beers.
Their food menu has some great options for Slovak food including some local specialities. I enjoyed a fish soup which was flavoured with paprika and had a nice subtle kick to it.
For main course at Cafe Restaurant Michaela, i enjoyed their Bryndzové halušky. Bryndzové halušky is a traditional Slovak dish made from potato dumplings, sheep’s cheese and topped with bacon. This was a hearty meal, and I left full. Overall, Restaurant Michaela is a great place for value food or to enjoy a few beers.
Zbrojnoš Pub
Located very near to Michael’s Gate in the old town is Zbrojnoš pub. This is a live music pub at night and a quiet place to drink during the day. Zbrojnoš pub is a friendly place and serves great beer including the delightful Pilsner Urquell. They adorn the bar with big sturdy wooden tables and are quite dark with colourful lights.
This is a bar with a mysterious vibe inside caused by some interesting and colourful lighting. The drinks were reasonable prices for a half litre of Pilsner Urquell. The bar has a still standing challenge, an international competition. You can win points for your country by finishing 10 drinks, competitors can also win a t-shirt.
Grand Mother’s Restaurant
In Old Town, just down the hill from St Michael’s Gate, is Grandmother’s Restaurant. This is a nice eatery serving traditional Slovak food. For a starter, we tried Staroslovenská slepačia, a traditional chicken soup.
My main course was a tasty goulash with Svatojoj, dumplings. This restaurant is a nicely decorated place, they also serve some delightful local food too. The must-try items on the restaurant’s menu are the goulash, soups and dumplings.
Factory Bratislava – A Restaurant in Old Town
Factory Bratislava is a pleasant restaurant in the old town of the city near to St Michael’s Gate. They are a contemporary eatery with a pleasant venue and menu. They are in a little side street with outside seating which is rather peasant. I found their servers to be attentive.
For beer I enjoyed a few glasses of Pilsner Urquell from the tank, which taster excellent. For food they have some great options on their menu including Slovak specialities. I opted for the goulash with dumplings. The meat was tender and the sauce flavourful. The added bacon bits and spring onion to this, which worked and tasted delicious. Overall, Factory Bratislava was a nice place for lunch while sitting in the old town.
The Red Lion Pub
In the old town area, The Red Lion is a Slovak take on a traditional English Pub. They have happy hour late afternoon advertised just outside. Drinks here were good value and a nice place to spend time enjoying some Slovakian beers.
LINOS Bistro & Cafe
In the centre of Old Town Bratislava, is LINOS bistro & coffee shop. LINOS Bistro is in a very central location and within walking distance of St. Martin’s Cathedral and on the same road as the iconic man at work statue.
This is a nicely decorated cafe/bistro that has a very welcoming feel. At the front, the venue has tables for sit-down meals and to the rear is an area with some very comfortable seating. In the summer months, LINOS also has an outside seating area to enjoy some alfresco eating or coffee.
The restaurant serves a variety of food types, including some traditional Slovak food, burgers and even pasta dishes. Drinks include coffee served in a variety of options, soft drinks or some alcoholic beverages.
I enjoyed eating out here. Food I enjoyed was Bryndza filled dumplings. Bryndza is a Slovak product of a sheep’s milk cheese that they make mainly in Slovakia. It is also popular throughout other countries in the region. Bryndza cheese is creamy white in appearance, known for its characteristic powerful smell and taste. They served the dumplings filled with Bryndza with baked bacon and cream and were delicious.
Their Burger was thick and juicy, served with melted local cheese and came with a great barbeque sauce. The diversity of their menu means there is probably an option to suit most people. The cafe’s prices were quite reasonable, which was what brought the restaurant to our attention.
Kollarko Bar For Slovak Beer
Another fantastic pub that we enjoyed visiting was the Kollarko Bar. They had a lovely beer garden in a park and provided table service. At Kollarko Bar in Bratislava, we enjoyed some Slovak beer and some fresh lemonade. Both were good, and the place was pleasant. It seemed to be a popular place and quite cheap.
Bambus Vietnamese Bistro
One of my favourite international restaurants in Bratislava was Bambus Vietnamese Bistro. They are a small cafe near the railway station that specialises in Vietnamese food. They have a handy menu with photos on the walls. Their menu has well over 100 options including pho, spring rolls and some other dishes. We found their food delicious and portions generous and would love to live nearby.
Street Food & Cafe Possonium
A cool place to visit for drinks or food is Street Food & Cafe Possonium. It’s a short walk from the train station and pretty cool. It’s a small version of Karavan in Budapest.
They have a bar, and various food trucks serving street food. We enjoyed their rice bowls and signature burgers, both of which were delicious. Overall, Street Food & Cafe Possonium is a great place for a night out or some tasty food.
Slovak Beers
You can try lots of different local beers when visiting Bratislava. I highly recommend the central European pilsner beers, which are fantastic. Two such great pilsners visitors should try are Budvar or Budweiser and Pilsner Urquell. Local beers include the delightful Zlatý Bažant.