Food And Drink In Bratislava – Visit Bratislava – Budget Travel In Slovakia

With restaurants to cater for every budget serving both traditional Slovak and international food, Bratislava also boasts some of the coolest bars in Europe.

Most of your time in Bratislava will be spent in the old town. There are a number of excellent bars located there but you really need to look foor them as they are not easy to spot. Some of the restaurants in the old town are complete tourist traps and will charge you way more than you should be paying! Read on for some good tips and recommendations.

How Much Is Beer In Bratislava?

Bratislava is heaven for beer lovers. This is the city where beer is cheaper than water so a night out won’t break the bank. Expect to pay under two Euros for a large beer in most bars. Craft beer will be more epensive.

The Best Bars In Bratislava

Even on my second visit to this compact but beautiful city, I discovered more wonderfully unique places to enjoy some great beer. Look beyond the main street bars filled with stag crowds and you’ll find some truly quirky bars in Bratislava. Read on to discover some of the best bars in Bratislava.

Bar On

Very lively student bar with cheap beer. It is a very young crowd and most of them are wrecked on cheap shots but it is a fun experience! Map.

Be Unorthodox Craft Beer Bar

Excellent craft beer bar with 10 choices on draught. The beer was delicious and I loved how they dealt with a group of English who were baffled at the lack of ‘any lager’. “Not even Heineken?” they asked! Instead, the barmaid served them a tomato IPA, ensuring they would most likely never return. There is another craft beer bar opposite the entrance which is also worth checking out (it doesn’t exist on Google at time of writing). Map.

Bohema Bar

A large bar with plenty of outdoor seating. It has a bohemian style but the music didn’t seem to match as it was a very ‘Friday night’ choice. I expected more alternative sounds in a place called ‘Bohema’. Map.

Drink In Gallery Andy

A small bar that is decorated like the inside of a tram! Very reasonably prices on beers and they also have local artist galleries and games. It is located across the Staromestska from the old town. Map.

Falkensteiner Hostel Bratislava

Rooftop bar with great views over the city. There’s a happy hour so you can enjoy the views with cheap drinks. Map.

Goblins Pub

I missed this on my first visit as it is down an alleyway then some stairs that lead you into a cellar bar.  There is no indication of it from the street. It is huge inside; it just seems to go on forever. There was some great live music when I visited and it had a nice mix of locals and tourists singing and dancing. Map.

Hostinec Richtar Jakub

Excellent craft beer bar outside the city centre offering beers from local microbreweries. You might have to wait to get a table as it is very popular with locals. Map.

KGB Bar

KGB Bar is one of the most unique bars in Bratilava. Tyhe bar is filled with Soviet memorabilia. There is a smoking room available. It offers cheap beer and table service. Map.

Kulturne Centrum Dunaj

It’s a bit of a mystery finding this place as it is located on the top floor of an old building (the lift is a bit scary). You will be rewarded with a cool musical venue that has many events taking place. You also get a good evening view of the castle from the terrace. Map.

Lochness Scottish Pub

A Scottish pub that cannot spell Loch Ness should be warning enough. I only came here because there was some live music on but I would not come back. Lots of bad reviews on Google Maps. My experience was just ‘meh’. Map.

Omama Shop Cafe

Outside the city centre, this is a cool, local bar which is decorated with vintage advertisements. Great place for a beer. Map.

Peach

Great little ruin bar with mismatched furniture and quirky decor. A little out of the centre but worth a visit as there are other bars nearby and friendly locals ensure a good atmosphere. Map.

RE:FRESH Music Club & Restaurant

Cool bar with a music club in the cellar. They have a good burger menu which includes lots of vegan choices. Map.

Red Lion

A pub called ‘Red Lion’ holding a karaoke night. The only reason I came here was that ‘last pint of the night’ before heading back to the hostel. The bar shows live football but on my visit it was just bad singers performing Slovakian pop songs. Still, at least it wasn’t ‘Wonderwall’. Map.

Steinplatz Kaviareň A Bar

It took me a while to find this place. Google Maps insisted I was in the correct spot but there was nothing on the street resembled a bar. Then I noticed an entrance leading underground.

I tried the door and it brought me into a fantastic underground bar that I discovered used to be a public toilet! If you can get a table, this place is a must visit. Map.

Zbrojnos Pub

Smoky but atmospheric bar with live music, sometimes in the cellar. It doesn’t look much from outside but it has a great, friendly vibe and is well worth checking out. Map.

The Best Coffee Shops In Bratislava

Coffeein Speciality Coffee Shop

Nice, bright coffee shop selling great coffee at reasonable prices. A short walk from the old town but very close to the ‘Blue Church’. A fine choice for an afternoon drink. Map.

Foxford

Wonderful coffee shop located in a book store. Coffee and books is a great match and we had a great breakfast here. Map.

Kava Bar

Located at the foot of the hill that leads up to the castle, this is a pleasant, small coffee shop. The coffees are served in crockery you’d normally only find at Grandma’s house. Map.

Places To Eat In Bratislava

You will never struggle to decide what to eat in Bratislava. Bratislava offers international cuisine to suit every budget. Head out of the old town for more affordable restaurants.

Green Buddha

I had an excellent two course Thai meal here and it was reasonably priced. I had mango, avocado and vegetable parcels in chilli sesame dressing as a starter and crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli as a main. It was wonderful! Map.

I Love Pizza

If you cannot afford to eat in fancy restaurants, there are also plenty of cheap restaurants in Bratislava. ‘I Love Pizza’ is a takeaway that opens until the early hours selling pizza by the slice for 2 Euros. The pizza is popular so they are usually fresh and they are surprisingly excellent. I could never have just one slice! Excellent late-night food. Map.

Pivnice U Kozla

A choice of two cellar restaurants: smoking and non-smoking. I have visited here on both visits to Bratislava for their goulash. It’s not the best goulash I’ve ever had but it was certainly the cheapest I found here. Beware of the ‘vegetarian’ options that come with bacon. Map.

Royal Kashmir Restaurant

Excellent Indian restaurant outside the city centre. It is family run and we even saw the daughter, who must have been about 5, handing out cutlery. The owner was very friendly and talkative and was very pleased that we enjoyed the food, particularly when we said we had been to India. One of the best restaurants in Bratislava. Map.

Shawarma King

I came here late one evening as it had great reviews on Google Maps. I was disappointed. The kebab was just the usual late night kebab shop standard and the server tried to overcharge me and then tried to give me less change. Maybe an honest mistake, but he did try it twice. Map.

Soupa Bistro

Soupa Bistro offer cheap and delicious foos which is why it is so popular with locals. They serve traditional Slovak soups and there is always a vegetarian option. It is a great place to come to eat traditional food amongst locals for cheap. Map.

• Things to do in Bratislava.
• Where to stay in Bratislava.