The prestigious Falstaff guide brings the expected results for 2026, in which up to 160 Slovak restaurants have entered the international map of gourmet experiences.
The Falstaff Guide is proud to present the top businesses for 2025. We are very pleased that 160 Slovak restaurants will be added to the ranking this year. We present you the winners in the following categories..
The rankings are based on guest ratings in Falstaff and subsequent review by expert editors for quality assurance..
The best restaurant in Sliven with 98 points and 4 forks in the Falstaff 2025 was the ECK restaurant. The second place went to the restaurant Gašperov Mlyn and the third to UFO Watch.Taste.Groove.
The expert jury selects the three most successful chefs based on their progress, international achievements and educational activities. For 2026 they are:
Jozef Breza (Gašperov mlyn): awarded for qualitative progress, achievements abroad and education of young chefs in the Academy. Jozef Breza received the award for the significant qualitative progress that the restaurant Gašperov mlyn has achieved in 2025. Thanks to his work, the restaurant can also boast a successful rating abroad. He does not keep his knowledge and experience only for himself, but is actively involved in the educational Academy for the training of young chefs.
Daniel Tilinger (ECK): Awarded for maintaining high quality, international recognition and involvement in the Educational Academy. Daniel Tilinger is one of the key figures in contemporary gastronomy. According to the world ranking La Liste Top 1000 Restaurants, he is one of the four talents of the year 2024. His restaurant ECK scored 88 points, which not only gave it the highest ranking of any restaurant in Central Europe, but also the best ranking ever in Slovakia. He was named Falstaff Chef of the Year for 2026 and his restaurant took home 98 points and 4 forks. He is also the recipient of 1 knife from The Best Chef Awards 2025. In addition to his work in the kitchen, he is actively involved in the educational Academy aimed at educating young chefs.
Patrik Pokrývka: Awarded for significant personal progress and victory in the Bocuse d´Or Slovakia competition. Patrik is one of the most outstanding talents of our gastronomic scene. Since 2023, he has been the head of the culinary team of the Sissi restaurant in Hotel Lomnica. His handwriting is clearly legible: it is characterized by absolute respect for raw materials, technical precision and aesthetics that reflect the majesty of the Tatra Mountains and the character of the historic hotel. He gained valuable experience in top restaurants in Slovakia, Austria and especially in Scandinavia - he also worked in famous Michelin restaurants such as Noma or Maaemo, which shaped his sense of detail, seasonality and purity of flavours. Today he translates this international perspective into a modern, confident cuisine firmly rooted in local ingredients. His exceptional talent is confirmed by his victory in the national round of the prestigious Bocuse d'Or Slovakia competition.
This award is given by the expert Falstaff jury for years of experience, professional practice and quality of service. The laureate actively passes on his knowledge to the younger generation and serves as an example for others.
Laureate: Marián Filo, chef of Afrodita restaurant, Čereňany manor house
Bratislava region: ECK, Bratislava (98 points).
Trnava region: Klára Restaurant, Goya Vitality Hotel, Voderady (92 points).
Nitra region: Semillon Restaurant, Vráble (94 points).
Trenčín region: Restaurant Afrodita, Čereňany Manor (93 points).
Žilina region: Izakaya, Žilina (91 points).
Banská Bystrica region: Origin, Lučenec (93 points).
Prešov region: Gašperov mill, Batizovce (97 points).
Košice region: Fire Fire Dining & Brew Bar, Košice (93 points).
Guests to guests - this is the Falstaff principle. A community of 80,000 members from across Europe visit and rate restaurants. They are gourmets who pay for their own visit, expect quality service and know how to appreciate the hospitality provided. Feedback is via an app where more than 14,000 restaurants have already been rated. Slovakia was the first ever Central European country to participate. In the year 2025 alone, 1152 visits were made and evaluated by us.
Restaurants can get 1 to 4 forks. Those that score at least 80 points in the 100-point evaluation will be included in the book. Points are awarded in four categories: Cuisine (max 50 points), Service (max 20 points), Wine list (max 230 points) and Ambient (max 10 points).. Chef's creativity, regionality, sustainability, technique, service proficiency and wine list display are monitored. However, the most important is the overall impression and symbiosis of the connection between cuisine, service and atmosphere.
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