Dear travelers,
Sushimama
Let’s start right in the city center.
Sushimama is probably one of the better-known names when you start searching for sushi in Ljubljana. It’s located on Wolfova Street, only a few minutes from Prešeren Square, so the location is incredibly convenient if you’re already exploring the center.
The restaurant focuses on Japanese cuisine with sushi and sashimi alongside dishes like soups, tempura and other warm Japanese dishes. Their sushi menu also gives you plenty of choice between individual rolls, nigiri and larger combinations.
This is more of a sit-down sushi experience for us rather than somewhere we would stop just to grab something quickly.
It’s also worth making a reservation, especially if you want to visit during the busier dinner hours.
Good for: a sushi dinner in the city center, date night or when you want a wider Japanese menu.
Maru
Maru is a little different from most of the places on this list because it feels more like going out specifically for a Japanese dining experience rather than simply going out for sushi.
It’s located on Vodnikova cesta in Upper Šiška, away from the busiest part of Ljubljana city center.
Their menu includes sashimi, nigiri, mixed sushi menus and other traditional Japanese dishes. The atmosphere also makes this one feel like somewhere you come when you actually want to sit down, take your time and make dinner the main event.
Reservations are required according to the restaurant, so this isn’t really the place for a spontaneous “should we get sushi?” moment.
Good for: date night, a proper Japanese dinner or a special occasion.
Barra & Barra Asia
There are actually two different Barra concepts in Ljubljana, both worth knowing about if you’re looking for sushi in the city center.
Barra
Barra is located on Breg, right by the Ljubljanica River, and specializes in Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine. So this isn’t the place for only classic Japanese sushi, the menu combines Japanese techniques with Peruvian flavors and ingredients.
This is the more refined, sit-down option of the two and somewhere I’d choose when I want sushi to feel more like a proper dinner experience.
Good for: date night, Japanese-Peruvian fusion and a more special dinner in the city center.
Barra Asia
Barra Asia is a newer concept from the creators of Barra, located on Mestni trg, very close to Ljubljana City Hall. Unlike the original Barra, this restaurant focuses more broadly on contemporary Asian cuisine.
This is the one we recently tried. We ordered two different types of sushi, with prices around €17, and it’s a really convenient option if you’re already walking around Ljubljana’s Old Town.
The location is probably one of its biggest advantages, you’re right in the historic center, so it’s easy to stop here for sushi while exploring the city or before heading somewhere for drinks.
Good for: sushi in the Old Town, contemporary Asian food and a casual city-center dinner.
Kitajska Panda & Sushi
Now we’re moving away from the city center and into the more casual side of this list. It has an all-you-can-eat option.
Despite the name, Kitajska Panda isn’t only about Chinese food. The restaurant serves both Chinese and Japanese dishes and has a surprisingly big sushi selection.
You’ll find everything from sashimi and nigiri to maki, uramaki, temaki, fried rolls and larger sushi sets.
It’s also one of the options I’d consider when you want something more casual and affordable rather than turning sushi into a whole date-night experience.
I wouldn’t necessarily choose this one when I want a fancy sushi dinner in Ljubljana. I see it more as somewhere you go when you’re mainly there for the food and want plenty of choice.
Good for: affordable sushi, casual dinners and bigger sushi sets.
Hinoki Sushi
Hinoki is the one to remember when someone in your group asks:
“But how much sushi can we actually eat?”
Because here, the answer can be: quite a lot.
Hinoki is a Japanese and Chinese restaurant in Črnuče with a large selection that includes sushi alongside other Asian dishes.
One of the reasons people come here is the all-you-can-eat option, making it quite a different experience from places like Maru or Sushimama.
And that’s really the point.
You don’t necessarily come here for an elegant date-night sushi experience. You come hungry, order different things and make a whole meal out of trying as much as possible.
Another bonus if you’re coming from outside the center or driving around Ljubljana is that parking is easier than at many of the restaurants in the Old Town.
Good for: all-you-can-eat sushi, groups and very hungry sushi lovers.
LIVA Kitchen
And finally, one for those evenings when you want sushi but don’t necessarily want the whole restaurant experience.
LIVA is located in Šiška and, for me, this one makes particular sense for takeaway sushi.
You can eat there as well, so it isn’t takeaway-only, but I see it more as the kind of place where you pick up a beautifully prepared sushi box and take it home rather than planning your entire evening around going to the restaurant.
And honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
Not every sushi craving requires getting dressed up, booking a table and turning dinner into an event.
Sometimes you just want sushi on the sofa.
Good for: takeaway sushi, casual meals and sushi in Šiška.
So, Where Should You Eat Sushi in Ljubljana?
Honestly, it depends on what kind of sushi mood you’re in.
If you want to stay right in Ljubljana city center, Sushimama, Barra and Barra Asia are all convenient, but they offer quite different experiences.
Sushimama is the more classic Japanese option, Barra is the one to choose when you want to explore Japanese-Peruvian fusion, while Barra Asia offers a broader contemporary Asian concept right next to City Hall.
For a proper sit-down Japanese dinner, Maru is another one to have on your list.
If you’re more interested in a casual meal or plenty of food, Kitajska Panda gives you lots of sushi options, while Hinoki is the one to remember when you’re hungry enough for all-you-can-eat.
And when you simply want to take your sushi home and enjoy it on the sofa, there’s LIVA in Šiška.
We’ll keep updating this guide as we try more sushi places around the city, because somehow I don’t think our sushi research is ending anytime soon.
Truly yours,
The Creation of Us
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