Hisa Franko: A Dining Experience Worth Traveling For

The magic of Hisa Franko really comes from the partnership between Chef Ana Ros and her husband, sommelier Valter Kramar. Their story is woven into every part of the experience.

They first met when Ana, then a college student, was invited to dinner at Hisa Franko, Valter’s family restaurant. Sensing she was a little bored, he offered her a glass of wine.

That small moment turned into something much bigger, leading to a relationship built on travel, curiosity, and a shared love of food.

When the restaurant was passed down, Ana, who was completely self-taught, chose to stay and help run it.

She taught herself through cookbooks, traveled to kitchens like El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca, and slowly developed her own voice in the kitchen.

Everything shifted when a friend encouraged her to focus on local ingredients. From there, she began creating bold, modern interpretations of Slovenian cuisine, playing with texture, contrast, and unexpected combinations.

Today, her cooking is known for keeping guests on their toes. As she says in Chef’s Table, the one thing she never wants to hear is that a meal was boring.

At Hisa Franko, that’s never a concern.

Hisa Franko, with its soft pink façade, is tucked away in the small town of Kobarid, set within the breathtaking Soca Valley. This region is known for its crystal-clear turquoise river, lush forests, and hidden waterfalls that feel almost untouched.

Located near the Italian border and framed by the Julian Alps, the setting is just as distinctive as the cuisine. You’re close enough to the Adriatic to feel that subtle influence, yet completely immersed in the mountains.

Walking into Hisa Franko doesn’t feel like entering one of the world’s best restaurants. It feels like arriving at someone’s home. There’s no formality or stiffness, just a quiet warmth that immediately puts you at ease.

That feeling is entirely intentional. Hisa means “home” in Slovenian, and for Ana Ros, it truly is. She lives here with Valter and their two children, blending life and work in a way that gives the entire experience a sense of intimacy you rarely find at this level.

You feel that connection in everything, from the service to the food itself. There’s a depth of care here that goes beyond technique.

It’s that sense of place, family, and heart that makes Hisa Franko so unforgettable.

The menu unfolds in three parts: finger bites, table bites, and sweet bites. Every dish is built around local, seasonal ingredients, giving you a true sense of the region with each course.

Finger Bites

Table Bites

Sweet Bites

One of the things that makes Hiša Franko so special is the husband-and-wife duo behind it.

Ana leads the kitchen, while Valter, one of Slovenia’s first sommeliers, curates the wine pairings that bring each dish to life.

When you dine here, you’ll have the option to add a wine pairing, and I highly recommend it. Valter’s cellar leans heavily into natural and biodynamic Slovenian wines, including some truly rare and adventurous bottles.

The wilder, the better.

As Valter puts it, “I have fun with the crazy. I think my body really responds well to those kinds of wines. They’re great for digestion, great for a body cleanse. They don’t make me nervous like conventional wines.”

During our Slovenian wine tour with Winestronaut, we actually met several of the winemakers behind these bottles, which made the experience feel even more personal.

Valter’s thoughtful, slightly unconventional pairings added another layer to Ana’s already imaginative cuisine and made the entire meal that much more memorable.

At most fine dining restaurants, once dessert is done and you’ve had your last sip of wine or coffee, that’s kind of your cue that the night is over.

Not here.

At Hiša Franko, the experience keeps going.

You’re actually invited into the kitchen, which already feels pretty special, and then they take you down into Valter’s cheese and wine cellar.

It’s such a cool, unexpected part of the night.

You don’t leave feeling like you just had a meal at a top restaurant. You leave feeling like you were welcomed into their world for the night.

Cheese Cellar

Tolminc cheese is one of Slovenia’s signature cheeses, a hard cow’s milk cheese that even has PDO status (which basically means it’s the real deal and tied to the region).

What I loved about it is how it evolves. It starts off slightly sweet, but as it ages, it becomes much richer and develops a subtle spicy kick.

And of course, Valter takes it to another level. He ages Tolminc in his cellar for up to five years, which gives it so much more depth and complexity.

Wine Cellar

Valter’s wine cellar is honestly a bit of a treasure trove, packed with an incredible lineup of Slovenian wines.

During our visit, Alen, the sommelier, walked us through the cellar and shared a lot of insight into the different bottles, which made it feel way more personal than just looking at a list.

We even spotted a few familiar names, including Burja, a winery we had visited earlier on our Slovenian wine tour.

Their Pinot Noir really stood out to us, so it was fun seeing it here and connecting the dots from the trip.

Very Thoughtful Gift

Ana has chefs coming in from all over the world to learn and cook in her kitchen, which says a lot about the level they’re operating on.

One standout for us was the head baker, Natasa Djuric. We were obsessed with the sourdough bread course, like genuinely talking about it the rest of the meal.

At some point, she found out how much we loved it and personally handed us a loaf to take home.

That’s the kind of thing you don’t forget. It’s those little moments that make everything feel way more personal.

Meeting Chef Ana in Person!

I honestly wasn’t expecting to meet Chef Ana in person. So when she took time out of what I can only imagine is a very busy service to come greet guests, it felt incredibly thoughtful.

And yes… I definitely geeked out. My husband will confirm.

Dinner and lunch are offered Wednesday through Sunday.

We booked our reservation about two months in advance, but that was before Hiša Franko earned its third Michelin star. Now, I’d definitely plan further ahead since demand has likely gone up quite a bit.

The good news is they have a really easy online booking system.

And if you’re staying on property, you can request both your room and dinner reservation at the same time, which makes planning a lot simpler.

→   Tasting Menu: 325 euros per person

→   “Classy” Wine Pairing (elegant classic tasting): 190 euros per person

→   “Funky” Wine Pairing (unique interesting wine producers): 190 euros per person

→   “Juicy” Drink Pairing (non-alcoholic freshly squeezed juices and vegetables): 135 euros per person

• On-site at Hisa Franko
  This was our first choice, but it was already fully booked by the time we secured our dinner reservation. If you can get a room here, do it.

• Nebesa Chalet
  Owned by Ana’s family, which makes it feel even more special. If we were staying longer than one night, this would have been our pick. The chalets overlooking the Soca Valley look incredible.

• Hisa Rejmr

  Run by a sweet young family and located right in the heart of Kobarid. It’s a renovated historic home with modern comforts and a really nice balcony. Great mix of charm and convenience.

• Apartment Zonir (walkable to Hisa Franko)

  This is where we were originally booked. Unfortunately, there was a last-minute plumbing issue, and the host had to move us to a different apartment.

  That said, he went above and beyond and drove us to and from Hisa Franko at no extra charge, which we really appreciated.

  The replacement apartment was clean and perfectly fine, just nothing particularly memorable.

Slovenia is such a special place, and honestly, one I may never have discovered if not for Ana Ros and her incredible,  restaurant, Hisa Franko.

She’s done an incredible job putting Slovenia on the culinary map, not just with her food but with how she highlights the country’s ingredients and culture. You can really feel that when you’re there.

If you haven’t seen it yet, go watch Season 2 of Chef’s Table on Netflix. Just don’t be surprised if you suddenly find yourself looking up flights to Slovenia… because that’s exactly what happened to us.

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