Family Bolka has been involved in catering as long as they can remember. They are happy to continue with the culinary story started by their ancestors in the Gorenjska region of Slovenia. Family roots of father Vinko and mother Elica Bolka (born Vreček) reach back into the period of genuine family restaurants in Gorenjska with centuries old tradition.
It all started in Tupaliče near Preddvor on their mother’s side and in Šmartno near Cerklje na Gorenjskem on their father’s side. In the 1960s, when they wanted to start their own business, they bought an old coachman inn named »Pri Kuraltu« in Predoslje near Kranj. Father named the inn after Saint Christopher (in Slovene: Sv. Krištof) who offers protection to pilgrims, drivers, boatmen and others. At first the family restaurant offered authentic dishes from Gorenjska. They were carefully prepared by mother Elica and the guests were coming from Gorenjska as well as from other parts of Slovenia. A five-member family settled down in Predoslje near Kranj. Not only mom and dad but also the first-born son Krištof and the second-born son Tomaž decided for professions in catering.
Destiny wanted that Krištof had to take over the restaurant when being very young. Gaining knowledge on different culinary trends he wished to raise the rank of the restaurant from domestic to a modern one which would offer dishes reflecting current and modern world cuisine. Krištof’s first mentor was Slovenian chef Jožef Oseli who contributed to the expansion of Krištof’s culinary knowledge. Jožef Oseli brought him along to his jobs and trips where Krištof got acquainted with worldwide cuisines.
A bit later Tomaž joined his mom and his brother Krištof. They upgraded and enriched the original ambience of the restaurant from the 1920. In the 1980s they began to attract guests by organizing various thematic culinary evenings with renowned chefs and sommeliers. Organizing such events, they presented different culinary trends in the Gorenjska region. The restaurant Gostilna Krištof was becoming more and more known for its renowned cuisine complemented with a special homelike atmosphere.
In the 1990s, they began to add local products to their offer. Since then they have been emphasizing natural resources and cooperating with local suppliers. They have also added vegetarian dishes and dishes which have one of Krištof’s stories behind and can still be found on their menu on special traditional occasions. In Gostilna Krištof restaurant they have always been happy to listen to special stories: they made Braille menus, every year they make a banquet for the residents of a day care center for training and work for people with special needs, with the integration and intergenerational centre Stonoga they organize a market where local and seasonal products of more and less known suppliers are sold, in cooperation with Dvor Jezeršek they organize cable car dinners and many other stories still waiting for them to respond happily.
At the end of the second millennium they were placed among the best Slovenian restaurants in different restaurant ratings. They have successfully preserved that rating, in 2018 they were selected as the best restaurant in the North Slovenian region according to the voices of the Chefs & Foodies Academy and thus ranked among the top five in Slovenia.
Local environment, sustainable development, organic food production and social responsibility are constantly the principles of Krištof’s stories.
Try it yourself and experience their world. You will meet a unique story of preserving cultural and family heritage and the responsibility to pass on the catering tradition in the Gorenjska region which is in tune with modern culinary trends
Opening Hours
Tuesday – Friday: 14.00 – 22.00
Saturday: 13.00 – 22.00
Monday, Sunday & Public Holidays: Closed
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GAULT & MILLAU 2024
Michelin Guide 2024
Directions
Gostilna Krištof Restaurant
Predoslje 22, SI – 4000 Kranj
Slovenia, Europe
t: +386 (0)4 2341 030
FALSTAFF GUIDE 2024
