Restaurant in Batizovce, Slovakia
Traditional Slovak cooking worth the detour.
Gašperov Mlyn is the strongest case for traditional Slovakian cooking in the High Tatras region, earning 87 La Liste points in 2026 under chef Jozef Breza — a score that rose five points year-on-year. The intimate mill setting in Batizovce suits couples and small groups over large parties. Book one to two weeks ahead; this is a destination worth planning around.
If you've been once and are wondering whether to return, the answer is yes. Gašperov Mlyn in Batizovce is one of the few restaurants in Slovakia earning consistent recognition on the international stage: 82.5 points on La Liste in 2025, climbing to 87 points in 2026 under chef Jozef Breza. That trajectory matters. It signals a kitchen improving in real time, not coasting on a reputation. For traditional Slovakian cooking at this level of documented quality, there's nothing directly comparable within the immediate region.
Gašperov Mlyn translates loosely as "Gašper's Mill" — the name signals the kind of setting you're walking into: a historic mill building in a small village, with the intimate scale that comes with it. Spatial framing here is part of the experience. This isn't a city-centre dining room designed for volume. The layout is compact, seating is limited by nature, and the atmosphere functions more like a private dining room than a restaurant floor. That intimacy makes it a better choice for two or four than for a large group, and a far better choice for a focused meal than a casual drop-in.
Chef Jozef Breza works in traditional Slovakian cuisine , not a reimagined or fusion version of it. This is important context for returning guests. If your first visit confirmed that the kitchen's strength is in rooted, regional cooking rather than modernist technique, that remains the lens to apply. The La Liste score increase from 2025 to 2026 suggests the kitchen has sharpened rather than shifted direction. For guests who come in expecting molecular showmanship, this will disappoint. For guests who come in expecting disciplined, ingredient-led cooking in a specific tradition, it delivers at a level that justifies the detour to Batizovce.
There is no verified wine list data in the Pearl record for Gašperov Mlyn. What can be said with confidence: a La Liste-recognised kitchen in Slovakia operating at 87 points is almost always pairing serious food with serious local pours. Slovak wine , particularly whites from the Small Carpathians and reds from the Southern Slovak wine region , is underexposed internationally, and a restaurant of this calibre in this location has both the incentive and the access to source well. If wine matters to you, ask about local Slovak producers when you arrive; this is the kind of restaurant where that question will get a considered answer rather than a generic list.
Gašperov Mlyn sits in a village of under 2,000 people, which changes the booking logic entirely. Demand doesn't spike the way it does in Bratislava or Košice, but capacity is inherently limited by the space. Book one to two weeks ahead for weekday visits; give yourself two to three weeks for Friday or Saturday evenings, particularly in summer when the High Tatras region draws visitors. Booking difficulty is rated Easy by Pearl standards , but that assumes you're planning ahead rather than deciding on the day. Walk-ins to a small mill restaurant in a rural Slovak village are a gamble not worth taking.
| Detail | Gašperov Mlyn | ECK Restaurant | UFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisine | Traditional Slovak | Slovak | Slovak Modern |
| Setting | Village mill, rural | Urban | Landmark building |
| La Liste recognition | 87pts (2026) | Not listed | Not listed |
| Booking difficulty | Easy (plan 1–2 weeks) | Not verified | Not verified |
| Leading for | Occasion dining, couples | City dining | Views, groups |
For more options in the area, see our full Batizovce restaurants guide, our Batizovce hotels guide, and our Batizovce bars guide. If you're planning a broader Slovak trip, ECK Restaurant in Bratislava, ARTE in Svätý Jur, Origin in Lučenec, and Seven Restaurant Café in Košice are worth considering depending on your route. For international benchmarking context, Gašperov Mlyn's La Liste positioning puts it in recognisable company: La Liste also ranks Le Bernardin in New York City, Alinea in Chicago, Alain Ducasse at Louis XV in Monte Carlo, Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa María, Aqua in Wolfsburg, Atomix in New York City, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, and Emeril's in New Orleans. Gašperov Mlyn earns its place in that list on regional credentials and rising scores , context that helps calibrate expectations before you arrive.
It works for solo dining but is not optimised for it. The intimate mill setting and small capacity mean a solo guest may feel conspicuous at a table designed for two or four. If you're a solo traveller passing through the High Tatras region, it's a worthwhile stop , just call ahead rather than arriving unannounced.
No bar seating is confirmed in Pearl's data for Gašperov Mlyn. Given the historic mill setting and its positioning as a sit-down traditional restaurant, a dedicated bar counter is unlikely. Plan for a full table reservation rather than a casual perch.
Specific dishes are not available in Pearl's verified data, so no menu recommendations can be made here. What the La Liste recognition and chef Jozef Breza's direction suggest: lean into whatever the kitchen presents as seasonal or regional. Traditional Slovakian cuisine at this level is rooted in local produce, so tasting menus or daily specials , if offered , are likely the kitchen's strongest expression.
Yes, and it's better suited to special occasions than casual meals. The village setting, limited capacity, and La Liste recognition (87 points, 2026) create the conditions for a genuinely memorable dinner. It's a stronger occasion choice than a city-centre Slovak restaurant because the setting adds to the event rather than competing with it.
Batizovce is a small village, so direct local alternatives are limited. For Slovak cooking with a modern edge, ECK Restaurant and UFO operate in a different format and urban setting. For a broader view of the region's dining options, see our Batizovce restaurants guide, our Batizovce wineries guide, and our Batizovce experiences guide.
This is a rural destination restaurant, not a city-centre spot you can stumble into. It's in a village in the Tatras foothills, which means you need a plan: book in advance, arrange transport, and arrive with the expectation of a full sit-down meal in a historic setting. The Google rating of 4.9 across 387 reviews is unusually consistent, which signals the experience is reliable rather than occasionally excellent.
One to two weeks for weeknights is usually enough. For weekend evenings , particularly Friday and Saturday in summer when the High Tatras region is busy with travellers , aim for two to three weeks out. Pearl rates booking difficulty as Easy, but that assumes advance planning. Same-day availability is not something to count on.
No dress code is confirmed in Pearl's data. The traditional mill setting and La Liste recognition suggest smart-casual is the right baseline: not a jacket requirement, but not hiking gear either. Treat it as you would a serious regional restaurant rather than a Bratislava fine-dining room.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gašperov Mlyn | Slovakian Traditional | La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 87pts; Chef: Jozef Breza document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() { var el = document.getElementById("Achievements_chefs"); if (el && el.parentNode) { el.parentNode.removeChild(el); } });; La Liste Top Restaurants (2025): 82.5pts | Easy | — | |
| ECK Restaurant | Slovak | Unknown | — | ||
| Irin | Unagi | Unknown | — | ||
| Edomae Sushi Matsuki | Japanese Sushi | Unknown | — | ||
| UFO | Slovak Modern | Unknown | — | ||
| ARTE | Unknown | — |
How Gašperov Mlyn stacks up against the competition.
Yes — a La Liste-recognised kitchen focused on traditional Slovak cuisine is a solid solo destination if the format suits you. The setting (a historic mill building in a small village) tends toward intimate rather than social, which works in a solo diner's favour. No bar seating data is confirmed in the Pearl record, so check the venue's official channels to ask about counter or single-seat options.
Bar seating is not documented in the Pearl record for Gašperov Mlyn. Given the village setting and mill-building format, this is more likely a table-service-only operation. If bar dining matters to you, confirm directly before booking.
Chef Jozef Breza works in traditional Slovakian cuisine — not a fusion or reimagined version of it. Order accordingly: this is a kitchen that earns La Liste recognition (87pts in 2026) by executing Slovak culinary traditions at a high level, not by novelty. Specific menu items are not confirmed in the Pearl record, so expect the menu to reflect seasonal and regional Slovak ingredients.
Yes, particularly if the other person appreciates cooking with a strong regional identity. An 87-point La Liste score in 2026 gives this restaurant genuine credibility as a destination meal. The village location adds occasion weight — you travel for it, which sets the tone. For a city-based special occasion, UFO in Bratislava is a higher-profile alternative.
Batizovce is a small village with no comparable dining alternatives in the Pearl database. If you want a similar level of culinary recognition in Slovakia, ECK Restaurant or ARTE are worth considering. For something more city-facing, UFO and Irin offer different formats in a more accessible urban setting.
This is a destination restaurant in a village of under 2,000 people near the High Tatras — plan your visit around it rather than treating it as a spontaneous stop. Chef Jozef Breza's kitchen holds 87pts on La Liste 2026, up from 82.5pts in 2025, which signals consistent upward momentum. The cuisine is traditional Slovak, so arrive expecting depth and regional specificity rather than international comfort-food formats.
Book at least two to three weeks in advance, and further out if you're planning around a weekend or local event near the High Tatras. The village setting means fewer walk-in competitors than a city restaurant, but a La Liste-rated kitchen with limited covers will still fill up. No online booking platform is confirmed in the Pearl record — check the venue's official channels.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
