Things to Do in Ljubljana: Walk-In Coffee Roasters

Ljubljana is a beautiful European city, perfect for a leisure stroll around. But what is there to do after visiting the Ljubljanski Grad and Tivoli park? Are there any places to go to relax after enjoying galleries and museums?

If short, yes. In this article, we will tell you about three interesting coffee shops. Not just coffee shops but walk-in coffee roasters!

What is a walk-in coffee roastery?

Being specialty coffee enthusiasts, we have already created an all-encompassing guide to coffee shops in Ljubljana, so you are welcome to open an extra tab and check it out. 

For now, find out what a “walk-in coffee roastery” is. 

Normally, you would need to book your visit to a coffee roasting business in advance. If you get lucky, the roastery you got in touch with will host you. But with the rise of micro and nano roasteries, one might get a chance to get both cafe and roastery experiences at the same moment. 

So, in my mind, a “walk-in roastery” is literally a coffee shop with an operating roastery inside and some kind of service feature that accentuates customers’ attention to the quality of coffee.

Immersion in Mala Pražarna

Situated in the central part of Ljubljana, Mala Pražarna is the first stop of our walk-in roastery guide. 

Tiny yet cozy place, the first thing you will probably see is a welcoming barista, either Sabin (owner and roaster) or Zoran. Secondly though you will notice a coffee roasting machine. Standing modestly in the corner, this machine is the heart of the cafe. 

Will you see the actual roasting process while sipping on your v60? Probably not, since all the roasting happens before service hours. But you will definitely get your coffee served by an equally passionate and professional barista who will be able to entertain your coffee curiosity.

Credits to malaprazarna

While the choice of coffee beans is not that vast, the line-up boasts specialty-only coffees from around the world. If you are in for a funky or rare coffee do ask to brew something from a top shelf. It usually has the wackiest and fun to drink lots.

Usually, you will be able to buy coffees from Brazil, Colombia, Kenya and Ethiopia. But do mind that top shelf since you might choose to buy a pack of something more rare like Burundi or Indonesia.

Interestingly enough, here on a weekly basis everyone can join a free-of-charge cupping session with unexpected and unscheduled coffee presented. Always roasted by Sabin in his trusty sample roaster coffees are displayed every Monday at 12:00. 

Location: Krakovski nasip 10, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Tranquility in R&B

After thanking whoever met us in Mala Pražarna, we continued onwards, discovering walk-in roasteries of Ljubljana. Next stop: R&B Cafe Roasters, a pleasingly relaxing and flavorful place on one of the busiest streets of Slovenia’s capital. 

And guess what: the first two things you will see will be a welcoming and smiling barista and a beautiful coffee roasting apparatus. Funny enough, this machine is a sister to the one you can ask about in Mala Pražarna. The difference between the two is that this one is an electrical version, which makes it so much more sustainable.

Credits to rnbcaferoasters

Do you get to choose coffee beans to match your preferences? Oh yes, moreover you can get a special limited-time coffee variety. 

Will you get to see the roasting process? Yes and more, since the owner and the roast master of R&B Sebastian hosts coffee-roasting classes. We highly recommend attending these events to get to know more about your favorite beverage. 

Finally, the choice of coffee beans on the shelf is diverse both in the origins of coffee and the roasting profile.

As a rule of thumb, you will find coffees from Brazil and Colombia to buy, but also sometimes from Yemen or Indonesia. 

Location: Slovenska cesta 47, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

End of the trail in Prazarna

Registering for the next roasting class in R&B, we say goodbye to Sebastian to move on. The final point of interest for today is Prazarna, a business that started as a coffee roasting operation and expanded to a cafe later on. 

The choice of coffee is truly huge, from everyday blends to championship-grade lots. That is why your order sequence should contain your taste preferences so that the Barista can find a fitting coffee for your drink of choice.

Credits to prazarna

After getting welcomed and situated by a lovely barista named Eldin you might notice not one, but three coffee roasting machines. Two samples and one production roaster in-house make Prazarna the biggest roastery visited during this walk. 

Prazarna is the rare case of a specialty coffee roastery that also manufactures biodegradable coffee capsules. If you are curious about how specialty coffee tastes in capsules you can easily try some in-house. 

One can buy coffees from Ethiopia, Brazil and Colombia as well as from Guatemala and Kenya. 

Just like in Mala Pražarna, sometimes cuppings are hosted with Specialty coffees presented. Usually, these events are happening on Fridays at 17:00, but do check the schedule with a barista (or with us, we are always in the know about these things).

Location: Dunajska c. 61, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Final words

After a lively discussion of everything coffee in Prazarna, well caffeinated, what would be a conclusion to this cafe-hopping?

For the author, the walk-in coffee roasteries are a unique format since they allow for a truly unique experience. Unless you come to a coffee shop to write an article or whatever, by visiting such places you can find out more about coffee than in a usual cafe. 

As we discovered, all of the visited joints host pro-coffee events. I personally find walk-in roasteries fascinating and invite you to visit all of them. And remember: coffee is a journey!