Villa Regia

I lived in Košice for five years and I have tried almost all the restaurants in the city. There is one that I fell in love with and that is the reason why I want to introduce this place to you and encourage you to try it whenever you happen to be in Košice, Slovakia. The restaurant I am talking about is called Villa Regia. It has long tradition in Košice and it has been open for almost 15 years already. It is located on the second floor of a two-storey renaissance building on Dominican square. It has a stylish loft apartment, as well, in case you are looking for a place to stay.

The interior of the restaurant provides a unique, home-like experience. The wooden furniture decorated with tablecloths of subtle colours, candles in candelabra and fresh flowers together with a massive fireplace create special atmosphere similar to the one, I imagine,  you would experience during the renaissance period when the very same room was home to townsman´s people. The restaurant must have been decorated by a person who understands the historical character of the building and Košice itself, because everything is harmonically interconnected, from the cracking wooden floor, old books and ornamental pots used as decoration to the paintings on the wall and traditional window frames with curtains. The restaurant consists of three parts; the main part with big tables and cosy boxes which provide more privacy; a smoking part with a huge glass door leading to a summer terrace; and a private lounge used for family celebrations, business events or other special events.    

What I love about the restaurant´s menu is the fact that all the dishes are created as whole combinations of distinct, yet matching flavours. I think creating harmonious dishes where every single flavour can be enjoyed is pure art. That is to say, I consider their cooks to be artists. Among their most popular plates are duck breast served with red cabbage and traditional Slovak savoury pancakes, called “lokše”; pork medallions served with potato dumplings in creamy sauce with small pieces of ham; and pork ribs in barbecue sauce. Other than that they also have delicious soups, because in Slovakia we eat a lot of them. My most favourite one is chicken soup which we normally eat as a starter. Salads, pasta, steaks, fish, traditional Slovak food, such as halušky; and many other delicious plates are definitely a good reason to take your friends out for a dinner and enjoy yourselves in Villa Regia. Staff is very professional, always keen to help you select a bottle of wine to accompany your meal. The wine list is indeed diverse with grapes from all around the world; red, white, sweet, or sparkling. In addition to the permanent menu, they have additional lunch menu every day and seasonal menus for spring, summer, autumn and winter. In summer, for example, they always include new salads and fresh lemonades made with lavender, elder flower or ginger syrups from local farmers. In winter you can get warmer with their special hot chocolate or hot wine.      

Villa Regia has something to offer for everyone in every season of the year, at every time of a day. If you are lucky and visit them more than once, I am sure on every visit you will notice some new improvement, new wine or new beer, but you can always expect to experience the same warmth, cosiness and comfort as I did on my very first visit to Villa Regia. 

Main restaurant. Photo: villaregia.sk

Photo: villaregia.sk

Snails with garlic bread as a starter.

Our lovely dinner.

Pork medallions. Photo: villaregia.sk

Villa regia apartment.