Mlekomat: Ljubljana’s milk vending machines

When I first went to Ljubljana, I had no idea what to expect.

What is Slovenian food? What would the foodie scene be like? Was the farmers market everything the internet promised? (Yes, yes it was.) Would the home of the world’s top female chef be a true hidden gem of the foodie world? (Yes again.)

What I found was that Slovenia delighted me at every turn. The landscapes were staggeringly beautiful. The prices were reasonable. And the food – from festival burgers to farmers market finds to nice restaurants – was something special.

And then there’s the mlekomat.

This series of vending machines scattered across Ljubljana allows you to bring your own jar or purchase one and fill it up with milk by inserting coins, choosing the amount of milk you want, placing your jar in a refrigerated compartment, and watching as fresh milk from local farms fills your jar on up.

When I looked the machines up, I discovered, to my delight, that they are all over the place. And not just in Ljubljana.

So if you’re visiting Slovenia, grab a jar and head to your nearest milk vending machine for farm-fresh milk any time of day.