The renovated passage in Bratislava-The Old Town. (source: Facebook/Bratislavská pekáreň a mliekareň)
The Bratislava Passage, which connects SNP Square with Jedlíková Street in the Old Town, has been transformed into a pleasant spot where people can buy the Slovak national meal called halušky.
The Bratislavské Noviny website writes that the Hlina family, who owns the nearby restaurant, Bratislavská Reštaurácia, has breathed a new life into the place. Alojz Hlina is a well-known local businessman and a Slovak lawmaker.
The entrepreneur told the website that he financed the renovation of the passage, but he added that he isn’t the owner. It belongs to Milosrdní Bratia (The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God), he said.
In the passage, passers-by can find a bakery,haluškáreň (a place where halušky are made and sold), and a dairy shop. Through the windows, they can also watch how various products are prepared.
Haluškáreň is the latest addition to the passage. People can also order pierogi or šúľance.
Hlina, however, isn’t done with the place.
“The bakery is currently too small, but in the underground, where there are beautiful baroque cellars, we are preparing the most traditional way of baking bread,” Hlina revealed. He adds that bread was made by kneading dough in the evening back in the day, letting it rest in the cellar at night, and throwing it into the oven in the morning.
The bakery also bakes the popular local pastry, bratislavské rožky.
“We’ll install a bell outside and the bell will ring every time the fresh rožky are done,” said Hlina.
