Maxim, the legendary Ljubljana restaurant, has closed after serving as a hub of haute cuisine in the Slovenian capital for more than 50 years.

Located near Slovenia's parliament building, the headquarters of NLB and the Cankarjev Dom cultural centre, Maxim has for years been a place where the elite met either for business or pleasure.

Part of the Maximarket store complex, the restaurant has been managed by Mercator, Slovenia's largest retailer, which passed into Croatian ownership in 2014.

Maxim closed its doors in early May until further notice. The notice on its door cited difficult times for the hospitality sector as the reason.

"For the past year we truly aspired to maintain an appropriate level of service, but eventually we had to make this difficult but necessary decision, also for the sake of the restaurant's good name and its guests," reads the notice.

The management added that they were looking for a solution to reopen the restaurant, trying to find suitable staff or a potential lessee.

Media have reported that the chef Peter Kovač recently left the restaurant.

Launched in 1971, Maxim enjoyed the reputation as a prestigious Ljubljana restaurant, distinguished by its original dishes and culinary specialities made by internationally renowned chefs.

It won several culinary awards, including the Michelin Plate 2020 and the Gault & Millau award for top cuisine.