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The surroundings of Ljubljana's city hall are of paramount spatial significance. In the building’s vicinity stands the fountain of three Slovenian rivers by Francesco Robba, the Ljubljana Cathedral, and the building which used to house the first hotel in Ljubljana, the Wilder Mann, built in 1731. 

Also found here is the building which has housed the Sokol restaurant since 1870. The restaurant was given its name (“The hawk”) by its founder Jakob Mehle, hailing from the outskirts of Grosuplje. Apart from the restaurant Mehle owned several other estates. After his death, the estate passed to his third wife. Following her death, it then passed to their daughter as the sole heiress. As early as 1879, Jakob Alešovec mentioned in Ljubljanske slike that the Sokol restaurant was managed by an innkeeper of a better kind; he wrote that the restaurant itself was located in an area filled with passers-by, that its tables were well-clothed, that unspoiled local wine was poured here, that the dishes were delicious, and the portions sizeable.

In 1870, the Ljubljana fire-fighter association was founded within the restaurant. Afterwards, the restaurant became the meeting place for various artists, such as the actor Josip Nolli, the writers and poets Juš Kozak, Pavel Golia, Oton Župančič, as well as others.

In 1998, the restaurant came under the management of its present owners. They set themselves the task of preserving the Slovenian indigenous cuisine, a task at which they have proven successful. The Sokol restaurant has become a tourist attraction, and it is also dedicated in its catering for indigenous guests.

The restaurant serves various domestic delicacies, starting with a glass of domestic spirit. This is followed immediately by a serving of venison pate, prosciutto, dried venison, home-made poultry pate, and similar appetizers. Afterwards, mushroom soup is served in a bread cup, followed by porcini risotto, pasta with venison ragout, veal stew, different steaks or roasts; the menu also offers a choice of pork sausages, black pudding, and the Carniolan sausages. The selection of salads and side dishes is also diverse. The main courses are followed by a serving of desserts, such as the apple strudel, the layered pastry, and home-made cottage cheese or walnut struklji (rolled dumplings). All the dishes can furthermore be enriched with an order of wine from any of Slovenia’s winegrowing regions.