Restaurants and Taverns

Tinjanski Vijulin: Istrian tradition and modern gastronomy

At the heart of the Istrian Peninsula lies the town of Tinjan, ideally positioned along an important transport route. In antiquity, it stood on the road connecting the western coast of Istria with Tarsatica, while today it is just a few minutes’ drive from the Istrian Y motorway exit near Pazin. The town proudly preserves its heritage and traditions, and is especially renowned for its exceptional prosciutto—so much so that Tinjan is often referred to as the “Municipality of I

Domagoj Krpan

Mar 303 min read

Na limske oštrige u restoran Fjord!

Smješten u jedinstvenom ambijentu Limskog kanala, restoran Fjord nudi iskustvo koje nadilazi klasičan odlazak na ručak ili večeru – ovdje se priroda, more i gastronomija stapaju u jednu zaokruženu priču. Već sam dolazak otkriva ono zbog čega je ovo mjesto posebno. Limski kanal, nalik fjordu koji duboko zalazi u istarski krajolik, stvara gotovo nestvarnu kulisu: mirno more, strme zelene padine i tišina koju povremeno prekida tek šum vjetra. Upravo u tom prirodnom okruženju Fjo

Vedran Obućina

Mar 204 min read

Gastro Rijeka - a mix of sea, tradition, and mountains

When you are in Rijeka, you will be greeted by the aromas of maneštra and jota, fish and meat, fritule, kroštule, lamb and fresh vegetables. Here you will eat the finest squid you have ever tasted and discover that even an ordinary pizza seems to have an unusual flavour. In Rijeka you will encounter the famous Rijeka cream slice, enjoy an excellent tiramisu, and—while savouring the delightful chocolate dessert Rigojanči—hear the story of a Roma violinist in love and a recipe

Alma Premerl Zoko

Mar 155 min read

Tracing Brgujski kapuz in Stancija Kovačići

After finishing our visit to Veli Brgud, we descended to Rukavac, a settlement situated slightly above the centre of Matulji. It lies on the slopes of Orljak and Beljč and is connected by local roads with Opatija and Jušići, while the Rijeka railway line passes nearby. Rukavac has a strong tradition of bell-ringers and bell-ringing processions during the carnival season, which begins on St Anthony’s Day (17 January) and lasts until Ash Wednesday. The Rukavac bell-ringers wear

Danijel Ratković

Mar 155 min read

Bistro Fotić welcomed 29. Wine with the Spoon

At Bistro Fotić, right in the very heart of Zagreb (25 Gajeva Street), meals have been lovingly prepared every day for years. Both Zagreb locals and tourists come here to enjoy hearty homemade meat dishes, as well as fish specialities, fine stews and pasta. The bistro was founded and successfully run for many years by the Badrov family of photographers. At the end of last year it changed ownership and is now in the hands of the Khouri family. They do not intend to alter much,

Mustafa Topčagić

Feb 246 min read

Chef Miroslav Janjić won a prestigious Hilton Award

Chef Miroslav Janjić, Executive Chef at Keight Hotel Opatija (Curio Collection by Hilton), has received the most prestigious recognition within Hilton’s global network – the 2025 CEO Light & Warmth Award. Selected from more than 800 nominations, Miroslav was chosen as the recipient of Hilton’s highest honour, celebrating exceptional individuals who embody warmth, hospitality and excellence in their everyday work. Through his leadership, Miroslav actively fosters an environmen

Alma Premerl Zoko

Feb 92 min read

Kastafski obed – As at home, but with 5*

In Kastav, gastronomy is not seen as an add-on to the offer, but as its very foundation. Here, cuisine emerges naturally from the landscape, forests and changing seasons, while local chefs do not mechanically reproduce tradition but thoughtfully reinterpret it on the contemporary plate. This very idea lies at the heart of Kastafski obed, a gastronomic initiative that makes local classics more accessible and closer to everyone who experiences Kastav – or is only just discoveri

Taste of Adriatic

Feb 92 min read

A piece of heaven on Krka River

Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, two actors who famously portrayed James Bond, both enjoyed stays at Hotel Grad Otočec, a castle hotel built in the 13th century on a small island in the River Krka near Novo Mesto, halfway between Zagreb and Ljubljana. Among its distinguished guests over the years have also been actors Henry and Peter Fonda and Matthew Perry, statesmen Nikita Khrushchev and Josip Broz Tito with Jovanka Broz, King Harald V of Norway with Queen Sonja, as well as

Tomislav Radić

Dec 22, 20253 min read

Mala Riba on Zagreb's Sea

The final “Wine by the Spoon” event of the year, now in its 28th edition, was held on Zagreb’s very own sea – Lake Jarun – at the restaurant Mala riba. There, just as in the Adriatic Sea, the young manager Karla Mikičić navigates brilliantly. Fourteen years ago, her family, together with the Nikolac family, opened the tavern of the same name in Matulji near Opatija. The business in Matulji is running smoothly, so they decided to expand to Zagreb, where, since opening in June,

Mustafa Topčagić

Dec 11, 20255 min read

Luxury of the Winter Menu in the Restaurant 1444

Just eight kilometres from Brežice, and only a twenty-minute drive from Zagreb, lies the magnificent Mokrice Castle, a true jewel of Slovenian history and culture. This Renaissance castle was first mentioned in 1444, and it acquired its essential features in the 16th century. The history of Mokrice is both fascinating and rich—on its site once stood a Roman military post known as Romulus’ Fortress, and through the centuries it witnessed turbulent events, including Ottoman att

Alma Premerl Zoko

Dec 11, 20253 min read

Grand Cafe - a Place of Enjoyment and Spectacular Views of Piran Bay

Located on the 11th floor of the prestigious Grand Hotel Bernardin, Grand Café is not an ordinary restaurant. It is an excellent blend of fine coffee, delicious bites and a panoramic view of the Piran Bay, the Alps, Venice and Savudrija. Although, according to the French classification, a café is indeed a type of restaurant, Grand Café primarily embraces the philosophy of a cosy space for relaxation and enjoying the moment. Grand Café offers a wide selection of drinks – from

Alma Premerl Zoko

Dec 3, 20253 min read

27th Wine with a Spoon: Exotic Thai Dishes with Unusual Croatian Wines

Thai Me Up by Lira restaurant opened earlier this year in the centre of Zagreb (Teslina 5), offering excellent Thai cuisine at affordable prices. It is run by husband-and-wife team Yada, who is Thai, and Jura Dončić, a local restaurateur, who took on the challenge set by Renata Cisar and Mustafa Topčagić, organisers of the Wine with a Spoon events, to pair dishes from that part of the world with selected Croatian wines. Several street-food venues in Zagreb currently serve Tha

Mustafa Topčagić

Nov 8, 20255 min read

Bokoon – Small Istrian Oasis of Big Flavours

On the western coast of Istria, between Vrsar and Poreč, lies Funtana – a small village of great charm and even greater gastronomic potential. Although modest in size, Funtana has long established itself as a remarkably appealing culinary destination, a place where the Mediterranean spirit meets the authentic flavours of Istria. Barbara Belac from the Funtana Tourist Board highlights how this little fishing village proudly preserves its rich gastronomic tradition through a se

Fran Ratković

Nov 2, 20254 min read

Jing Yuan: Zagreb’s Most Serene Chinese Tea House

In a quiet corner of Gajnice, one of Zagreb’s greenest and most self-contained neighborhoods, there is a place where time seems to move at a different rhythm. Here, in a small tea house Jing Yuan that doubles as a bistro, life is measured not in minutes or messages, but in cups — steaming, fragrant, unhurried cups of Chinese tea. Walking through its unassuming doorway feels like stepping across a threshold into another state of mind. A few wooden tables, numerous small pieces

Vedran Obućina

Oct 18, 20255 min read