Kvarner Experience of Suzić Brothers

When Kvarner won the title of European Gastronomy Region this year, it became clear that the focus of the region will be on stories that preserve the authenticity of the combination of sea and mountains through gastronomy, atmosphere and experience. This is precisely why projects that offer not only a product, but the emotion of a place, a local story and an experience that lingers long after the last sip are attracting special attention today.

One such story has been growing for years in Bregi, above the Kvarner Bay, where the view stretches out to the sea, islands and the entire Rijeka aquatorium. On the site of their grandfather's house, twin brothers Borjan and Tino Suzić created the Suza concept that interprets Kvarner through flavours, scents, cocktails, old family stories and an atmosphere to which guests always return.

It all started 25 years ago when their father Slavko, back in the 1980s, started beekeeping, and in the early 2000s, the family came across an old recipe for mead, more than a century old, given to them by Mrs. Bauer from Sušak. The first five litresof mead quickly became a hit among friends and acquaintances, and the Suzić brothers soon realized that there was a much bigger story behind it all - one about Kvarner, heritage, and a modern approach to local tradition.

Today, Suza naturally enters a new phase of development. Through a refreshed visual identity, new labels and logo, the brand retains its authenticity, but gains a more contemporary expression that follows the atmosphere and energy of the new times. Suza is developing more in the direction of the Kvarner lifestyle and aperitivo concept, where experience, emotion and a sense of place are important.

The most recognisable part of the Suza collection are the labels. The inspiration for Fiuman and Fiumanka came from old family photos that the brothers kept in albums for years. Fiuman is actually Borjan and Tin's great-grandfather, a charming Dubrovnik native, a shipping agent and an old-fashioned gentleman who spoke five languages ​​and lived Rijeka life to the fullest. Fiumanka is the grandmother, born in Italy in the 1920s, known for her elegance, character and directness. It is this personal dimension that gives the whole story an emotion that makes people remember Suza not only for its flavors, but also for the atmosphere it carries. Torpedo gin and Laval, inspired by Rijeka's history and the legacy of Laval Nugent, the man who marked the Trsat Castle and opened the first museum in Croatia, have a special place today. There is also Miela Rosa, an elegant aperitif that reinterprets local notes and Kvarner sensibilities in a modern way. Every label and every cocktail carries a piece of Rijeka and Kvarner history - from maritime stories to the industrial heritage of Rijeka and Sušak.

While younger twin Tino carefully selects ingredients and develops new flavours, his five-minute-older brother Borjan has been passionately collecting objects for the past ten years that now form a kind of time machine of old Rijeka. Thus, he has placed a small Kvarner regional museum on the ground floor of his grandfather's house, a space that resembles a film set more than a classic setting.

Borjan presents to all visitors with special enthusiasm objects that tell the story of old Rijeka and Sušak - from a clock by the Rijeka watchmaker Natić, an old mechanical clock under a glass bell that reminds many of the atmosphere of a former TV calendar, through an original steam engine from the Torpedo factory and a Westinghouse refrigerator from the fifties, all the way to a rare Candy washer-dryer from the 1950s. A particularly interesting part of the collection consists of old bottles of Rijeka liqueurs, soda bottles from former hotels and objects that testify to the rich hospitality and industrial history of the region.

In a year when the identity, heritage and gastronomy of Kvarner are increasingly being discussed as key elements of tourism development, Suza is celebrating its 25th anniversary in a special way. Kvarner Experience is their year-round concept that takes guests to Brege for a relaxed socializing experience with a view of the sea, islands and Rijeka in one frame. It all starts with a welcome drink, homemade prosciutto, cheese and warm, freshly baked bread, while the light atmosphere is reminiscent of Mediterranean aperitif evenings.

After an introduction to the atmosphere, you enter the Rijeka Time Machine - a space where the identity of Kvarner is revealed through objects, photographs and personal stories. History here is not static; it is felt through the details, music, smells and atmosphere of the space, right up to the moment when plates inspired by grandmother's cooking and flavours that take you back to childhood arrive on the table. In addition to everything you will experience at Bregi, the Suzić family is involved, so the space still retains the feeling of home, rather than a classic catering concept.

The day ends with a sunset over Kvarner, as the reflections of signature cocktails blend with the sea view. For those looking for an additional experience, there is also the option of creating your own gin, as well as a new Rijeka pavilion that will soon open as a continuation of the whole story - a new Kvarner experience space that will further connect gastronomy, history and contemporary lifestyle.

Photo: NIkola Zoko