The best restaurants Kvarner Gulf

With its ideal location, at the gates of the castle, and its breathtaking view of the bay of Rijeka, the establishment enjoys an undeniable sympathy capital. Here, in the summer, it's a Dalmatian konoba atmosphere, open to the outside. You will be able to order grilled meat or fish, cevapcici and large portions of grilled vegetables or a vegetarian dish, all prepared in a family barbecue style. When the weather is cooler, we appreciate the more cosy style of the dining room, built in ashlar, with exposed beams, fireplace and wooden furniture.

A big sensation in 2021 when the restaurant and café lounge on the top floors of the new Hilton hotel complex opens. First, the view, one of the most splendid in Rijeka, embraces the entire harbor and the Kvarner Gulf. Then the young chef, Deni Srdoč, in his thirties, who combines traditional elements with modernity, while remaining under the classic Italian-French influence. He has already acquired a Michelin star. Several a la carte menus. Book well in advance to savor the dining experience close to the bay windows.

This is the gourmet table that is the talk of Opatija. Since 1997, owner Daniela Kramarić has made her restaurant one of the most awarded addresses in Croatia. Twice elected national champion of the "best sommelier in Croatia", the restaurateur is among the greatest in her category in Central and Eastern Europe. Among the must-try dishes of the house, the risotto with scampi, truffles or wild asparagus in season, the tricolored taglioni with scampi, the tortellini with sea bass in foie gras sauce. Reservations are essential.

Both owner and chef, Vinko Frlan is passionate about authentic and generous recipes. Set back from the Riviera, his traditional restaurant is organized around three rooms and a beautiful terrace. Here you can enjoy fresh pasta and homemade bread as well as local specialties such as Boškarin beef, lamb cooked under an iron bell or dishes based on wild plants and vegetables (nettle, wild garlic, asparagus...). Attentive service.

Family-run restaurant open since 1998 and always busy. Simple, traditional cuisine, prepared with care. The house specialties revolve around seafood: appetizers include fried calamari, large marinated anchovies, a platter of grilled shellfish or small fried fish, and hot dishes such as white tuna steak accompanied by the ever-popular blitva (mashed potatoes and chard in olive oil), all at rather reasonable prices. A large terrace bordering the road and the sea welcomes you at all hours. Friendly staff.

This konoba has really kept the traditional atmosphere of a tavern. We like the two dining rooms with their decorative elements: ironwork, woodwork, stoneware pots on the fireplace shelf, paintings and old photos on the walls. Even the menu is evocative of historical Rijeka. On the menu, all the classics of Croatian cuisine: fish buzara, fuži pasta with white truffle, squid ink risotto, grilled meats, blitva, cooking under peka, house brandy. Only the desserts are not special. Beautiful panoramic terrace.

In the Frankopan Castle (late Renaissance), which can be visited, the konoba is more than a tavern. It is a large restaurant, installed in an exceptional setting, the royal court. It often organizes family celebrations (religious parties, birthdays, weddings). In fact, it is better to reserve before going there. On the menu, a variety of southern salads, grilled meat and fish dishes, oven baked, pasta and risottos and pancakes for dessert.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the harbor, this restaurant is one of the most recommended in Baška. It is a quiet place where you can take your time on the terrace, at the tables set up on the pier. The best time is at sunset. The presence of fishermen and locals is a good omen. Here, we do not look for originality but for the best of the Adriatic. On the menu, meat, but especially grilled fish and fresh shellfish accompanied by the inevitable chard and potato purée (blitva), grilled southern vegetables and the house wine

This wine bar-restaurant is located at the entrance to the old town. The Toljanić company, run from father to son, also owns vineyards and produces rated table wines(vrbnička žlahtina), aromatic spirits and other rakija. Upon reservation, one can visit the estate and its cellars. The restaurant offers traditional cuisine, with local cheeses and sausages, grilled meats, farm vegetables, fish and seafood platters... The family has opened a 4-star hotel, with about twenty high standard rooms.

From a small family-run tavern, the Nada has become a successful business, with a terrace restaurant, a farm, wine cellar-shops (Krk, Baška) and seasonal rentals. In terms of cuisine, the menu varies with the seasons, the catch of the day and local produce. Starters include antipasti marinated in island olive oil, a platter of sheep's milk cheese and local charcuterie. You'll also enjoy meats in sauce or grilled, or fish, sea bass in a salt crust, accompanied by French fries, grilled vegetables and wild asparagus.

An establishment close to the cathedral with an undeniable historical cachet. If you are in the mood for a seafood platter or other fish products and even sea urchins, this restaurant offers a varied menu: octopus salad, tuna tartar, marinated mussels, whole fish or grilled squid accompanied by blitva (chard and potato crushed), green tagliatelle with shellfish, risotto. You can also choose to have pizza, grilled meat, etc. Acoustic music concert program.

Behind the Palace Hotel and Slatina Beach, this restaurant is one of the most original in Opatija. The fusion cuisine focuses on revisited local recipes and international classics. Homemade burgers and fries, pork ribs or grilled meats seasoned with local olive oil, soy sauce, aromatic herbs and sesame seeds, all accompanied by southern vegetables, grilled or sautéed in a wok... Also, pizzas, grilled squid, fresh pasta with seafood or fish in sauce. It is better to reserve.

The restaurant Artatore is not only a good address for the cuisine you can enjoy, but also for the view over the bay you have from the terrace. We recommend the bar or fillets oven with potatoes, with a little wine just before serving it. But to get into appetite nothing is worth the lobster soup accompanied by fresh pasta. Finally, you can opt for a fishing strudel. Finally, a significant advantage of the restaurant: the toilets are among the cleanest in Croatia!

Among the many pizzerias in the port, the one called Chez Draga remains a safe bet in town. Its terrace on the first floor is pleasant and the wait for a plate is quite reasonable. You can choose from a wide range of pizzas, of course, but also lasagne, fresh pasta with seafood or southern vegetables, grilled sardines accompanied by blitva (mashed potatoes and chard in olive oil) or a hot sandwich with cheese and local charcuterie. A balanced mix of Italian and Croatian cuisine.

This restaurant boasts a beautiful terrace overlooking the harbor, where large banquet tables with benches can be placed, while the dining room resembles a cloister. The cuisine is simple but honest: grilled meats, seafood pasta, risotto and pizzas. The address, a little too touristy, is often crowded. In the basement, in a large vaulted cellar with exposed stonework, the Lapidary club is open all year round. Its good acoustics attract musicians. DJs, groups and vocal ensembles sometimes perform here.

On the heights of Rijeka, in the village of Kastav, this luxury establishment was opened by slow-food chef Nenad Kukurin. While the management offers comfortable rooms for your stay on site, it is above all for the restaurant that the address is renowned. Here, we appreciate the originality of the recipes, which blend traditional Mediterranean cuisine with French gastronomy. Creativity indeed, but the bill is high too.

A tavern installed at the foot of the ramparts since 1975, which has a good reputation in Rab. In the evening, you will dine by candlelight and taste the specialities of fish, seafood... But also, on the menu, meats cooked with sage honey, fresh pasta and grilled vegetables... In short, a choice of classic Adriatic dishes with sweet and sour notes that are a little different from the ordinary! Good atmosphere. Professional and smiling service. Croatian and foreign population. You can finish the meal with a good dessert.

If you're craving pizza or calzone and are on your way to the castle, the Paris/Kalorija bistro should do the trick. A good bread dough, fresh and generous toppings, cheese and rocket in profusion, the recipe varies little but ensures success... You can also order wraps, burgers, grills with fries, fresh pasta or polenta in sauce. You will have the choice to eat on the spot or to take away to continue your way to the castle or on the way back.

To find this family-run restaurant, climb up to the old inner village and go to the square beside the church. On the terrace, under the vine arbor, you can dine on large wooden tables. The menu features dishes influenced as much by Dalmatian traditions, such as a plate of charcuterie and local cheese, spit-roasted pig and bruschetta with pesto genovese, as by seafood cuisine, with grilled fish from the day's catch, calamari with blitva or southern vegetables... A good address, less touristy than the harbour.

Opatija's fast food scene has expanded in recent years. Next to the Rozmarin restaurant (same family!), a stone's throw from the bus station and the sea, this one is both a bakery and a fast-food restaurant. For breakfast or brunch, toast, eggs-bacon, pastries, fresh fruit juices, coffee and tea. All day long, hot or cold drinks, cocktails, good burgers or wraps, meat or vegan, pizza slices, salads, ice creams, creams and cakes.