What to eat Istria? culinary specialties and gastronomy

In Istria's small towns and villages, ports and seaside resorts, you'll always find a restaurant, a konoba or gostionica (tavern), a local fast-food restaurant, or something open in summer to eat. From one establishment to another, opening times generally vary between midday and 2 - 3pm, then between 7.30pm and 10 - 11pm. Some serve at all hours. On the other hand, the winter break can turn whole districts of seaside resorts and seaside promenades in coastal towns into veritable culinary deserts. If you're looking for a gourmet restaurant or a well-known establishment with a well-placed table with a view, it's best to make a reservation!

Since 2023, with Croatia's full entry into the euro zone, restaurant prices have soared, catching up with Slovenia's relatively high prices. This is even more marked in tourist towns, seaside resorts and islands.

Menus. Prices vary according to the standing of the establishment, from around €30 to €50-70 for a tasting menu in a gourmet restaurant. In local fast-food restaurants and snack bars, a dish or a full sandwich costs €5-10 (eat-in or take-away).

A la carte meals. Starter/dessert: €5 to €8; hot dish: €15 to €20-25 or even more for grilled red meat, fish platter and seafood.

Local wine list. From €10/l; €4-5 for wine by the glass.

As in France, especially in tourist areas, tipping is widespread, and is sometimes included in the price. If you are satisfied with the service, in restaurants where service is not included, you can leave 10% of the bill.

In some restaurants, where dishes are chosen à la carte, bread and cutlery are not always included. This is almost systematic in Italian Istria. They appear as extras on the bill. Printed tourist menus generally include bread, cutlery and service, but not a carafe of water; you have to order a one-liter or half-liter bottle of still or sparkling water, like any other fresh drink.

In Istria, Mediterranean fisherman's cuisine meets Italian-inspired local dishes. Restaurant menus are often very similar. Mixed salads, soups (Istarska Jota, a kind of complete soup); marinated anti-pasti, fried small fish, squid, grilled fish, seafood and shellfish. Meats are often flavored with a truffle sauce. White truffle condiments are a typical Istrian specialty. Plenty of pizzas, black risotto (with squid ink), fresh pasta, homemade gnocchi, grilled southern vegetables or that unmissable blitva, a traditional Croatian recipe based on steamed potatoes, chard or green sprouts, all tossed in award-winning extra-virgin olive oil.

The charcuterie/cheese platter is traditionally ordered as an appetizer.

If you order white wine at the table, don't be surprised if they bring two bottles, one for the wine, the other with water. Locals love the refreshing effect of sparkling water with white wine, just as they enjoy red wine from the fridge in summer!

You'll find plenty of fast-food outlets, snack bars and bakeries(pekara). Try the local specialties: the čevapi sandwich (small spicy sausages), the burek (meat or vegetable pastry), the falafel pita.

The marenda, a Croatian speciality, originated in the working world. This salty or sweet morning snack, still available in some neighborhood restaurants, is eaten between 10 and 11 a.m. and lasts until late lunch.

Unlike in France, the buffet is not a self-service cafeteria, but a popular address where simple, traditional, inexpensive food can be eaten quickly.

Seasonal rentals with gardens often have a summer kitchen area, which means you have to do your own food shopping and prepare your own meals. Sometimes, the conviviality with the hosts begins with a tasting of wine, pastries and other specialties of the house.

Avoid seaside restaurants or pizzerias with long menus printed in several languages. Often, the freezer for meat and fish is not far away!

In some restaurants, meat dishes (lamb, veal or pig) roasted on a spit(janjetina) are sold by the cut and by weight. Count 200 to 500 g per plate. The same ambiguity applies to fresh fish, especially on the coast. Not always easy to assess when you're shown it whole in the dish before cooking! How do you know if the weight on the order is correct? How can you be sure that the cooked fish is actually the one presented to you raw? If possible, ask the locals for advice, as they know about the dubious practices of some restaurants.

Beware, too, of the price of wine by the glass: 10 cl for a glass on average. Without telling you, you may be served a 20 cl glass, which automatically doubles the price of wine by the glass. Be sure to read the different capacities on the menu.

Children's menus are often offered in tourist restaurants. In general, a basic offer of international cuisine.

Smoking is prohibited inside restaurants, but is tolerated on the terrace.

In the backstreets of tourist areas, on busy quaysides, touts often invite you to look at the menu of their restaurant, to sit down at a table, which is generally annoying. Good addresses don't need their services. Word-of-mouth and good customer reviews on the Internet or from your landlord help to promote them. On the other hand, once you've settled in, don't hesitate to take your time and have the menu explained to you.

In summer, most café-bars and tearooms are open from morning to night, from 7 to 8 a.m. until evening. The same establishment may offer continuous service throughout the day, serving breakfast, hot or cold drinks, with or without alcohol, as well as snack-restaurant formulas. Out of tourist season, they will be closed or have reduced opening hours.

As in Italy, Croatians drink a lot of coffee! The morning espresso, black without sugar, and the long espresso are the same price: €1 to €2. Double espresso, with twice as much coffee, is twice as expensive. For macchiato, instant Nescafé or cappuccino in sachet with hot or cold milk: around €2. Much better is homemade, with hot milk whipped into a creamy froth. Italian-style hot chocolate, thick and creamy, is drunk with a spoon: around €3.

Green and black teas and infusions, whose aromas have more flavor than in France, are served with a dollop of honey: around €2. In tea shops, these hot drinks are accompanied by cakes and pastries (extra charge). In bakeries(pekarna), strudels with seasonal fruit are well represented, while a cold drink, soda or ice cream cone (1 scoop) also costs from €2 to €3.

As Croatia's leading wine-growing region, Istria boasts a fine wine list. At aperitivo time, you can order a glass of wine, either on its own or accompanied by a platter of local antipasti, olives and cheese (istarka prsut): between €5 and €10. While a half beer is not expensive (€2), cocktails with alcohol are not less than €6-8.

A Rovinj travel agency (Viator) offers a wide range of excursions and guided tours to discover the vineyards, with driver and wine tasting... in complete road safety.

The legal age for the purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Croatia is 18. There is considerable tolerance for long summer evenings.

In cafés and tea rooms, try infusions(caj) with chamomile(kamilica), red berries (šumskovoće), cranberries(brusnica) or rosehips(biljni čaj cvjetovi šipka).

The white Istrian malvasia wine(istarska malvazija) or the red grape variety(teran or refošk) is renowned throughout Croatia. Known as the world's smallest city, Hum is also popular for its biska, a spicy brandy made from mistletoe according to an ancient recipe.

Also original is the Istrian craft beer San Servolo, one of the best in Croatia, produced in Buje, a traditional brewing town (Favorit). Honey brandy(medenica or medica) and homemade plum rakija are also popular throughout the country.

During the day, minors are allowed in cafés-bars, provided they are accompanied by adults and order a non-alcoholic drink.

Smoking is prohibited inside cafés and tearooms, but if the establishment has set up a separate room with ventilation, , smoking is permitted. A wide tolerance is allowed on the terrace.

In cafe-bars, unlisted prices can vary depending on whether you're a tourist or a local. To avoid being cheated, ask for the menu and check the price of drinks before ordering.