7 Best Restaurants in Rijeka, Kvarner

Tucked away in an alley right next to Rijeka's fish market, quaint Fiume fills with locals at lunchtime but closes early (by 6 pm). Unpretentious and friendly with a small streetside terrace, the tavern serves mostly seafood but also meat and pasta dishes. Prices are pleasantly affordable, and it's an atmospheric spot for the family to enjoy.

With unbelievable panoramic views of the Kvarner Bay, this Michelin-starred restaurant within the Hilton Rijeka Costabella Beach Resort & Spa brings a whole new level of sophistication to the food and beverage scene in Rijeka. Chef Deni Srdoc creates tasting menus that feature traditional ingredients and regional specialties with a clever modern flair. A wine list highlights the excellence of Croatian wineries, as well as international labels. 

Tucked in a corner just off the main walking area, this family-friendly spot is a great place to come for a healthier burger. Try the homemade fries with shaved Grana Padano cheese and tartufi (truffle) sauce. Great vegan options include several protein-packed salads and vegetarian burgers. The restaurant is a local chain with locations in Zagreb, Zadar, Split, and Belgrade and makes consistent efforts to be socially responsible by fundraising for local charities and causes. 

This cheerful bistro offers a delicious lineup of Kvarner-style tapas that are best enjoyed on the pleasant outdoor terrace. Seafood lovers will have a hard time choosing between menu items—including assorted fish crudo, sardines marinated in lemon juice, octopus salad, sea-snail salad, fried olives, barley, and squid stew—and will definitely find themselves coming back for more.

This is the best—and perhaps the only—place to have steak in the entire Kvarner region. The high-quality and sophisticated menu offerings here are highly worthy of the extra effort it requires to find the restaurant. The location is well off the beaten path, but the lack of proximity to the center of Rijeka should not distract from the rare fine dining offered here. The name of the restaurant is local dialect for "eat."

Frequented by locals (especially at lunch), this excellent informal seafood restaurant lies on a side road conveniently close to the City Market. House specialties are crni rižot (cuttlefish-ink risotto), seafood tagliatelle, whole fish, and shellfish. Fish is charged by weight. Adriatic blue fish, like sardines, is delicious and very affordable.  

This restaurant is quaintly situated in the heart of the old city of Kastav, which sits on a hill that overlooks the entire Kvarner Bay. In the same family for over a century, it has walked off with many an award for select offerings from the inland cuisine of Croatia. This restaurant is known for being one of the first gourmet eateries to offer a slow-food dining experience with wine pairings and a creative menu that takes great pride in heritage food. It is attached to the Kukuriku Boutique Hotel and has a quiet terrace tucked into the back side of the historical hilltop village.