The Rijeka Gastronomic Ports project is a collaborative effort between the Rijeka Tourist Board and the companies Abisal and Gastronaut. It currently comprises 36 catering establishments with a total of 55 specialised gastronomic port titles under a joint brand that allows each restaurant to showcase their distinct offerings and services.
Ever since Rijeka was first settled, its inhabitants have fostered the tradition of fishing. The Rijeka Fish Market is housed in a majestic pavilion with a passageway gallery and is adorned with decorative statues.
Fresh fish, scampi and shellfish are available in many restaurants in Rijeka, but the title of Rijeka Fishermen’s Gastronomic Ports was only bestowed on those that own fishing trawlers or have entered into contracts with local fishermen.
The Ugor fishing tavern centres on the time-honoured tradition of fishing. They use their own fishing fleet to catch fish, crabs and shellfish for traditional coastal and Dalmatian dishes. This coastal-style establishment is situated in upper Zamet and bedecked with antiques.
Boasting over 18 years of tradition, the Ugor tavern takes pride in using exclusively homegrown ingredients, fresh fish and top-notch staff. The moment you set foot in Ugor, you will be charmed by the pleasant interior and the warmth of the establishment, while the personnel are trained to skilfully present the food, explain how the selected ingredients are prepared in the kitchen and recommend the wine that best complements your chosen meal. It is this process that guarantees success from the kitchen to the dining hall and, ultimately, the guest. If you still haven’t had the chance to try some of Ugor’s specialities, we recommend a finger-licking good menu below. As far as cold side dishes go, you should definitely try the Ugor dish, which comprises cuttlefish or octopus salad, salted marinated anchovies, a cod or tuna spread and carpaccio made from fresh ingredients. For a hot side dish, we suggest the scampi risotto or black cuttlefish risotto, “šurlice” pasta with spider crab, “pljukanci” pasta with prawn and truffles or homemade ravioli stuffed with cottage cheese and scampi. Should you decide on a high-end main course, try the premium white fish (John Dory, scorpionfish, sea bass or gilt-head bream), either grilled or oven-baked with vegetables and potatoes, or you can choose a middle-class fish caught on the day, such as monkfish, tuna, ray, goatfish or hake with a side dish of your choice. You can wash all that down with a fine local wine. Don’t leave without trying the homemade “fritule” (doughnuts), which have become a traditional Ugor tavern dessert. If “fritule” are not to your liking, you can surprise your taste buds with chocolate lava cake, an ice cream scoop and orange cream, boiled figs in prosecco with mascarpone cream and a homemade cookie or a cheesecake with wild berries in a glass cup.
The Girica tavern and fish market has a fishing trawler that does all the catching for them. Their meals are prepared with freshly caught fish. They also take pride in making their own “šurlice”, fusions with fresh produce from the Rijeka Farmers’ Market, local Kvarner and Istrian wines and a tradition dating back to 1990.
The Girica tavern is an establishment where you will surely feel right at home. The entire family working at Girica endeavours to prepare exclusively homemade specialities. Girica’s main draw is that it is also a fish market where you can choose the fish you want to eat for yourself on the day. In addition to their own catches, they obtain vegetables from trusted suppliers in order to ensure that their guests are served high-quality dishes made exclusively from verified homegrown ingredients. If you find yourself in the Girica tavern, make sure you try the salted minnows as a cold side dish, or you can’t miss with the homemade “šurlice” pasta as a hot side dish. Since they always serve fresh fish, the best choice for the main course is the fish caught on the day, while for dessert, treat your taste buds to homemade strudel or pancakes.
The Nautica restaurant’s seafront location is evocative of the theme of fishing. Local fishermen with whom they have signed contracts bring in fresh fish and other produce from the sea on a daily basis.
Nautica always fosters an honest approach to cooking and providing quality by using authentic ingredients. The restaurant is housed within a monumental complex distinguished by the restaurant terrace that offers a view of the entire Kvarner. Nautica keeps up with all the trends in seasonal ingredients, which are immensely popular at specific times of the year. This year, they bear three Rijeka Gastronomic Port titles – Romantic, Local and Fishermen’s. Among the vast array of fish delicacies, for a side dish, try the Nautica cold fish platter, tuna tartare in soy sauce, sea bass carpaccio with citrus emulsion, fresh pepper, coarse salt, capers and octopus salad with cherry tomatoes. The sea bass is prepared using the Japanese ikejime method, which provides a special and pleasantly salty flavour of meat called umami. We recommend the Roman-style gnocchi with scampi and truffles as a hot side dish, while for the main course, you should try the fish fillet in white wine sauce over celery puree. You will also be served homemade bread, which they make themselves. Standing out among the diverse selection of desserts is the crostata apple cake with vanilla ice cream or boiled pear in terrano with white mousse.
Several fishing partners supply the Ribica tavern with fish, scampi, crabs and shellfish, which are transformed into creative traditional delicacies by the staff.
Ribica will captivate you with its cosy atmosphere and sea view. The long-term collaboration with local fishermen is reflected in the quality of Ribica’s offering, which is why their menu lists only fresh fish and ingredients. They always strive to make guests feel comfortable and right at home, aided by the trained professional staff who will recommend the dish that best suits your palate according to your preferences. When choosing a cold side dish, consider trying the anchovies, octopus salad or cod “in bianco”, which they prepare themselves. The hot side dish should be none other than the black squid ink fettuccine with leeks and prawns, while the main course depends on the daily catch, meaning that the menu could feature John Dory, goatfish, pandora or flounder. Make sure you try the grilled scampi, which are freshly supplied by the scampi vendors with whom they have worked for years. In addition to all that, you will be served homemade bread. For your just desserts, pick the pistachio cream cake. The soothing atmosphere is elevated by the wonderful wine cellar, which holds 50 wine labels from all over Croatia, so don’t miss the opportunity to try the finest local wines while dining on delectable meals. Their comprehensive wine list has earned the Ribica tavern the title of Rijeka Wine Gastronomic Port.
The beachfront Borik tavern is located in Pećine. It specialises in fish dishes and catches from Kvarner Bay.
As soon as you enter the Borik tavern, you will be delighted by the sea-inspired interior and stunning sea view that unfurls from the terrace, where you will savour the finest fish delicacies. The Borik tavern boasts an exceptionally long tradition spanning 45 years and they take great pains to warrant the years of quality with fresh ingredients and creative dishes. You will find some quite distinctive dishes on their menu, such as octopus patties and ray in white wine with sliced olives and polenta. Begin your culinary odyssey at the Borik tavern with the cold Borik seafood salad with anchovy or gilt-head bream carpaccio and octopus salad, followed by “pljukanci” pasta with prawns and truffles. Once you reach the main course, choose the fresh fish caught on the day (ray, scorpionfish or John Dory) and have the tiramisu with berries or seasonal fruit for a sweet ending. Homemade bread with olives, which they bake themselves, will undoubtedly round out the taste and you can also select one of the many exquisite varieties from the wine list.
The Mornar bistro is located in the very heart of Rijeka, next to the city farmers’ market, and offers a view of the sea – or more precisely, of the Port of Rijeka. Cooperation with a dozen fishermen and fish vendors always brings first-rate fresh fish and fish products to the plates of Mornar’s patrons.
It is Mornar’s philosophy to offer their guests delicious regional dishes, which are in many ways traditional, although occasionally updated, of course. The fish menus are always based on fresh seasonal fish.
The reliability of their fish dishes is for the most part guaranteed by fostering close business and private relationships with the local fishermen and fish vendors. Mornar offers two dozen fish and seafood dishes, ranging from fish and other soups and midday specials to premium white fish, shellfish, scampi and lobster. The patrons know that they will be served first-rate fresh fish prepared with plenty of love and care every single time. Fresh fish, delectable dishes, good service, consistent quality and reliability are the main reasons why guests keep coming back and why the bistro is in such high demand.
The Fiume tavern is situated in the Rijeka Farmers’ Market near the fish market. The daily catch is reflected in its daily offering.
Fiume boasts more than 20 years of tradition and each visitor, even a first-timer, will feel right at home here because the guests are given a personalised service. In addition to admirable hospitality, the carefully selected and prepared ingredients are always fresh and high quality. There is no doubt that the fish being prepared is as fresh as it gets because it is immediately brought in by the fishermen from the nearby fish market after it was caught that day. Of the many fish specialities, the patrons’ favourite are fried squid, for which the Fiume tavern is famous. Of course, the menu also offers homemade “šurlice” pasta, fish soup, Kvarner scampi, octopus salad and a slew of other fish delicacies. Their desserts are also scrumptious and you can choose between orange cake, tiramisu, strawberry and wild berry mousse, crostata lemon cake and plenty of other sweets, depending on the seasonal ingredients.
The La Scarpetta bistro provides creative culinary renditions of daily catches from the fish vendor they have on retainer. The menu changes daily.
La Scarpetta is a family restaurant run by two brothers. Antonio is the head chef and Mario is responsible for maintenance. When they were only 28 and 26 years old, respectively, and brimming with eagerness and enthusiasm, they opened their own restaurant in the Trsat neighbourhood in Rijeka. From the very beginning, they were determined not to offer typical menus that would stifle their imagination and creativity. Therefore, their menu is modified depending on the season and the procured ingredients. They aim to offer diverse dishes for everyone to enjoy. From traditional dishes, ample homemade pasta and seafood risotto, seasonal vegetables (on which they place special emphasis) to “fast food” such as burgers. In other words, an abundance of fresh fish, seafood, seasonal vegetables, amazing pastas and risotto, excellent cuts of meat, a plethora of cold dishes, pâtés, cheeses and steak tartare complemented with homemade bread, wines and delicious cocktails. The desserts are very popular among guests and, for many of them, are the sole reason for visiting La Scarpetta, something in which they take great pride. There is a park by the outdoor terrace for their youngest patrons with all the amenities that keep boredom at bay. La Scarpetta is a venue for all occasions, whether stopping by for a quick weekly lunch, a family lunch on the weekends or a glass of wine or cocktail and having a quick bite while there.