If you are a foodie, Istria could be a real paradise for your palate. Traditional food, amazing specialties, and multi-award-winning olive oil will already be enough for you not to want to leave Istria. The use of fresh vegetables, homemade spices, and freshly caught fish is a standard in this region and it is unlikely that you will leave the restaurant dissatisfied.
Istrian towns such as Rovinj, Poreč, and Pula have a rich and luxurious history, but the peculiarity of the Istrian peninsula are smaller places. One of them is Brtonigla, a town with an interesting name that was first mentioned in the 13th century. The special soil in the vicinity of Brtonigla has enabled local producers to create some of the best wines and olive oils for which Istria is widely known.
Long-established local points offer gourmet specialties in taverns, so you can try fresh fish, shellfish, and shrimp in the tavern Astarea, boškarin meat in Food & Wine Pirimizia, and tasty delicacies in other agritourism such as Vinerino, Silvano, Sterle, and Klaj. Brtonigla is also the hometown of one of the most awarded Croatian gourmet restaurants San Rocco, which offers a rich wine list with over 200 labels and a rich map of Istrian olive oils.
If you do not want to stay in taverns but just try local specialties on your trip, visit the wine and olive oil trails, family farms, beekeepers, and small shops with local products and handmade souvenirs. You can try Capo Vina, Cattunar, Novacco, Ravalico, Veraldo, OPG Vilim Belović, Cattunar Franco, OPG Buršić, Poljoprivredni obrt Sinožić and many others.
Photo credit: Primizia Food & Wine, San Rocco
