Gault&Millau Croatia presents the region of Kvarner in a special guide
The best addresses of the European region of gastronomy available in print and digital editions
Gault&Millau Croatia and the Kvarner Tourist Board have presented Gault&Millau Croatia Kvarner 2026 a new regional edition of the prestigious international guide. The presentation of the guide and the award ceremony took place in the restaurant and hotel Kukuriku in Kastav. The event was attended by more than a hundred guests: chefs, restaurateurs, winemakers, local producers and the ambassadors of the Kvarner European Region of Gastronomy. The recognizable yellow Gault&Millau plaques, a worldwide sign of proven quality of food, wine and services, were presented by Ingrid Badurina Danielsson – director of the Croatian edition of Gault&Millau, Renata Vincek – project manager of the Kvarner Tourist Board and Ivica Lukanović – prefect of Primorsko-Goranska County, while the award ceremony was moderated by Dubravka Tomeković Aralica – executive director of Gault&Millau Croatia.
“This special edition of the Gault&Millau guide dedicated to Kvarner is an additional confirmation that we are on the right track as a European region of gastronomy. It is the recognition of the quality of our restaurants, food and people behind this story, but also an obligation to further develop this standard. Our tourism must be based on authenticity and added value, and gastronomy has a key role in this. Through such projects, Kvarner is positioning itself even more strongly on the international map as a destination with a recognizable identity, quality and a serious approach to development,” said County Prefect Lukanović, thanking the restaurateurs for their persistent work and desire for continuous progress.
The publication of the regional edition of the guide in the year when Kvarner won the title of the first Croatian European region of gastronomy is additional confirmation that the local gastronomy has outgrown regional boundaries and is recognized as one of the leading in Europe. The Gault Millau guide for Kvarner provides tourists from all over the world with the most comprehensive mapping of the gastronomic scene of the region. From the Opatija Riviera and Rijeka and its surroundings, through the Crikvenica-Vinodol Riviera and Gorski Kotar, all the way to the islands of Cres, Krk, Lošinj and Rab, the guide recommends the addresses that define the contemporary Kvarner gastronomic identity. Gault&Millau Croatia Kvarner 2026 includes 80 restaurants of various formats, from taverns, bistros and fine dining addresses to pizzerias, pastry shops and bars, while 11 wineries gathered under the brand Kvarner wines, in a total of 32 cities and towns in the region.
The guide's ratings clearly reflect the level and dynamics of the scene, which is constantly on the rise. The two best rated restaurants with 4 toques are the Nebo restaurant & lounge in Rijeka and Alfred Keller in the luxury hotel Alhambra in Mali Lošinj. As many as nine restaurants have 3 toques, 29 have 2 toques, 25 restaurants have one toque, two restaurants are recommended as good addresses, and 13 have the POP label. A new generation of chefs, whose culinary approach is based on the respect for the tradition but also on recognizing the sensibilities of today's guests, are giving the entire region a special creative boost. Among them, Stiven Vunić, the owner and chef of the Zijavica tavern in Mošćenička Draga, who stands out as the Chef of the Year of Gault Millau Croatia 2026.
In a cheerful atmosphere on the picturesque square in Kastav the guests could taste the savoury and sweet spring delicacies prepared by the culinary team of the restaurant Kukuriku led by chef Nenad Kukurin, the Gault&Millau Chef of Modern Traditional Cuisine in 2023. Kvarner sparkling wine, Žlahtina, Belica and Sansigot were served.
Today, Kvarner combines superb gastronomy, natural beauty, a strong local identity and understated luxury, making it a desirable destination for travellers who seek and remember an authentic journey. The new regional guide Gault&Millau Croatia Kvarner 2026 functions as a reliable recommendation and as an invitation to discover the region through the flavours, the wines, the ambiance and different experiences that shape the contemporary lifestyle and travel.
The bilingual guide, in Croatian and English, is available in a print edition and on the official Gault&Millau Croatia website, bringing the Kvarner gastronomic scene closer to the foodies from all over the world.
PHOTO: Ivan Brčić, Robert Pichler and Andrina Perić
About Gault&MillauThe recommendations and ratings in the guide are based on independent visits by anonymous reviewers, who evaluate each restaurant according to internationally agreed criteria. This approach has made Gault&Millau one of the most trusted and respected food guides in the world for over six decades.
