Anna’s garden

Rating: 13.5
Author: Gault&Millau

Svjetioničarska ulica 18, 52475 Savudrija, Croatia

13.5/20
Chef's Restaurant

Chef: Marko Gorela
Cooking: Mediterranean | Modern | Traditional

Gault&Millau's review 2026

In the north-western part of Istria, next to the Savudria lighthouse, you find Anna’s Garden on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. The position is stunning and in clear weather you can see the Slovenian Alps and the Italian town Grado. The restaurant is the Bistro of the Villa Valdepian built by the charitable organisation of the Austrian Baroness Anna Plochl from Graz in whose memory the restaurant has got its name. The restaurant is tastefully decorated to match the beautiful view of the sea. Responsible for the kitchen is the well-known Slovenian chef Marko Gorela who offers the traditional Istrian food in modern design with dishes using high-quality local products as available according to the season. There is a five-dish tasting menu or you can order à la carte. Following the amuse bouche, we started our lunch with marinated anchovies spiced up with ultra-thin slivers of orange peel and mustard seeds in local olive oil. The dish was delicate but elegant and delicious. As main dish we chose the catch of the day which was a sea bream served grilled. The waiter offered to clean it which we accepted gratefully. The fish was very fresh and very tasty, in particular together with the Istrian olive oil. The side dish was fresh vegetables. The food was washed down with a couple of glasses of the Malvazija of the house. The service was discreet but very efficient and friendly. We enjoyed the lunch very much and Anna’s Garden is well worth a visit because of the excellent food, the beauty of the place and the welcoming atmosphere.