Food & drink
Fish caught that morning, Kvarner scampi, island lamb, Japanese-Croatian fusion in a pine-forest setting, and black risotto the colour of the sea at midnight.
The Adriatic fish is the point. Everything else follows from it. Black risotto with cuttlefish ink, grilled zuban and brancina, Kvarner scampi brought in at dawn. The island also grows 1,200 plant species including the herbs that end up in the kitchens. And then, unexpectedly, there is a Japanese restaurant in a pine forest that does things with the same fresh fish that you will not find anywhere else in Croatia.
Restaurant Alfred Keller, Hotel Alhambra
The benchmark for fine dining on the Croatian islands. Adriatic fish and shellfish caught that morning, Kvarner scampi, lamb from neighbouring Cres, vegetables from the hotel’s rooftop garden. Classic fine dining — white tablecloths, synchronised serving, a wine list that is difficult to better anywhere in the country — in a Belle Époque villa above the sea. The best octopus dish in Croatia.
Matsunoki
Opened in 2018 and still the most talked-about restaurant on the island. The Adriatic’s superbly fresh seafood lends itself well to Japanese construction and presentation — the sushi is exceptional. But the menu goes beyond it: Slavonian black pig, Istrian truffles, locally reared duck, and a wine list that is difficult to beat anywhere in Croatia. Served in a low, modern interior with the sushi chefs visible from every table.
Restaurant Sirius, Hotel Punta
The signature restaurant of Hotel Vitality Punta, reflecting the quiet beauty of the picture-postcard Veli Lošinj harbour. Fresh seafood prepared with precision, a terrace over the water, and a wine list that draws on Croatian islands and the Dalmatian coast. The most romantic setting of any restaurant on Lošinj.
Diana Steakhouse
On a sunny terrace overlooking the sea in Čikat, Diana serves the best beef in Croatia: boškarin, the ancient Istrian working cattle that nearly disappeared and have been revived purely for their extraordinary flavour. Any Spanish chef would recognise the philosophy — aged, working-breed cattle, simply prepared. The fresh fish and seafood are equally serious. Ask about local wines and try something new.
Za Kantuni
Behind the main promenade in Mali Lošinj — easy to miss, worth finding. Excellent fish dishes, fresh pasta, and a thoughtful list of Croatian wines from small-scale producers. A covered terrace with room to linger. One of those restaurants you come back to every evening because there’s no reason not to.
t: +385 51 231 840 · facebook.com/restoranzakantuni
The best restaurants on Lošinj take their wine lists seriously. The indigenous Croatian varieties — Malvazija and Teran from Istria, Posip and Graševina from Dalmatia — are worth exploring. All wines at most Lošinj restaurants are from small-scale Croatian producers. Ask for recommendations rather than defaulting to the familiar. The island also produces its own loquat liqueur, nespola, from the fruit that grows wild across the hillsides. Try it after dinner.