Pazin

Peperone – Located just a few blocks from our apartment, we stopped in and made a reservation for dinner on our first night. It’s a good thing we did, as a group of ~20 French folks had apparently reserved most of the other tables! We decided to try their beers, a San Servolo Tamno Pivo for me that was quite robust, while Leandra tried the Ponto Negro Porter which was rather light. For dinner my truffle gnocchi was surprisingly light, more truffle scent than flavor, but nicely cheesy and satisfying. Leandra’s cevapi with ajvar sauce and light cheese spread, plus crispy fries was really good, and enough to bring the leftovers home too.

Buffet Bunker – Located just a few doors down from Peperone, we decided to try Buffet Bunker for dinner another evening. We sat outside on terrace in back, which you pass by a urinal to get to…  I was suspicious of their drink list, so I went with a lemonade (really lemon water) while Leandra’s red wine was pretty sad — probably best to stick to drinks that come in cans here! Thankfully, their burgers live up to expectations, and we both enjoyed our large cheeseburgers.

Kaldir

Agroturizam Stefanic – It took some work to make a Saturday lunch reservation via Whatsapp, but Leandra persevered and was successful a few days before. We drove up the narrow, winding road to their farm, parked on the side, and walked up to the charming building. They were preparing for a (surprise!) birthday party inside, so we we decided to sit at one of the two outdoor tables.

We went with the house white and red – each was lovely, and a great deal at 10% of the 1L price (1,10€!). I couldn’t pass up another chance at truffles, so I ordered the pljukanci truffle pasta which was light and fantastic. Leandra went with the meat and cheese platter, and especially liked the white cheese (cheddar like) and the ham. Their bread was similarly great, with a crunchy exterior and soft interior, and the olive oil was nicely fresh. Even the dog was delightful! Definitely recommended.

Rovinj

Pizzeria La Pietra – We stopped here for a lunch of Istrian pizza and to try their red/white house wine, followed by a shared glass of the rose (white was our favorite). We sat outside along the narrow street which turned out the be a great people watching spot as folks left church after noon — multiple women (Leandra: smartly) ditching their heels on the steep cobblestone street!

Ombra – laboratorio del gelato – After our pizza lunch we stopped here for gelato, Peruvian chocolate and nutella for me, pistachio for Leandra.

Novigrad

Mamma Mia – we ended up back in town for lunch after a morning wine tasting, splitting the prosciutto pizza, which had lots of oregano and a nice crispy crust – tasty! We opted for an orange fanta and sparkling water, knowing we would be wine tasting again later. The outdoor tables were nicely shaded and the interior looked charming.

Pervino – we had some time before our next wine tasting reservation (and a good parking spot), so we stopped here to try their wine.  I went with the semi sweet muscat ( lighter, honey, some melon) and Leandra tried the Istrian Teran (black pepper as it warmed up, cherry with med tannins). They are located right across the street from the harbor, so we enjoyed the views and sunshine. By the time we left, we had counted five different cats on property.