Gastronomy is one of the most important factors in choosing a tourist location and experiencing it. On the other hand, Istria has a fantastic range of food that includes pasta, wine, truffles and olive oil, etc.
Visiting this region and not tasting what it has to offer on the gastronomic side is not very wise.
The most classic way to do this is to visit one of the local restaurants (taverns), which can be found in every small town and village throughout Istria.
However, this has already been seen and you can get to know only a small part about the local food.
If you want a slightly more personalized, intimate and rich experience, one of the options is to visit the Istria Cooking center in the heart of Pula. You cannot miss the location because it is only 50 meters from the most famous monument in Croatia, the Pula Amphitheater.
Istria Cooking, right next to the famous roman Amphitheatar
There is only one condition to visit this place: that you like to eat well. And that’s where the conditions stop, and the enjoyment begins.
Although it is possible to come and eat something from the a la cart menu, that is only a small part of this culinary story.
In the Istria Cooking center, you can try cooking classes, private dinners, tasting menus, cooking in front of guests, wine and olive oil tasting, and the center’s team can also organize something different according to visitors’ wishes.
Cooking classes and tasting menus usually take place at the headquarters of the Istria Cooking center in Pula, and all other activities (private dinner or lunch, catering, barbecue, etc.) mostly in the apartments, holiday homes and yachts of our guests throughout Istria, Kvarner and the whole of Croatia.
Each of these activities has a special charm. The initiator of the Istria Cooking center is Deniz Zembo, one of the most famous Croatian chefs.
He brings his personality and humor to each activity, whether it’s a cooking class or a private dinner, and presents food in his own unique way. This passionate chef traveled all over the world, among other things he had his own restaurant in London, until he decided to settle in Istria.
Read below some of the activities organized by the Istria Cooking in their headquarters in Pula, and throughout Istria, Kvarner and Croatia as well.
One of the more fun ways to get to know local gastronomy. The head of the center and chef Deniz Zembo guides you through the preparation of the dish while learning about the ingredients, the recipe and the history of the dish.
The course usually begins with a visit to a green and/or fish market where fresh food for cooking is purchased. The route passes through the old town center of Pula, so the guide tells a little about the history of the city with an emphasis on gastronomy.
After returning to the culinary center, 3 dishes are prepared according to the menu you choose: meat, fish, pasta or vegan.
For example, the meat menu usually consists of homemade pasta “pljukanci” with istrian ox beef, plates with Istrian delicacies (cheese, prosciutto, olives, wine), chocolate fudge or crumble.
Everything is done in a relaxed atmosphere with a glass of wine, so some visitors will remember this experience for a lifetime.
After cooking under the mentorship of the chef, there is a tasting of what you have prepared, and the socializing sometimes lasts a long time after that.
We maintain cooking classes in our space in Pula, and it is available throughout the whole year.
Rarely anywhere in the world can you come and order whatever you want to eat.
Don’t get us wrong, there is an a la carte menu consisting of Istrian and Mediterranean dishes. Some of them are homemade pasta with Istrian ox beef, sea food delicacies, istrian delicacies, octopus, scampi, squids, ramstek tagliatta…
However, if you want a special dish, it’s up to you just to let them know in advance. Maybe it’s sushi, tomahawk steak or caviar. Therefore, we also prepared lunches and dinners with Asian, Nordic and French cuisine for our guests.
Dishes are cooked in front of you by one of the most famous croatian chefs, Deniz Zembo. It is always an opportunity for great socializing and talking about food and his culinary adventures, of which this chef has hundreds.
A superb gastronomic experience according to your wishes in an intimate atmosphere? Sounds good, right?
Private dinner or lunch have recently become very popular, and we usually hold them in our guests’ own or rented property, such as apartments, holiday homes and yachts throughout Croatia (Pula, Rovinj, Poreč, Rijeka, Opatija, Crikvenica, Zadar, Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik). It can also be organized in our center in Pula as well.
Local (Istrian, Croatian) and international cuisine (Asian, French, Nordic, American) are available to guests, and can be organized for groups of 6-100 people.
Usually, guests ask for dinner in courses, but sometimes they find a more interesting experience in the form of catering, street food, barbecue, burgers, tortillas…
For more information about this gourmet experience (cooking classes, private dinner or lunch, catering, barbecue, wine tasting, food tour…) in Istria check out via mail and mobile below.
Who: Istria Cooking
Where: Amfiteatarska 6, Pula or in your place (holiday home, yacht, apartment etc.)
Mail: istriacooking@gmail.com
Mobile: +385 91 615 6086 (WhatsApp and Viber included)
Working time: Monday – Sunday (12-21) – the whole year, from January to December
Reservations are necessary for most Istria Cooking activities.