The mosaic of Kvarner flavours opened the year marked by the European Region of Gastronomy in Rijeka’s Exportdrvo
With the ceremonial opening of the event “The Mosaic of Kvarner Flavours – Kvarner at the Table” at Rijeka’s Exportdrvo, the series of events presenting Kvarner as the European Region of Gastronomy throughout 2026 was officially continued. This is a title awarded to the region by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism, IGCAT, further confirming Kvarner at the European level as an area of strong gastronomic tradition, local ingredients, diverse culinary identities and sustainable tourism development. In this context, the event in Rijeka had a dual role: it was both a public presentation of regional wealth and a message that gastronomy in Kvarner is no longer just an accompaniment to the tourist offer, but one of its most important components. For visitors planning a longer tour of Kvarner’s gastro stories, the practical side of travel is also especially important, so even when planning the arrival it is worth checking
accommodation in Rijeka and Kvarner so that the experience of visiting events, restaurants and local producers is complete.
The event at Exportdrvo was conceived as an overview of Kvarner’s gastronomic and cultural identity in one place. Its goal was to show the diversity and authenticity of the cuisines that make up this region, from urban Rijeka interpretations of contemporary gastronomy to dishes and products deeply rooted in island, coastal and Gorski Kotar tradition. This very idea of a gastronomic whole composed of several strong local stories is also one of the fundamental messages of the European Region of Gastronomy project: Kvarner does not appear as a single cuisine in the narrow sense, but as an area where the sea and the hinterland meet, fishing and shepherding traditions, civic confectionery heritage, island simplicity and contemporary restaurant creativity. In recent years, such an approach has been systematically developed through regional and city projects of gastronomy branding, hospitality education, promotion of indigenous products and linking tourism with agriculture, wines, olive growing and cultural heritage.
Kvarner as a gastronomic region made up of several strong local identities
A kind of cross-section of the entire region was presented at Rijeka’s Exportdrvo. In one place, the sub-regions of Rijeka and the Rijeka Ring, the Opatija Riviera, Gorski Kotar, the Crikvenica-Vinodol Riviera, and the Kvarner islands of Krk, Rab, Cres and Lošinj gathered together. One of Kvarner’s greatest advantages lies precisely in this geographical breadth. While the coastal areas inherit a strong Mediterranean and fishing tradition, the islands preserve a distinctive cuisine based on lamb, cheeses, fish, olive oil and desserts with deep historical roots, and Gorski Kotar gives the region a completely different, continental layer of flavours. That is why Kvarner gastronomy is not one-dimensional and cannot be reduced to a few best-known dishes. It is a mosaic in the true sense of the word, and that is precisely the message of this event: to show that regional identity is built from diversity, not from uniformity.
Such an approach is also aligned with the broader strategic direction of destination development. The Kvarner Tourist Board and its partners have emphasised in recent years that gastronomy is not only a matter of restaurant offer, but also an important tool for positioning the region on a more demanding tourist market. Official presentations of the project highlight that the title of European Region of Gastronomy should increase international visibility, strengthen cooperation among stakeholders, and further connect restaurateurs, producers, winemakers and the tourism sector. This is particularly important at a time when guests increasingly choose destinations precisely according to food quality, authenticity of experience and the opportunity to get to know local culture through the table. For visitors who want to get to know more than one Kvarner sub-region, such a journey naturally creates the need to plan a route, so it is also useful to explore
accommodation offers in Kvarner near the towns, islands and places where gastro programmes are held.
Rijeka as an urban gastronomic centre and the gateway to Kvarner’s gastro story
Rijeka held a special place at the event, a city that in recent years has increasingly clearly profiled itself as Kvarner’s urban gastronomic centre. In Rijeka’s presentation, contemporary desserts, fish specialities and craft drinks were combined in an effort to show that the local scene today is no longer limited to the traditional repertoire, but increasingly offers creative interpretations based on domestic ingredients and regional character. Pastry creations such as summer rose, nun, nutcracker, almond, coconut, mango and macarons pointed to a more modern, visually attractive and market-adaptable segment of Rijeka’s offer, while dishes such as risotto with scampi and asparagus and monkfish medallions in white wine with scampi and asparagus remained firmly tied to the Kvarner Sea and seasonal ingredients.
Behind this Rijeka story there are also concrete actors of the local gastro scene, from restaurants and pastry shops to artisan bakeries and craft distilleries. This further emphasised that a destination’s identity is built not only through large institutions and campaigns, but also through the work of individual restaurateurs and producers who create the city’s experience every day. In a broader sense, this ties in with the Rijeka Gastronomic Ports project, through which in recent years efforts have been made to profile and specialise the city’s hospitality offer. Official data from the Rijeka Tourist Board show that this is a project through which restaurants and other hospitality establishments are united under a common brand, while highlighting the special features of their offer. When this is combined with a large regional project such as the European Region of Gastronomy, Rijeka gets the opportunity to position itself not only as a transit or cultural point, but as a city one comes to for the table as well. For those who want to spend several days exploring Rijeka’s scene, from the market and fish market to restaurants and events,
accommodation close to the event venue is also useful so that the tour is easier.
From Bakar maneštra to Cres lamb: how the gastronomic identity of the region was presented
The strongest part of the event in terms of content was precisely the cross-section of dishes and products that showed the breadth of Kvarner gastronomy. The offer included dishes belonging to different local traditions: Bakar maneštra made of squid, lentils and barley, tuna brodet, squid in sauce, cuttlefish salad, Cres lamb goulash, island cheeses and local olive oils. Such a combination was not merely a series of attractive bites for tasting, but a thoughtful presentation of regional cuisine based on seasonality, local ingredients and various historical influences. This selection also shows the key difference between Kvarner gastronomy and the standardised tourist offer that can be found almost everywhere: Kvarner dishes most often arise from a specific area, living conditions and available ingredients.
The dessert and confectionery segment was equally important. Visitors could taste Rab cake, Bakar cake, muštaćoni, the Cres rožica, grašnjak, Veprinac and Grobnik biscuits, as well as ice cream made from Grobnik cheese. These are products that go beyond mere gastronomic curiosity because at the same time they also speak about the cultural memory of the region. At a time when the tourist offer is often reduced to visually attractive but substantially interchangeable formats, it is precisely such desserts and traditional recipes that bring the focus back to authenticity. Some of these bites are rarely found in everyday wide offer, which further increases the importance of events like this: they serve not only promotion, but also the preservation of knowledge, recipes and production practices that without constant public presence would easily fall into oblivion.
Why the title of European Region of Gastronomy is important beyond promotion itself
The importance of the event at Exportdrvo does not arise only from the richness of the dishes offered, but also from the broader institutional and developmental framework in which it takes place. Kvarner was awarded the title of European Region of Gastronomy for 2026 by IGCAT, an international organisation that through this programme encourages regions to strengthen local identity, sustainability, gastronomic innovation, community cooperation and the protection of culinary heritage. In the explanations related to the awarding of the title, the very elements visible at this event were highlighted: reliance on local gastronomy, linking cultural heritage with tourism, encouraging year-round destination development and strengthening cooperation among different sectors. In other words, this is not just a promotional label, but an international recognition for a long-term and strategically guided process.
In its official presentations of the project, the Kvarner Tourist Board states that the region reached this position after years of work through projects such as Kvarner Gourmet, Kvarner Food and Kvarner Wines, with the involvement of local producers, restaurateurs, educational institutions and tourist boards. This continuity is important because it shows that the title did not come by chance or overnight. It is the result of efforts to recognise gastronomy as a lever of development, and not merely as decoration on a tourist postcard. In that sense, the event at Exportdrvo also has symbolic value: it shows that the European recognition is being translated into concrete public content available to citizens, guests, restaurateurs and producers.
What the organisers and local officials said
At the opening, the director of the Rijeka Tourist Board, Petar Škarpa, said that Kvarner, Rijeka and the Rijeka Ring have a strong gastronomic tradition, but also great potential that is increasingly coming to the fore. He emphasised that in recent years considerable effort has been invested to raise the quality of the offer and to give gastronomy in Rijeka a clearer identity on the tourist map of the region. He particularly pointed out that projects such as Rijeka Gastronomic Ports show how local tradition, quality ingredients and the creativity of chefs can be shaped into an authentic and modern tourist product. Such a message is important because it reveals the direction in which Rijeka’s tourism policy is developing: less reliance on generic offer, and more on the specificity of the place.
The director of the Kvarner Tourist Board, Irena Peršić Živadinov, emphasised that the goal of such events is to highlight the distinctiveness of each Kvarner sub-region and through that diversity build the shared recognisability of Kvarner as the European Region of Gastronomy. According to her, authentic and indigenous gastronomy is one of the strongest layers of the region’s identity, and events such as “The Mosaic of Flavours” make it possible for visitors to experience the breadth of Kvarner tradition in one place. In earlier official appearances related to the project, she also stressed that this is thoughtful and strategic work that opens new possibilities for restaurateurs, winemakers, producers and the entire region, and that 2026 should be the year in which Kvarner will particularly strongly highlight its gastronomic story on the European market.
The mayor of Rijeka, Iva Rinčić, assessed that the title of European Region of Gastronomy 2026 is a major recognition for Kvarner and confirmation of the work of restaurateurs, winemakers and producers who have been building the recognisable identity of the region for years through top-quality flavours and experiences. The deputy prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Robert Matić, emphasised that the recognition confirms years of systematic work, a clear vision and the unity of numerous stakeholders involved in the development of the region. These statements also reveal an important political and developmental layer of this story: gastronomy is no longer viewed only as an integral part of hospitality, but as an area in which tourism, agriculture, cultural heritage, local production and community identity come together.
Exportdrvo as a symbol of public space for major regional stories
It is also not unimportant that the opening was held precisely at Exportdrvo. It is a large hall in the Port of Rijeka which, after renovation, became one of the city’s most recognisable spaces for cultural, public and fair programmes. The City of Rijeka states that the renovated space is intended for diverse public content and that practice so far has shown its great potential for organising events of different character. In that sense, the choice of Exportdrvo for “The Mosaic of Kvarner Flavours” carries additional symbolism. Gastronomy is not presented here in a closed professional circle, but in an open urban space already recognised as a meeting place of culture, audiences and contemporary events.
Such an ambience also suits the very nature of the event. Throughout this year, Kvarner does not wish to present itself only as a region of restaurants and cuisines, but as a space of experience in which food is connected with story, history, landscape and way of life. That is precisely why practical travel information also gains importance: visitors intending to tour Rijeka, Opatija, the islands or the mountainous part of the region often also seek
accommodation for Kvarner visitors in order to turn a gastronomic excursion into a multi-day stay. For the region, this is an important step forward because such trips generate higher spending, longer stays and a stronger connection between the guest and the destination.
Gastronomy as a reason to come, and not just an addition to the trip
One of the key messages of the whole project is that gastronomy in Kvarner is becoming an independent reason to come. This is also in line with recent trends in tourism, in which guests increasingly seek experiences related to local food, authentic products, workshops, wine roads, markets and festivals. Kvarner has several comparative advantages in this regard: an indented coast, islands, a developed hospitality tradition, local wines, olive oils, a range of recognisable indigenous dishes and relatively short distances between very different gastronomic landscapes. In one day it is possible to start from Rijeka’s urban centre, continue towards the Opatija Riviera, cross to an island or go into the hinterland, and everywhere encounter a different flavour signature.
That is why events such as “The Mosaic of Kvarner Flavours” have a function much broader than promotional. They serve as an entry point into the regional story and as an invitation to guests to continue exploring at the original locations what they tasted at the event. Rab cake thus leads towards Rab, Cres lamb towards Cres, local cheeses and olive oils towards island producers, Bakar maneštra towards the tradition of Rijeka’s hinterland, and Rijeka’s fish interpretations towards the city’s restaurants and market. Herein lies the true potential of the year of the European Region of Gastronomy: that the events calendar does not remain an end in itself, but creates real traffic towards local producers, restaurateurs and destinations.
A year in which the real reach of Kvarner’s gastro strategy will be measured
Kvarner is now facing a more demanding part of the job than winning the recognition itself. The title of European Region of Gastronomy brings visibility and prestige, but only the series of events during 2026 will show how ready the region is to turn this opportunity into long-term benefit. In that sense, the continuity of programmes, the involvement of local stakeholders, the quality of presentation, the connection of events with the concrete offer on the ground and the ability to prevent local authenticity from turning into folkloric decoration, but instead remaining a real development force, will be important. The organisers’ messages so far go precisely in that direction: the emphasis is on cooperation, education, the involvement of restaurateurs and producers, and strengthening the recognisability of the whole region, not just individual points.
The opening at Exportdrvo is therefore more than a one-time presentation of dishes and drinks. It is the public beginning of a year in which Kvarner wants to show that gastronomy can be a strong identity and economic resource, equally important for the local community and for the market positioning of the region. If that momentum is maintained throughout the year, Kvarner could turn the European title into a more lasting advantage: into a region that is visited not only because of the sea, views and rest, but also because of a very concrete, diverse and recognisable cuisine that tells the story of the whole area on the table.
Sources:- IGCAT – official announcement of the awarding of the title to Kvarner as the European Region of Gastronomy 2026 and an explanation of the significance of the recognition- Visit Rijeka – overview of the process through which Kvarner reached the title and the context of the Kvarner Gourmet, Kvarner Food and Kvarner Wines projects- Visit Rijeka – official information on the presentation of the Kvarner – European Region of Gastronomy 2026 project, education and the planned involvement of stakeholders- City of Rijeka – data on the Exportdrvo venue and its role as a public place for major city and regional events- Visit Rijeka – official description of the Rijeka Gastronomic Ports project and the development of Rijeka’s gastronomic offer- Kvarner Tourist Board – official overview of Kvarner’s gastronomic diversity by sub-regions and key local products
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