Restaurant Orca Rovinj is the best restaurant in Rovinj. Point. There are fancier restaurants in Rovinj; restaurants with far better location; intimate restaurants with exotic ingredients like beluga lentils, caparoni and mahi mahi.
Orca has none of this: no fancy table settings, auteur chef in the kitchen, or seafront seating. Orca's location is perhaps the worst location of all restaurants in Rovinj. Seriously, the restaurant is located on the main road, right after the big round about at the entrance of Rovinj. Its dining room is fairly large and with two outdoor terraces, the restaurant probably can accommodate 100 people.
However this is not only our favorite place to eat in Rovinj, but one of our favorite places to eat in the entire Istria. And we are not the only ones. Celebrity chefs eat here! And many locals regardless of their social and economical status.
Restaurant Orca's menu is extensive. The owners are proud of their seafood, but seriously their meat, from stews, braised veal to beefsteaks, is excellent too. All pasta is homemade, and a fig cheesecake is to die for.
I eat here so often that I cannot single out one lunch or dinner. Instead I'll try to describe to you what kind of dishes you can expect to be served here.
We basically go to the restaurant Orca regardless of occasion. Sometimes, we just feel like having a simple lunch like stuffed peppers with mashed potatoes, and we'll think of Orca.
Another time, we'll go to the restaurant Orca for a full dinner including an appetizers, main dish, and dessert. One of the tastiest prosciuttos, I've eaten here, at Orca. Come late winter, we'll run to Orca for crab and scampi pasta, or a simple crab salad. Early spring will again makes us think of their scrambled eggs with wild asparagus and prosciutto.
In the restaurant Orca seafood is always fresh, and right from the Adriatic. Their calamari aren't rubbery, their sea bass doesn't come from the fish farm. Their meat, particularly steaks, is prime grade, flavorful and oh, so tender. Orca also often have on their menu spit-roasted lamb, as well as lamb and veal peka (meat and veggies baked in an open fireplace under the baking lid that's covered with embers).
Service is excellent, staff is very friendly but not disturbing. And the best part is that Orca is never empty (I cannot stand to eat in an empty restaurant!). Prices are affordable, but not cheap. You can expect to pay around 50 Kn for a plate of pasta, steaks go for around 140 Kn, while their house wine is around 60 Kn per liter (and it's good local white wine – Malvasija Istarska!).
If in Rovinj, make sure you eat at the restaurant Orca. It's simply the best place in Rovinj to eat traditional Istrian dishes.
Restaurant Orca Rovinj: Contacts
Contacts: address: Gripole 70, Rovinj | t: +385 52 816 851 | Website
Have you been to the restaurant Orca? What's your favorite restaurant in Rovinj? Let us know in the comments below.
Hi Frank,
My partner and I would love to visit here! It is exactly the type of place that we are looking for.
However, I cannot seem to find any information on how to reserve a table? Or do you not need one?
My plan is to have a late lunch here before we explore more Rovinj at night. Is this a good idea or should we go for dinner and explore Rovinj first?
Went here on your recommendation and we were slightly let down. The veal peka was pretty good but everything else was VERY off.
Especially the fig “cheesecake”. I don’t know how this is considered cheesecake as it’s basically just a fig preserve pie. Seriously no cheese.
Frank, we really love your blog but this review needs revising. It might be that a lot has changed since the original owner died 8 months ago and the restaurant is under new ownership.
Hi Yuri, so sorry to hear that. We eat often in Orca, and while in high season is nowhere close to off season experience, we still eat very good there. But we also mostly eat fish, shellfish and other seafood in Orca. We have only eaten veal peka once there, and while meat was very good, we found potatoes to be rather warmed up not cooked on order.
That prosciutto looks divine!