Opatija Market and Rijeka: 3 Best Places to Eat Like a Local

Opatija market and Rijeka’s Placa are the best places to get to know Kvarner as it really is. The market is where people meet, bargain, laugh and swap news, and the stalls show you what’s cooking in local kitchens that day. Both are worth a visit, and since 9 October there’s a brand-new reason for a trip to Rijeka: Paviljon, the new food court at Rijeka’s market.

Opatija’s mrkat: the heart of local life

Locals simply call Opatija’s market the mrkat. It was built in 1898, when the growth of tourism meant Opatija had outgrown the small space where trading had taken place until then, and a fish market was added in 1907.

What makes the mrkat special is the meeting of sea and mountains. In one place you’ll find freshly caught Adriatic fish alongside produce from Opatija’s hinterland: seasonal fruit and vegetables, local honey, cheese and olive oil. In autumn, look out for chestnuts (maruni) from the slopes of Učka; in spring, wild asparagus.

Tip: come in the morning, when the choice is widest and the stalls are at their liveliest. Have a coffee at one of the nearby cafés and watch Opatija start its day.

Rijeka’s Placa: a market steeped in history

Rijeka’s city market, known locally as the Placa, is one of the most beautiful on the Adriatic. Fish was first sold here in the open air, beside a wooden pier where fishermen unloaded their catch, and only moved under a roof in 1866.

The market took its present form in two stages:

• 1880: two steel-and-glass pavilions designed by Izidor Vauchnig – the most modern construction of the time – with reliefs of fruit and vegetables on their facades.
• 1914–1916: a new fish hall by architect Carlo Pergoli, in the spirit of the Vienna Secession.

Be sure to step inside the fish hall. Venetian sculptor Urbano Bottasso decorated it with stone crabs, octopuses, fish and shells that climb around the columns.

The same rule applies here: it’s liveliest in the morning, when locals shop for lunch and the fish counters are at their fullest.

The new Paviljon: a food court at Rijeka’s market

Since 9 October 2026, Rijeka’s market has a whole new chapter. The renovated first pavilion is now home to Paviljon, a gastro space its organisers describe as Croatia’s first real food market.

Around ten concepts have opened across roughly 900 square metres on the ground and first floors, with 17 in total due to open by November. The idea is simple: there’s something for everyone. If you’re in a group and one person wants a burger, another Thai food and a third just a glass of wine, this is the place.

The concepts include:

• world cuisine: Mexican tacos, Thai dishes and vegan food
• Italian flavours: Venetian cicchetti, delicatessen and pizza
• local: game dishes
• upstairs: brunch, burgers and a sourdough bakery
• to take home: a craft brewery, a wine shop and fresh fish and meat, including dry-aged steaks

Most are Croatian brands rather than big international chains. The programme also includes workshops, food events and pub quizzes.

Paviljon is open daily from 8 am to 11 pm, and until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. So a market that used to come alive mainly in the morning is now a place for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a night out.

What to take home from the market

• Fish and seafood: Kvarner scampi, sardines and squid, depending on the day’s catch.
• Olive oil and honey: from local producers in Kvarner and Istria.
• Cheese and prosciutto: perfect for dinner on the terrace.
• Seasonal fruit and vegetables: chestnuts and figs in autumn, asparagus in spring.

Ask the vendors for a recommendation – they’ll happily tell you what’s best that day.

How to combine it all in one day

1. Morning in Opatija: coffee and shopping at the mrkat.
2. Late morning in Rijeka: the Placa and fish hall while they’re at their liveliest. Rijeka is about 15 km away and easy to reach by bus.
3. Lunch or dinner at Paviljon: everyone picks their favourite.
4. Back home: with fresh fish, cheese or olive oil in your bag.

And if the market puts you in the mood to cook, our apartments and villas all have fully equipped kitchens. There’s no better way to end the day than dinner made from fresh local produce with a view over Kvarner.

Markets aren’t just places to shop. They’re the quickest way to feel how people live here – and the tastiest way to get to know Kvarner.