Cap Aureo Signature Restaurant — Restaurant in Grad Rovinj

Unforgettable Fine Dining in Rovinj – Cap Aureo Deserves a Michelin Star! Celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary, we wanted something truly special. After looking into gourmet restaurants in Rovinj, Cap Aureo caught my eye – even though the same hotel, the Grand Park Hotel, is also home to a two-star Michelin restaurant. But for our evening, we chose Cap Aureo. And what a choice it was.

We knew the evening would come at a price – but early in the experience, we realized it would be worth every penny. In fact, this turned out to be one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. Perhaps the best.

Cap Aureo does not (yet) hold a Michelin star – though it absolutely deserves one. From what I’ve heard, this may be due to formal criteria, perhaps related to Chef Jeffrey Vella’s involvement in other culinary ventures. But when it comes to quality? Without a doubt. This restaurant thinks, creates, and delivers with the same excellence and artistry you expect from the finest Michelin-starred venues.

We went for the 7-course tasting menu, though you can have up to 20. We left the selection of dishes to our main waiter, and what followed was a masterfully composed meal. It began with delicate snacks – small, flavour-packed bites that set the tone – and continued with perfectly executed highlights like lobster, squab, and lamb.

Each plate was a thoughtful composition of texture, temperature, and taste. Beautifully presented, deeply satisfying, and clearly crafted by a kitchen with exceptional precision and care. There’s no pretence here – just honest, joyful cooking at the highest level.

The wine pairing was spot-on. The sommelier delivered detailed and passionate presentations – and although, as someone working in the wine industry, I could have done with slightly shorter descriptions, I appreciated her depth of knowledge and thoughtful pairings. Each wine elevated its dish.

Service was flawless throughout: present, attentive, warm, and well-paced. We felt cared for from beginning to end, yet always allowed to just enjoy the moment.

I’m sharing a few photos from the evening – but only a few. Some things are better experienced without spoilers. And this is definitely one of them.

My husband and I fell in love with Cap Aureo. As we stepped out into the warm Rovinj night, we were already talking about coming back. Huge thanks to the entire team – in the kitchen, on the floor, and behind the wine list. For us, this evening was truly perfect. We recently returned to Cap Aureo in Rovinj – just a few weeks after our last visit – and it was no surprise to us that they’ve now been awarded a Michelin star. Based on our previous experience with the food, wine selection, and outstanding service, we expected it.

New visit after they got one star! This time, we once again chose the 7-course tasting menu. Some dishes had changed slightly with the season, bringing in new elements and fresh inspiration. From the very first bite, every plate delivered layers of flavor that lifted the whole experience. Some combinations were so beautifully balanced and unexpected, I found myself wanting to lick the plate – especially one sauce that was simply unforgettable.

We started the evening with a local sparkling wine from Istria, made using the traditional method – just like in Champagne. A perfect, elegant beginning to what became a memorable meal.

Chef Jeffrey Vella came by early in the evening to greet us, which added a personal and warm touch. The sommelier, just as skilled and passionate as last time, paired each course with wines that brought out the best in every dish. His access to the finest wines from top vineyards truly showed in every glass.

If you're looking for refined cuisine that delights your taste buds, surprises your senses, and leaves you smiling long after the last bite – Cap Aureo is a must. You’ll be taken care of from...

We recently dined at Cap Aureo, a visit anticipated from positive online reviews.

The restaurant's location is truly exceptional. The terrace offers breathtaking panoramic sunset views of Rovinj's old town, a memorable backdrop. One minor observation: our table near the balcony edge was directly in the intense setting sun, lacking blinds, until it dipped below the horizon. We also commend the service team, who were consistently attentive, engaging, and welcoming.

Our evening began with aperitifs, but the cooking and bar programme didn't meet the high bar of the setting and staff. My Porn Star Martini was vodka with bottled passion-fruit juice—no fresh fruit, vanilla foam, or aromatic lift. A Sidecar fared slightly better but lacked the clarity and balance expected at this price point and five-star property.

For dining, our waiter explained the seasonal, locally-sourced produce concept with a customizable 5-to-20 plate menu; we chose seven courses. This philosophy is commendable. The culinary approach aims for innovative pairings of regional ingredients. However, we found several dishes presented flavor combinations that felt imbalanced or didn't fully harmonize, judged against fine dining standards and prices. For instance, the red mullet dish featured a cheese cream that overpowered the delicate fish. This tendency towards dominant sauces continued: monkfish with mushrooms had a notably salty, intensely umami reduction overshadowing other components. Similar observations applied to beef and pigeon sauces; while potent, they sometimes lacked nuanced depth.

The intrinsic quality of ingredients, particularly fish, was excellent and evident. The challenge lay more in balancing these high-quality components. While individual components were generally proficient, the dishes didn't consistently deliver the novelty or memorable flavor profiles hoped for at this price. We sought an experience beyond well-prepared food into something distinctive.

The menu's progression also lacked a discernible thematic thread; dishes felt disconnected. Furthermore, portion sizes for our seven courses over three hours were modest. We weren't fully satiated, with each small course followed by roughly fifteen-minute waits.

In conclusion, while Cap Aureo offers a stunning setting and attentive service, we felt that certain aspects of the culinary execution and overall value proposition did not entirely meet our expectations for an establishment of this caliber, particularly at a cost of €250 per person.

Our intention in sharing this feedback is to offer constructive insights, not to disparage the establishment. We hope these observations might be useful for both the restaurant's continued refinement and for prospective diners, helping to ensure expectations are appropriately aligned with the experience Cap Aureo...

This restaurant boasts fantastic views alongside a culinary journey, so we came with high expectations, especially with the steep price tag.

Our first impression was of the view - there was a big, black window pane obstructing the entire view of Rovinj when seated at eye level. We agreed it must be due to some safety regulation because architecturally the hotel is based around the view. There must have been a better design choice to make there. So if you’re expect a view from the terrace, sadly you won’t really get one while seated.

We chose ten courses with the wine pairing and came hungry. Each course was 3 bites max and we spent nearly 4 1/2 hours at the restaurant. It’s a little tortuous if you think about it, every two bites, having to wait for the next plate of two bites, and so forth for hours on end. For background, we are no strangers to coursed out tastings that take time and take you through an evolution of dishes. The dishes at Cap Auero were delicious, but static. They didn’t grow or build off of one another. Our largest dish was 6 decently sized cuts of cheese (each) with one baguette slice. That was the lingering taste from the meal, which is so disappointing because the other dishes should have stood out more. The lobster miso dish was our favorite but we wish there was more.

The wine pairing was great, we enjoyed trying different wines from the region, and our server was knowledgeable. We agreed that was most definitely the highlight of the meal, but again, steeply priced. The service overall was good, what one would expect from a luxury dining experience.

We left feeling extremely disappointed and almost laughably embarrassed, because we were down over 700 euro, spent at a conglomerate hotel, and still hungry.

Our constructive advice to the restaurant would be to guide the tasting more so that there are dishes of varying sizes, we were expecting something that feels more like a meal, than a collection of hors d’oeuvres, as I assume most people would be.

If you’re looking for a great, luxurious restaurant experience serving Istrian cuisine with a fantastic view - go no further than Graciano. I’ve eaten there before and loved it, but against our better judgement we decided to indulge our curiosity of the luxury hotel on the hill… We should have just left it at just that, a curiosity.

My goal here is not to disrespect the restaurant but simply inform potential patrons so that they may not fall to the same level of disappointment as...