Gostilna Ivo

Ivo is known for food cooked fresh every day, a long and varied menu and a team of local staff. The tables look out over the water, and the mood is unhurried: a step away from the bustle of the town centre, but always close to the sea.

The kitchen is rooted in fresh seafood and traditional Istrian cooking, with soups, cold and hot starters, and fish and meat main courses.

Start with sea bass carpaccio or another cold seafood starter, then go for the black risotto. Dondole, a local shellfish, are worth asking about, and a grilled sea bass fillet is a reliable main course. For anyone who prefers meat, there is grilled steak, steak with green pepper and Balkan-style čevapčiči.

From Marina Portorož, a taxi to Piran takes around 10 minutes. Gregorčičeva ulica runs along the Punta, about five minutes’ walk west of Tartini Square through the old town or along the waterfront.

Ivo is open every day from the morning until late evening, so it works for a late lunch after a morning on the water. Booking is recommended in summer, by phone or through the form on the restaurant’s website.

Fish and meat sit side by side on the menu, so it suits mixed groups, and the daily home cooking makes it a good choice for a simple, unfussy meal after a long day on the water.