Rijeka is Croatia's main port on the Kvarner Gulf and the country's third-largest city. It is not the first place you would look for a Spanish tavern, which is part of why Capote y Olé caught our eye. It is the only Croatian restaurant in our directory, at Verdijeva ul. 6.
Its own description sets out a clear aim: to share an authentic image of Spanish culture and Spanish food in Croatia. Here is what that looks like, based on what the restaurant tells us.
A room built around the bullring
The name gives the theme away. A capote is the large cape, usually magenta and yellow, that a bullfighter uses in the first part of a bullfight. "¡Olé!" is the shout that goes up from the crowd. The restaurant's decor uses both a capote and burladeros. A burladero is the wooden barrier set just in front of the bullring wall, which gives the people in the ring somewhere to step behind.
The restaurant describes the overall atmosphere as that of an Andalusian tavern, with flamenco music playing throughout the day.
What the kitchen cooks
The room may be Andalusian, but the kitchen is not limited to the south. The restaurant says its cooking is rooted in Spanish tradition, with recipes from all regions of Spain. That gives diners a wider view of the country than a single regional menu would.
The restaurant has not given us a list of specific dishes, so we won't guess at them here. Ask when you sit down. According to its listing, the manager speaks Spanish and knows Spanish culture well, and can explain the concept and each dish. For an unfamiliar menu, that is the most useful thing a restaurant can offer.
Why it is worth a stop
Capote y Olé says it has been covered in national and international media and has a strong presence online. For a visitor, the simpler point is this: if you are in Rijeka and want Spanish food, it is the one place in our directory for the whole country, and Spanish culture is what the place is built around, not a theme added to a menu.
Other listings around the Adriatic and central Europe
If you are travelling in the region, these are other Spanish restaurants in our directory:
- Otra Vez, Abruzzo, Italy: on the Italian side of the Adriatic, serving tapas and paella. It describes itself as the only Spanish-certified restaurant in central and southern Italy.
- La Nube, Budapest: decorated with symbols such as the Osborne bull, cooking traditional recipes from across Spain and recognised by Gault & Millau.
- Sevilla Mía, Milan: if the Andalusian side of Capote y Olé appeals, this one focuses on Andalusian cooking, with Sevillian tiles and dishes such as salmorejo.
You can also browse everything we list in Croatia.
The images in this post are illustrations, not photographs of Capote y Olé.
