Food Markets In Pula For Fish, Seafood, Truffles & Olive Oil

The food markets in Pula are comprehensive, including both a fish market and a farmers’ market. When travelling, I gravitate to the food markets to find the best fresh local food and see what the locals cook with. At the Pula Markets you can purchase Istrian specialities, including olive oil, honey and the famous Istrian truffles.

As well as the stalls, the market area has some cafe bars for a coffee and beer. You can also find restaurants serving Croatian food, many of which source ingredients from markets in Pula.

Many stalls seemed to accept cash payments only, so if you intend to purchase produce, a visit to a free ATM is advisable.

Pula Market History & Architecture

Pula Market Hall is a lovely building dating from 1902, officially opened in 1903. It was built in the Secession style of architecture. Much of the market is made of iron and glass and features some decorative elements.

I really enjoyed seeing the upper level, including a centrepiece fountain. The ornamental stone staircases to the upper levels are also pretty. This was built as a market and has been used as one ever since. In 1998, they restored it.

Food Markets In Pula, Croatia

There are many types of Istrian and Croatian produce available at the Pula Markets, which made visiting an enjoyable experience.

Fish Market – Pula Ribarnica

I really enjoy shopping at the fish markets in Croatia, and Pula Ribarnica was no different. Pula Ribarnica is on the ground floor of the main hall and is comprehensive. Inside there are various stalls, some of which stock all the local varieties of seafood and others that have their speciality.

During our visit, we cooked sea bream, prawns and some squid. These were all as expected and tasted good. Compared to the smaller stalls we used on the nearby islands, they seemed to have more varieties. I found the stallholders to be friendly, and they knew their fish.

Farmers Market

The outdoor farmers’ market was wonderful, with a variety of stalls selling locally grown vegetables. It is quite vibrant, and the scent of the fresh vegetables sets the tone. I often took home vegetables here to cook that evening.

The garlic and onions were delicious and had strong flavours, which always makes me happy. I found the salad in the top drawer too, especially the diverse selection of tomatoes. They also had my favourite salad ingredient, the large red spring onions, AKA scallions.

Also, you can buy fresh mushrooms and truffles at stalls. Many of the Istrian olive oil producers also had stalls here, many of which offered tastings. You can also buy regional honey here, much of which the bees make from a single plant variety, such as lavender or rosemary.

Meat & Cheese Stalls

They have a dedicated meat section where you can get local varieties for cooking or cured meats, which are ideal for picnics. This includes some delicious Istrian prosciutto, which is unsmoked, unlike the Dalmatian one from further south. Meats on sale for cooking include all pork cuts, poultry, and beef, including steaks.

There are many cheese producers selling Istrian cheeses. This ranges from soft, creamy cheese to some hard cheeses. After tasting a few, my favourite Croatian cheese is the variety from Pag, an island in the Northern Adriatic.

Bakeries

There are a few bakers in the area, including the big Croatian chains like Mlinar and some independent bakers too. One of my favourites for bread was Pekara Centra near the entrance. Their brown malted loaves were some of the best bread I tried in the country.

All the bakeries also serve burek, a traditional Balkan pastry. These are filled with cheese, meat, or cheese and spinach. There are savoury options as well as many sweet pastries.

Refreshments

I spent lots of time exploring the markets and had a few beers here and lunches out. Many places are a hive of activity during the day. I visited a few bars and found some relaxing places to enjoy a Croatian beer. The cheapest I found in the area was on the upper floor of the market hall, Caffe Bar “M”.

For food, I enjoyed lunch out at Pečenjara Brod and Restaurant La Vita. Most of the menus feature seafood, Istrian pasta and Croatian grilled meats. My favourite lunch in the area was at Restaurant La Vita on the upper floor. They have a balcony, and the food is delicious. I ate a trio of grilled seafood, including white fish, squid and prawns.

Location & Opening Hours

The market’s address is Narodni trg 9, and it can easily be found on Google Maps. The opening hours on Google Maps also seem accurate. Their opening times are from 7 am until 2 am, except on Sunday, when they close at 12 pm.