04 November 2025
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Among these is the hilly region, generally characterized by white grape varieties and small, family-run wine estates. Among the hills, the Plešivica terroir is amongst the most renowned: it is located in the north-centre of the country between Zagreb and the Slovenian border and, even though it is Croatia’s smallest wine region, it is home to important vineyards and a centuries-old tradition of vine cultivation.
Besides local and international varieties, there are also American varietals here such as Noah and Delaware, Riesling, and, unlike neighbouring regions, red wine varietals are cultivated, including Blauer Portugieser from which a light and pleasantly drinkable wine is produced. In addition to these, thanks to the climate and soil conditions, there is a growing production of sparkling wines from the kraljevina variety.
In this area of gentle hills lies the town of Jastrebarsko, known for the historic Erdödy Castle (late 15th century) and for the Plešivica wine route, where one can visit historic estates while observing picturesque landscapes and discovering traditions (including culinary ones) that persist through the passage of time. And it is precisely here, where “Croatian champagne” is produced, that one finds the Korak restaurant, situated within the family’s organic farm which produces organic wines in small batches. The varieties include Rhine Riesling, Sauvignon, Chardonnay Sur lie, Pinot Noir and Syrah, and they give rise to wines that express the entire range of possible styles (still, sparkling and orange wine) from these classic grapes.
This is the setting for the region’s first fine-dining restaurant, led by Bernard Korak who has worked alongside great chefs such as Ana Roš and Massimo Bottura. His primary objective is to champion local produce by working with seasonality and the local gastronomic heritage. The constant work with local producers directly involves a network of hunters, growers, and herb and mushroom foragers in the selection of raw materials, binding Korak’s cuisine unequivocally to the territory. Two tasting menus are offered, of five and eight courses, which are inspired, it goes without saying, by the Plešivica area where mountains and hills meet the vineyards.
The ingredients tell stories of the place, like the cow’s milk produced by the nearby organic farm, used to make fresh cheeses following the chef’s grandmother’s recipes in honor of family tradition, or the curd for tortellini and the sour cream for butter.
And then there are the wild herbs that grow on the family estate, the trout from a fish farm whose spring also supplies water to the farm, or the pike-perch from the Crna Mlaka area, an ornithological reserve situated in the Kupa river basin, south-west of Zagreb.
Let’s be honest: the value of the land and the importance of family tradition are an integral part of the experience at Korak.
"Since the opening, we’ve been using milk from our own cows to make butter (which pairs beautifully with the stale bread chips we prepare), cream, fresh cheese, and cottage cheese that’s traditional in this region. We’ve always worked to promote zero waste and to share our sustainability approach with our guests," adds the chef."With goat’s milk from a small farm - Bresnica - near our restaurant, we make dulce de leche and some desserts, including the one inspired by the forest currently on our menu, where one of the ingredients is goat’s milk with caramelized chestnuts. Forest of Plešivica is a refined three-part creation inspired by the flavors of the area: rose hip sorbet paired with fire-roasted chestnut mousse, caramelized goat’s milk from Bresnica, and black truffles from Žumberak; dark chocolate praline filled with a delicate rose hip cream; a smoky cocktail infused with roasted rose hip, completing the experience with a bold aromatic touch".
"Dairy tradition," he concludes, "is deeply tied to my family: my 83-year-old grandmother still produces a small amount for the restaurant. After all, taste runs in the blood—she and my mother are excellent cooks, and before this fine dining venue, they used to cook together in a small local restaurant."
And so, amongst centuries-old lime trees and rows of vines, Restaurant Korak offers creative recipes in which flavour, first and foremost, is always the primary value. Thus dishes are born such as frogs’ legs on spicy almond cream, snails accompanied by hop shoots and seasonal mushrooms, or indeed the naturally leavened bread made with flour from local mills or the slow-aged ham made in-house.
And then river and sea fish, goat meat, game and seasonal vegetables are used, giving life to dishes such as courgette flowers stuffed with pike-perch meat and dressed with consommé and roasted tomato oil. Not to be missed are the tortellini filled with goat’s ricotta in saffron tomato consommé or, amongst the desserts, the smoked peach. Korak’s table is indisputably nature and tells the story of a place made up of experiences, flavours, people and stories to be told.
Hero image: Mateja Vrcković/Korak
