About us

Meet EatIstria team, a group of food and wine enthusiasts, introducing travelers from all over the world to Istrian life.
 
 
 
 
 

Nikola Pezić – manager

Earning his degree in anthropology and Spanish language in literature, for years Nikola worked as a literary translator, with a passion for quizzes. Food was just a hobby, wine something he helped his dad making, and he never thought of turning it into profession. This changed after meeting Goran, who realised Nikola has all the necessary qualities for an EatIstria employee. Nowadays, he took over running this small business from Goran Z., who returned to doing science. He still translates and uses his vast anthropological and quizzical knowledge to entertain guests. He is no longer so much in quizzing – DJing is his new force. Get ready for his extensive record collection in Scuola, the cooking studio.

Goran Špiranec

Although he’s been experimenting in kitchen since he was a kid and added wine to his passions as an adult, Goran first accomplished himself successfully in various fields of trade and sales. In his late 30s, he replaced the hustle and bustle of his hometown Zagreb with warmer and more relaxed Pula and turned his passion for gastronomy and fine wines into profession after joining EatIstria team in 2017. After years of welcoming, entertaining and educating food and wine loving travelers from all around the world, getting to know new people over a full table or a glass of wine is still Goran’s greatest passion and joy.

Goran Zgrablić – owner and founder

Apart from having a PhD in experimental physics, Goran is also a gourmet vagabond and passionate wine lover with a degree from the Italian Sommelier Association. He is obsessed with homemade local produces and rustic cooking style inherited from his Istrian family. Taking care of his olive grove, vines, figs and aceto balsamico is his favorite kind of relaxation. He has previously lived in Switzerland for five years, in Italy for ten years, and currently splits his life between Zagreb and his hometown Pula in Istria. Goran is author of the Istrian food and wine blog Manjada and a founder of Taste of Croatia, the independent food and wine guide to Croatia – now defunct. Foundation of EatIstria in 2012 was, at least up to now, the most creative and passionate endeavor of his life.