Villa Ariston

The terrace of this preserved Austro-Hungarian villa stretches toward the Kvarner Gulf, and the view does most of the talking before the food arrives. It's a proper restaurant, the kind that takes a weekend lunch seriously, with several dining rooms inside and a menu of seasonal Mediterranean cooking that leans on the sea but doesn't ignore the land. The kitchen balances tradition with a few quiet modern moves, and the chef keeps off-menu dishes worth asking about.

One honor, in evidence: