Paški sir · Pag cheese
The island’s best-known sheep’s cheese. Its distinctive character comes from Pag sheep, rocky pastures, aromatic plants and the salty bora carried across the island.
OLEA LOCAL EDIT · TASTE OF PAG
Pag tastes exactly like the landscape feels — salty, aromatic and unmistakably local.
The island’s food is shaped by stone, sea, bora wind, sheep grazing on aromatic herbs and a long Mediterranean tradition. These are the flavours worth recognising before you sit down to dinner.
Paška janjetina · Pag lamb
Tender local lamb is one of the island’s defining products. It is traditionally prepared simply so the flavour of the meat remains at the centre.
Pag salt
Salt production has shaped Pag for centuries. It is one of the island’s most recognisable products and part of the landscape, economy and kitchen.
Olive oil
Old olive groves — especially around Lun — are part of Pag’s identity. Local oil works naturally with cheese, fish and simple Mediterranean dishes.
Makaruni na iglu
Traditional needle-shaped pasta is one of the characteristic Novalja specialities and a good choice when you want something more local than a standard tourist menu.
Seafood & fish
Fresh fish, risotto, brodet-style fish stew and grilled seafood are a natural part of Novalja’s Mediterranean table.
Gegić wine
The indigenous Gegić grape is closely associated with Pag and is an excellent way to add a distinctly local wine to dinner.
Sweet finish
If you see local fritule, hrostule or curd-based desserts, they are worth choosing over a generic dessert menu.
For a first dinner, I would keep it simple: Pag cheese to start, fish or lamb as the main course, and a local wine. You understand the island quickly through those three choices.
Discover the island, then come back to your own Mediterranean evening at OLEA.
Check availabilityOfficial sources & practical links
Visit Novalja · Gastronomy ↗Visit Novalja · Original Pag products ↗Visit Novalja · Boškinac winery ↗
Travel times, opening hours, ferry schedules and restaurant availability can change. Always check the official source before travelling.
Updated 5 September 2026