COB, short for Cooking Outside the Box, is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Portorož, looking out over the Adriatic. The Matjaž family’s hospitality story runs back to the late 19th century, shaped through places like Vienna and Bakar, and carried forward today through this contemporary dining room. The experience is built around an interactive tasting menu where Istrian heritage meets global experience. Ingredients come from regenerative farmers, plus herbs grown on the terrace. The team also co-creates products with local producers, keeping every course tied to place and provenance.
Restaurant • Fine Dining
COB
Cooking Outside the Box
COB
Portorož
Filip Matjaž
JRE chef Filip Matjaž represents the fifth generation of his family’s gastronomic tradition in Portorož. He studied Istrian Gastronomy and developed his craft through time in Michelin-starred kitchens abroad, building discipline alongside curiosity.
View Chef
Patrik Matjaž
Sommelier Patrik Matjaž is the person who makes COB’s concept feel easy at the table. As beverage director, he brings a global perspective from his travels and builds pairings that support the tasting menu’s story, moving between wine and creative drinks with clear intent.
View Chef- Michelin Star
- Green Key
- Adriatic Views
Istrian Roots, Modern Form
COB’s cooking starts with the Adriatic and the Istrian countryside. Chef Filip Matjaž keeps the plates clean and precise, then uses modern technique to pull depth from local ingredients. Sourcing is direct, with producers who farm in a regenerative way, and herbs picked from the terrace garden during service. Traditional ideas stay present in the background, then shift into a new shape through the finishing, the temperature work, and the way each course is framed. The menu is designed as a sequence, with every dish linking flavour to origin.
Workshop Experiences
COB runs interactive culinary workshops and storytelling sessions for guests who want to understand the thinking behind the menu. These sessions unpack the “outside the box” approach in a practical way, showing how an Istrian ingredient can be reworked through contemporary technique, from prep to final plating. Patrik Matjaž leads tastings that connect the drink pairings to the story of each course, using both classic wine knowledge and a wider beverage perspective shaped by travel. Formats vary by season and group size.
Adriatic Terrace Setting
COB sits in Portorož where the Adriatic breeze meets the Istrian hills. From the terrace you get clear views across Piran Bay, and the herb garden adds scent and colour to the room. The landscape also shapes the menu, with nearby farms and producers supplying the kitchen through the seasons. Local craft, materials and regional identity show up in the details, so the setting feels connected to the coast and its hinterland. It is an easy base for exploring the Slovenian shore, with the restaurant as a destination in itself.
Green Key Approach
COB’s Green Key certification sits behind daily decisions in the dining room and kitchen. The team focuses on resource efficiency, careful sourcing and waste reduction, and keeps ingredient choices aligned with the seasons. Direct work with regenerative farmers supports both flavour and long-term supply, while the terrace garden helps reduce transport for herbs and greens. The kitchen also develops products with local producers, keeping provenance clear and building value around regional craft. Sustainability here is treated as part of quality control, not a side note.
Stay at Hotel Tomi
Hotel Tomi is a family-run hotel on the hillside of Portorož, led by the Matjaž family across five generations. The position brings panoramic Adriatic views and a calm place to stay close to the coast. For guests dining at COB, it creates a smooth day-to-evening flow on the same grounds, with a warm, personal hosting style that matches the restaurant’s approach. It also works well for exploring Istria and the Slovenian shoreline, with Portorož as a practical base for the region.
“A passion that became a way of life.”
Contact
Here you find us
COBLetoviška 1
6320
6320
Portorož
SloveniaHere you reach us
Opening times
| Day | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | ||
| Tuesday | ||
| Wednesday | ||
| Thursday | 18:00 – 23:30 | |
| Friday | 18:00 – 23:30 | |
| Saturday | 18:00 – 23:30 | |
| Sunday | 18:00 – 23:30 |
Book a table @ COB
Make your dinner reservations through our website for a high-quality gastronomic experience – it’s quick and easy. Book your table here and get ready for an unforgettable culinary event.
