Whispers of Herbs: Capers, Rosemary and the Flavours of Natali

At Natali Garden, the connection between the kitchen and its surroundings begins long before a dish reaches the table. Within the historic grounds of Palace Natali, herbs grow among the stone, olive trees frame the garden, and the changing seasons bring their own scents and colours.

Capers, rosemary and olives are part of this setting, but they are also at the heart of Mediterranean cooking.

A Garden of Scents and Flavours

The Mediterranean herb garden at Palace Natali offers a closer look at the ingredients that help shape the cuisine at Natali Garden. Here, rosemary, capers and olive trees are not simply decorative elements. They are part of the surroundings that guests encounter while spending time at the restaurant, creating a natural connection between what grows in the garden and what is served in the kitchen.

Rosemary brings a fresh, aromatic note to savoury dishes, adding fragrance without overpowering the ingredients around it. Its distinctive character works naturally with grilled meats, vegetables and other dishes where a subtle herbal note can bring the flavours together. Its name comes from the Latin ros marinus, meaning “dew of the sea” — a fitting name for a plant so closely associated with the Mediterranean coast. In the garden, its scent is one of the first things you notice; at the table, it becomes part of the dish itself.

Capers offer a completely different sensation. Small and delicate in appearance, they have a pronounced salty and slightly sharp flavour. What makes them particularly suited to the Dubrovnik landscape is where they grow: the caper bush thrives in dry, rocky places and can take root in cracks in stone walls. In cooking, that intensity can provide contrast, bringing brightness to richer ingredients and adding another dimension to a dish.

Olive trees are a defining part of the gardens at Palace Natali, with their silvery-green leaves and distinctive trunks adding to the character of the setting. Olive trees can live for centuries, and their trunks become increasingly gnarled and sculptural with age — part of the reason they are as striking in a garden as they are familiar at the table. They also have a natural place in the regional kitchen, where olives give us one of its most important ingredients: olive oil. With its smooth texture and distinctive flavour, olive oil can be used throughout a dish, from a finishing touch to an essential part of the preparation.

What makes these ingredients particularly interesting is the way they engage more than just the palate. Rosemary is recognised first by its scent. Capers bring a small burst of intensity. Olive trees contribute movement, shade and colour to the garden. Together, they create a setting in which food feels connected to its surroundings rather than separate from them.

That relationship between the garden and the kitchen is central to the character of Natali Garden, where the setting continues naturally into the dining experience.

Natali Garden: A Mediterranean Restaurant in Dubrovnik

Set within the gardens of a 16th-century Dubrovnik summer residence, Natali Garden offers a dining experience shaped as much by its surroundings as by its cuisine.

Historic stone, Mediterranean greenery and the quiet atmosphere of the garden create a setting that feels especially inviting in the evening. As the temperature drops and the last light fades, the garden becomes a natural place to sit down for dinner, with seasonal dishes and a glass of wine bringing the evening together.

It is this sense of place that gives Natali Garden its character. Rather than separating the restaurant from its surroundings, the experience brings the two together.

Good Food 2026 at Natali Garden Dubrovnik

This autumn, Natali Garden joins Good Food 2026, Dubrovnik’s celebration of food and dining.

From 5–18 October, guests can discover three specially created festival menus: meat, fish and vegetarian. Each menu has been prepared especially for the festival, bringing Mediterranean flavours and carefully prepared dishes to the table at Palace Natali.

On Saturdays, the programme continues with the Garden BBQ Experience, an evening centred around the grill, seasonal side dishes and dessert, enjoyed in the gardens of the historic residence.