The best restaurants Zadar & Šibenik

In the south of the island, Opat Bay is one of the archipelago's best-known maritime entrances. On the harbor, the restaurant's terrace looks out over the sea and the islands opposite. Mooring berths are available for guests (at an extra charge). Here you can order cold drinks, with or without alcohol, Croatian beers and white wines. A catering service is available, but there are no menus and the bill is very high. Fisherman's cuisine, of course: grilled scorpion fish with baked potatoes, lobster, carpaccio of the day's fish, sushi, gratins.

The restaurant was built in an old private house in Vrulje, the largest fishing village in the Kornati, where even today there are only about 50 houses. The owner is known throughout the archipelago as a good octopus fisherman and cook. His specialties include octopus in goulash or Venetian style, fresh fish carpaccio, Dalmatian plate (smoked ham and goat's cheese) and grilled meats. As is often the case on the islands, prices are much higher than on the mainland.

On the seafront promenade, sheltered by pine trees, the restaurant's terrace overlooks the marina. In this pleasant seaside setting, especially in the evening at sunset, southern dishes and fish products take pride of place. A short, well-balanced menu featuring carefully prepared seafood dishes, grilled fish or meat, accompanied by French fries or the traditional blitva (mashed potatoes/green beans in olive oil), as well as seafood risotto, pizzas, fresh pasta or homemade lasagne.

After a long hike in the national park, it is a pleasure to return to the coastline of Starigrad-Paklenica. As the name suggests, the Miramar's elevated terrace offers an unobstructed view of the sea, which is much appreciated at sunset. The well exposed rooms for rent with balcony also benefit from this view. In the kitchen you can enjoy local dishes, seafood, fish, meat with grilled vegetables or the traditional bliva with a good mushroom omelette.

Opening in 2022, the restaurant is the talk of the town. Already, its location on the riva (next to the university) has great potential at sunset. This is no ordinary formula, since it's a true vegetarian (the first in Zadar!) with a gastronomic bent that's right up there with the times. With legumes, seeds, cereals and vegetables, there's a lot to do here. The meat substitutes, particularly in the burgers, are astonishing. Creativity is the order of the day, both in the dishes and in the cocktails, with or without alcohol. Reservations recommended.

This establishment immediately found its public. Is it the modern, elegant decor and the pool that give you a little VIP feel? Is it the thematic evenings that attract so many people? Here, no cocktails, but a beautiful regional wine list and good beers. On the kitchen side, fish dishes - excellent quality tuna steak -, grilled meats, burgers, including veggies, black risotto, fresh pasta, with salads and wok vegetables. Vegetarian plates as well. Very friendly service but not very long waiting time. The price of success!

In this restaurant, which has a tradition of more than fifty years behind it, one lives with its time. The walls have been renovated, the decor changed, but the general atmosphere and the menu remain classic. A modern and sophisticated place, with a large room and a terrace. The house is known for its receptions and the reception of groups. The restaurant offers Mediterranean and international cuisine (fresh fish, seafood, grilled meat or meat in sauce, Italian pasta, pizzas), accompanied by a selected wine from the Zadar region.

On the site of the former Maraschino, completely renovated in an industrial style, the café-terrace restaurant-discotheque is divided into several sections. It is accessed by walking along the right bank quay to the end. Inspired by the port site, the large spaces are inspired by the interiors of ships and liners. Wood and steel elements, shelves for canned goods, suspended lights, tables and chairs made of wood and ironwork... On the kitchen side, Tex-Mex formulas, hamburger, potatoes, tuna steak, grilled meat and vegetables.

A beautiful terrace overlooking the port, where you can order trays of grilled fish and seafood, risotto or fresh pasta with shellfish, grilled meats or sausages Ćevapčići with chips or sandwiches or pizza generously garnished with pršut, Dalmatian cured ham. The service is pleasant, the dishes well presented.

Close to the Roman forum, with a terrace with a clear view in front of the ancient well, here is finally a family and digestible fast-food! The menu is simple: full salads, burgers, nuggets, onion rings, cold drinks with or without alcohol. Here, the beef pieces - main ingredient of the burgers - come from the farm, the brioche bun is baked on the spot, the cheese is real melted cheddar and the original sauces are homemade. Special mention for the veggie burger with falafel, lettuce, tomato, guacamole and/or aioli. Children's menu also available.

Recently opened, this Bosnian restaurant, which is not in the city center, already collects all the votes. If you are by car, you will find it easily after the cemetery (Gradsko groblje) on the large artery (Benkovačka cesta), north of the city. Dalmatian cooking enthusiasts with an oriental touch enjoy the barbecue plates, the spicy Čevapčići sausages served in a homemade homemade bread. An address for eating meat, fish and grilled vegetables. Quick and smiling service.

Great pizzeria in the active city, close to the bus station, with several spaces, three large television sets, free Wi-Fi connection for guests, daily newspapers. We come for morning coffee or aperitif, but especially for old baked pizza in the two ovens. We are guaranteed bread dough without additives while the trimming is distributed in generous quantities. Also taste lasagna, hot sandwiches, pancakes and small digestive Medica, served in black mini glasses.

A few kilometers from the entrance I of the national park, this small hotel-restaurant on the roadside is installed in a beautiful traditional building. The guest rooms are simple and comfortable, with air conditioning, private bathroom equipped (shower, hair dryer), ironing board, television, free Wifi. The restaurant, open to all, offers Italian-Croatian cuisine, with classic dishes (pizzas, lasagna) as well as meats (breaded escalopes), sausages and grilled fish in copious proportions. Fast and smiling service.

The tavern is located in the Zaton Holiday Resort, 5 minutes from the town of Nin. Known for its relaxed atmosphere, close to the sea and the reception, the restaurant is open to all, residents and non-residents alike. Dalmatian cuisine, centred on fish and seafood, is successful. You will enjoy a musical entertainment in the evening, rather good quality. The holiday club has another restaurant, the Kruške i Jabuke, with a more elaborate land and sea cuisine. If you stay several days in the area, try both restaurants.

This two-storey residence was built in 1972 to recreate the traditional atmosphere of mountain chalets. Restored in 2015, it has retained its rustic feel and continues to offer quality local cuisine. On the menu, barley soup, spit-roasted lamb, a stew of meats with potatoes and vegetables in sauce under peka placed on the coals (to order), local ham and cheese, pan-fried trout, blitva, homemade yoghurt... Good and authentic.

In Mario's mega-tavern, we sometimes "do" the méchoui for lively dinner parties, especially when the musicians are there. You have to see the meat on the spit, piglet, sometimes goat. You have to watch the fire being prepared in the outdoor kitchen. You can eat other things, like mussels or prawns with chips, hamburgers and other sausages. But the speciality of the house is the giant grill for large tables where everyone can sit. Popular conviviality, from the aperitif, festive atmosphere at the end of the week

On the central square, this restaurant-terrace seduces from the start by the neat plate. The fisherman's cuisine is generous. You can choose among the tuna carpaccios, the seafood platter but also the grilled meats or in sauce, accompanied by grilled vegetables or blitva (mashed potatoes, green shoots, garlic and olive oil). Saving a place for dessert, all served with a Dalmatian wine, either white or red, usually quite strong. Professional, smiling, attentive service and friendly atmosphere. A good address.

The tavern celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022! In summer, away from the sometimes too busy port, its terrace, in the shade of the large trees, is pleasant even at lunchtime. Specialized in seafood cuisine, the chef's know-how is recognized on the island. Among his preparations of freshly caught fish and seafood, rock fish soup, fresh pasta with shellfish, stuffed or grilled tuna with southern vegetables, Dalmatian dishes in sauce(pašticada), grilled meat (lamb) and vegetarian dishes. Very good service. Reservations are recommended.

This small restaurant, close to the ferry pier, has been open since 2017. His fisherman's cuisine is generous. For example, rock fish soup, octopus salad, grilled squid, which are also large octopuses, fish of the day, grilled whole with blitva (crushed potatoes and chard in olive oil). Groups have a strong interest in ordering trays of fish, grilled shellfish or meat. Friendly service and good advice. Don't forget to book!

On the seafront promenade, this is the last settlement on the right bank. With its marine décor and a terrace overlooking the docks, the café-bar-restaurant is pleasant all day long. Careful fisherman's cooking, local dishes, fish of the day, squid, prawns, tuna in all its forms, grilled meat or meat in sauce, Italian dishes or Dalmatian dishes with pršut (raw ham), sheep's cheese and salad, all accompanied by local wines. In the evening, jazzy musical atmosphere. In season, it's better to book.

In an alley perpendicular to the main street, this establishment is known for its hearty and well-proportioned pizzas. The dough is thin with crispy edges and fresh, high-quality produce for the toppings, all baked in a traditional wood-fired oven. Try, for example, the Ninska seafood pizza, the Hot Peperoni or the lighter vegetarian. The wait can be long, but that's a good sign! Then, as an appetizer, why not try some antipasti or even a salad? Take away is allowed. Very good service.

The family business set its tables in an alley of the old town. Think about booking because the address is successful. Specialties of the sea, salad of octopus, calamars or roasted sardines, tuna steaks, swordfish but also rolls of cheese cheese, dalmatium filet (sauce with toasted vegetables on polenta), pasta and pizza, all these dishes can accompany the red red wine. But… bread pays! The hotel also offers rooms for rent with formulas including breakfast, excursions and discounts on the restaurant menu.

On the island of Smokvica, the family-oriented tavern is well known. Here, the open kitchen is located next to the entrance so that everyone can see what is cooked and how. On the menu of the day, fish, of course, from fillet to plate with a good application on the dressing, a few flower petals and lemon water to rinse your fingers. Simple and tasty dishes that can be enjoyed without moderation, accompanied by a good local wine. Finish with one of the desserts à la carte. Convivial service and friendly atmosphere.

Mare Šešelja, the sailors' protective mother, saved many a fisherman trapped by the bura, the cold northerly wind that sometimes blows here. Her house was one of the obligatory stops on the passage between Dugi Otok and the archipelago; the Šešelja family, a bit of a cult in the Kornati, still own the place. Today, at Le Mare, you can still eat grilled or boiled fish, in soup or risotto, whole shellfish, but also white meats served with blitva, French fries or southern vegetables.

With a part of its terrace on stilts and its unobstructed view of the sea, this tavern has character. Logically, the kitchen specializes in fish products. Octopus salad, rock fish soup, well-prepared fresh squid, grilled swordfish, seafood risotto but also grilled meats, all accompanied by southern vegetables and good wines from the region (regional babić or even rosé). Reservation recommended for your table on the terrace. Attentive service and friendly atmosphere. Good address.

On the bay of Vrulje, where anchoring is easy, the konoba has changed. The owners have transformed it from a fisherman's tavern into an upscale global concept. A café lounge with a terrace, deckchairs and canopies on duckboards, all facing the pontoon and private jetty for mooring boats. The bar menu features a selection of cocktails, wines and champagne, while the restaurant focuses on revisited seafood cuisine. For your stay, deluxe, double and quadruple rooms and boat rentals are available.

Between the old town and the main beach, the terrace of this konoba offers a breathtaking view of Primošten. If you prefer to sit inside, the view is still admirable. Opened in 2001, this inn is considered one of Primošten's must-try restaurants. Set to traditional music, the fisherman's kitchen offers a wide variety of fish, seafood and other house specialties, such as whole octopus with potatoes stewed under a bell over a wood fire(peka in Croatian, to be ordered in advance).

Opposite the Ilirija Marina, this good fishermen's restaurant offers, depending on the arrival, seafood platters, lobster, grilled fish, octopus salad, shellfish risotto (or a vegan variant), sausages (ćevapčići) with southern vegetables or French fries... Friendly service. The owners also rent apartments and three motor boats. Contact them by e-mail or directly at the restaurant, they will be happy to inform you about availability and rental conditions.

This tavern is located near the archaeological site of Biograd, next to an early Christian basilica. On the menu in well-presented plates, carefully prepared Dalmatian dishes, alternating between land and sea according to each person's tastes and desires. You will come there after or before the visit of the historic sites, or simply for its quiet atmosphere. Remember to accompany your dish with a good glass of local wine and finish, if you have room, with an à la carte dessert. Attentive and responsive service. Good address.

A family-run restaurant on the long avenue leading to the Borik seaside district. Fisherman and chef Drago Olić-Roko, the owner, gave his name to the place, and it's he who chooses the fish and seafood served here. For example, octopus salad, platters of grilled shellfish or whole fish, squid ink risotto or spaghetti with lobster, the house specialty. Grilled meat dishes are also excellent, as are pizzas and bruschettas. On the premises or to take away. Nice terrace and friendly staff.

The fisherman's cooking in this tavern is excellent. On the menu, fresh fish with grilled vegetables, seafood platter, risotto, fresh pasta and other typical Adriatic dishes. For those who are not attracted by the seafood cuisine, or to complete the meal, also cold meats and excellent cheese from Pag. Special mention for the desserts, especially the carob cake and its fig-almond ice cream balls. The relaxed atmosphere also makes the success of this good little konoba. Don't forget to make a reservation, it's often full.

Restaurant Kastel is located in the Hotel Bastion, in the historic center of Zadar. The chef's cuisine is inspired by Mediterranean recipes. He revisits ancient Dalmatian dishes using local ingredients. With its terrace overlooking the sea and its wine and food pairing menu, this is the ideal place for a romantic evening.

10 metres from the sea, this pizzeria has a terrace overlooking the sea, very pleasant at sunset. Here, Italian cuisine, pizza, pasta and risotto combine Croatian specialities, grilled fish, seafood, lamb meat and cheese on the island.

A konoba (tavern) more than a hundred years old, which was once a warehouse where raw ham was dried. On the plate, simple Dalmatian cuisine of high quality. You can choose between dishes or platters of grilled fish and vegetables, risotto from the sea, pasta with shellfish, but also meat grilled over a wood fire (lamb, brochettes) served with chips or French fries. All this good food must be accompanied by local wine. It is always the place to be for the locals. A good address.

Just 5 minutes from the station, in an area where the competition is tough, with café-restaurants elbow to elbow, this pizzeria is one of the best known in Biograd. On the menu, good pizzas cooked over a wood fire (it is always a pleasure to find some of this quality in Croatia) but also fresh pasta dishes, lasagne, without forgetting the unavoidable grilled meat and fish dishes which are the speciality of the country. Lively atmosphere, hot meal service all day long, related to the arrivals and departures of the passengers.

More than forty-five years of loyal service for this restaurant of the historic city, located near the market. The staff were very helpful and helpful. The staff were very helpful and helpful. Here, you can accept the aperitif offered to make a patient between the dishes, share a grilled meat base or taste the sprinkler rizzoto, green pasta to gambas. In the evening, come early because the hotel is often crowded, especially in summer.

Opened in 2003, this restaurant, close to the docks and the contemporary light facility (salvation in the sun), offers refined cuisine, typical Croatian dishes, fisherman's kitchen, carpaccio or tuna tartare, seafood sauce marinière, sprinkler risotto, but also braided with herbs or… Dishes in sauce, simmered with red wine way goulasch… We note the care of decoration, the training of the plate, the service.

One of the few restaurants on the island that are not exactly on the promenade of the port but in a perpendicular alley. A fisherman's cuisine, family and simple. Soup of rock fish, generous grilled meats, which are served to you just drizzled with olive oil and crushed garlic on a bed of rosemary, but also risottos or fresh pasta with seafood, fried squid. For meat lovers, try ćevapčići, well seasoned with grilled vegetables

A bakery-sandwich shop with 24-hour service in Zadar? Here, everyone knows the famous outlet that provides this famous non-stop service. Just off the bridge, Branimir quay, a bakery that serves morning coffee, sweet and savory brunch (fresh bread, croissants, cheese or apple bureks), snack formulas (sandwiches, pizza, pastries). A few tables for eating on the spot. Beware of noise pollution at night.

For Tex-Mex aficionados, the Santa Maria might be a good choice, even if the Mexican recipes are seasoned with Croatian sauce! In this rustic, colorful and kitschy interior, the parakeet adds to the exotic decor. The restaurant offers fajitas and chili con carne, tacos, tortillas, burritos but also pizzas, pastas, salads and vegetarian plates. Local dishes, also, grilled fish and meat, a seafood risotto and shellfish, which resembles a paella latina. Reservations are recommended.

The term buffet or buffe in Croatia refers to a popular restaurant with large tables that serves home-cooking. The Šimun, near the bus station, which is popular with tourists, attracts fewer locals today but still offers good value for money. Unpretentious but hearty fisherman's cuisine (octopus salad with beans, shrimp risotto, goulash, grilled or gratin squid, stuffed peppers, etc.). For kids, homemade breaded chicken fillets should do the trick! Good for lunch.