The best restaurants Croatia

It is not only the delicious taste of their ice that makes us drool at the Millennium, but also the view of all the other scents of all the colors with spam of chocolates, red fruit or sprinkled of hazelnuts… To taste them while enjoying the very busy garden.

In a pleasant setting, a family-run hotel-restaurant with eight comfortable rooms, arranged on the first floor, doubles, a triple and a suite. Some of them have a view of the sea. The restaurant is well known in Rabac. It offers fisherman's cuisine, seafood, scampi, squid and grilled fish, fresh pasta or shellfish risotto, as well as meat dishes, such as beef filet with white truffles or veal piccata with lemon.

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.

Not exactly in the center, but it is worth the trip! We come from far for this small fast-food held by a young and sympathetic team. We start with a detox smoothie with spinach, parsley, apple and ginger. Then come the huge and excellent hamburgers, the burger plate, fries or potatoes with lettuce, the complete vegan salad (rice-maize, olives, arugula), the tuna toasts, the paninis with local prosciutto, with pesto, with sheep cheese or with marinated chicken honey soya. Fast service and good music. On the spot or to take away.

A striking harbor restaurant, with a decor that's part English pub, part Croatian fisherman's bar. Offers Istrian specialties: grilled fish or seafood, squid with blitva, marbled mussels, cod in white wine (also served by the pitcher), marinated anchovies, langoustine risotto. For those who prefer meat, lamb chops or grilled ćevapčići with French fries, but also gnocchi in sauce or spaghetti bolognese. Friendly welcome.

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.

Traditional, unpretentious restaurant nestled on a pleasant rooftop terrace overlooking the port of Gruž. Conveniently located, between Lapad beach and the train and bus stations, easily accessible from the old town by road or bus. Guests come here especially for the pizzas, which are cooked over a wood fire, grilled meat and fish, sausage and French fries, fresh pasta and black risotto. The house also prepares complete dishes cooked under the peka bell (to be ordered at least two hours in advance).

Just at the entrance of Mali Ston, after the national road and before entering the fishing port, there is a stall selling fresh produce but also seafood, which can be tasted on the spot. Thus, the famous oysters of Mali Ston, harvested in the morning, when it is the season. The debonair Liliana opens them for you with dexterity. The family also organizes expeditions to discover the oyster beds, including tasting of their gourmet products.

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.

If you're a vegetarian or vegan, this is the restaurant for lunch or dinner. Located in the Gruž district, near the market, it doesn't have a terrace overlooking the port, but a large courtyard, where more and more people come to eat healthily on vacation. On the menu: vegetable soups, beet hummus, vegetarian burgers, falafel wraps, walnut salad, wholemeal pasta with tomato sauce or basil cream. You must try the raw chocolate cake.

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.

Il Golfo is a seaside restaurant, with tables set up on a pontoon. If you don't have a reservation you will hardly get a seat. However, you'll probably be lucky enough to grab a seat on the pier (very romantic too!). With such a location, the Mediterranean cuisine is in the spotlight, fish and shellfish dishes are recommended. Also on the menu, pizzas, grilled meats, salads... All served in generous portions, excellent homemade bread, with a smile, pancakes for dessert!

On the heights of Rijeka, in the village of Kastav, this luxury establishment was opened by slow-food chef Nenad Kukurin. While the management offers comfortable rooms for your stay on site, it is above all for the restaurant that the address is renowned. Here, we appreciate the originality of the recipes, which blend traditional Mediterranean cuisine with French gastronomy. Creativity indeed, but the bill is high too.

A large white villa with a beautiful colonnade on the facade offers a warm interior, opening onto a terrace overlooking the sea and the children's area. This grill restaurant offers a simple and copious cuisine, anchovy or sardine marinades as a starter, fresh seafood pasta, a plate of Istrian sausages and cheeses, grilled fish, various meats, skewers, sausages ćevapčići, breaded poultry. Hot dishes accompanied by chips or grilled vegetables. Better make a reservation!

Since 1937, locals have been recommending this institution even in winter, when many restaurants are closed. The terrace overlooks a square, but you can sit inside in one of the rooms with a traditional bistro atmosphere. All day long: coffee bar, cocktails, ice cream. For lunch or dinner, a varied menu: Italian cuisine, fisherman's plate or local recipes. For example: tasty dishes with generous slices of white truffles. Fast service and a well-trained team at the reception, even at a late hour

This rural tavern, in a tasteful rustic setting, offers local specialties. The dining room with its exposed stones has a fireplace and wood fire in the winter and a terrace with flowers in the summer. On the menu: various cured meats and meats, lamb cooked under the iron bell(peka), game, all accompanied by vegetables, fresh pasta. Dishes in sauce flavored with truffles in season. On the sea side, scampi with spaghetti, squid with saffron sauce, grilled octopus with fried carrots. Don't forget to reserve!

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.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the historic city east of Split, the Dvor is primarily appreciated for its setting. With the sea view from the shaded terrace, the shaded terrace offers a pleasant moment in an elegant seaside atmosphere. At the table, we mainly serve fish dishes: white fish tartar, grilled red tuna steak, black risotto with seafood, octopus cooked over a wood fire. The wine list is varied to accompany your dishes. To finish the meal, good desserts too. Quality service and warm atmosphere.

This is the small fast-food restaurant located near the ferry pier in Dominče. A kiosk with a few tables in the shade is taken over by passengers waiting for the ferry (cars park right in front of the fast-food restaurant). The choice is not very wide: sandwiches, hamburgers, French fries, beer, wine, coffee... If you've arrived very early (and you should), this address can be particularly useful. You can also order takeaways and eat them on the benches nearby.

A tavern installed at the foot of the ramparts since 1975, which has a good reputation in Rab. In the evening, you will dine by candlelight and taste the specialities of fish, seafood... But also, on the menu, meats cooked with sage honey, fresh pasta and grilled vegetables... In short, a choice of classic Adriatic dishes with sweet and sour notes that are a little different from the ordinary! Good atmosphere. Professional and smiling service. Croatian and foreign population. You can finish the meal with a good dessert.

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.

Zuzori is modern and sophisticated. This creative address seeks to distinguish itself from other establishments in the old town. The prices are high, but the dishes are beautifully presented and the cuisine refined. You'll find classic Dalmatian dishes, as well as Italian (paccheri, risotto...), Spanish (iberico tapilla) and Argentinian (black angus) products. The dishes are elegantly laid out on the plates, without overdoing it, in the manner of an upscale bistro. A fine wine list and professional service.

A historic address (first opened in 1920), just a stone's throw from the port. Fresh fish, meat dishes, pizzas, salads and desserts such as chocolate soufflé are offered at more reasonable prices than those in the old town. At lunchtime, takeaway sandwiches are also available. Finally, don't forget that Porat is also a café, so don't hesitate to drop in for a coffee or a drink accompanied by tapas. In the morning, several breakfast formulas are available at reduced prices.

In a hidden alleyway, the tables of this konoba are set in front of large historical windows, opened for the emperor himself, in the surrounding wall. One comes here for this exceptional setting, to feel like Diocletian at his window watching the harbor. For more than forty years, the tavern has been serving traditional Croatian cuisine (seafood, grilled fish and meat, southern vegetables) or aperitif antipasti plates. If you are lucky, you will be able to sit at one of these mythical tables for food and drink only.

Fancy some Italian food? Here is the pizzeria trattoria that you need! The individual pizzas here may be a little smaller than elsewhere, but the dough is cooked to perfection and the toppings are generous. Whether it's the napolitana or the romana, the tomato base is tasty, the vegetables are well grilled, the arugula, the mortadella or the buffala cheese smell fresh and of quality. The same goes for the salad with cured ham, the grilled schnitzel with southern vegetables, the hamburger, the pasta and gnocchi, the homemade bread... Good cocktails and peaceful atmosphere.

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.

During the summer season, dinner at Roman Matika's fisherman's house is indicated by the Batana boat eco-museum. Spaccio or spàcio, in the Rovinj dialect, indicates a konoba (tavern), with its basements, where wine was stored, which were places for socializing. Here, people drank, ate together in a fisherman's kitchen, then sang or played cards. Today, the place is a tourist attraction, with large tables for groups and a banqueting atmosphere, accompanied bysea shanties (Marco Garbin cultural artistic society).

If you're craving pizza or calzone and are on your way to the castle, the Paris/Kalorija bistro should do the trick. A good bread dough, fresh and generous toppings, cheese and rocket in profusion, the recipe varies little but ensures success... You can also order wraps, burgers, grills with fries, fresh pasta or polenta in sauce. You will have the choice to eat on the spot or to take away to continue your way to the castle or on the way back.

To find this family-run restaurant, climb up to the old inner village and go to the square beside the church. On the terrace, under the vine arbor, you can dine on large wooden tables. The menu features dishes influenced as much by Dalmatian traditions, such as a plate of charcuterie and local cheese, spit-roasted pig and bruschetta with pesto genovese, as by seafood cuisine, with grilled fish from the day's catch, calamari with blitva or southern vegetables... A good address, less touristy than the harbour.

A wine & dine bar restaurant opened in 2017. Dishes are inspired by generous Dalmatian cuisine (sea and land), with fresh, organic produce. The menu features a wide range of grilled dishes, whole fish or meat with southern vegetables, fresh seafood pasta, local poultry nuggets, hamburgers and pizzas. You can also choose the charcuterie and cheese plancha with wine by the glass or a cocktail. Vegetarian platter and good desserts too, like the homemade pistachio cheesecake. Friendly setting and welcome.

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!