Fresh local seafood tops the menu in Dubrovnik, from octopus burgers in low-key, hole-in-the-wall eateries to slap-up sushi feasts with fresh oysters and amberjack sashimi. Other options in this city of food lovers range from hearty sandwich joints to intimate Bosnian eateries.
Below our expert rounds up Dubrovnik’s finest restaurants, while for further inspiration, see our in-depth guides to the city’s best hotels, bars and other nightlife, what to see and do, plus how to spend a weekend in Dubrovnik.
Old Town
Bota Sushi & Oyster Bar
On a small raised terrace with high tables and stools shaded by big white parasols, close to the Cathedral. Bota serves fresh oysters caught on the owners farm’ in the Pelješac peninsular (they can also make oyster tempura if you prefer them cooked), plus a choice of beautifully presented sushi prepared from outstanding locally-sourced fresh fish. For a celebratory feast, order the sumptuous selection of salmon maki, amberjack sashimi, tuna tartar and tiger prawn tempura, plus a bottle of champagne.
Contact: bota-sare.hr
Prices: £££
Reservations: Recommended
Proto
An old-fashioned and romantic establishment that dates back to 1886. The best tables are on a leafy first-floor covered terrace, plus there’s a ground-floor dining room and tables on the street out front. It is widely regarded as the best fish restaurant in Dubrovnik, and specialises in classy Dalmatian seafood. You can indulge in fresh oysters from Ston, škampi na buzaru (shrimps in garlic, white wine and parsley) and whole fresh fish, served filleted. Recent illustrious customers include US film director Francis Ford Coppola and NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Contact: esculaprestaurants.com
Prices: £££
Reservations: Recommended
Gianni
This charming ice cream parlour serves delicious artisan ice creams, homemade French-style pastries, old-fashioned Dubrovnik deserts, and a modest selection of vegan and gluten-free options. The owner-cook was formerly pastry-chef at Dubrovnik’s Michelin-starred 360°. Come here at any time of day for excellent Cogito coffee and a sweet treat – favourites include the lemon-and-ginger sorbet, the lavender-and-honey ice cream and the Dalmatia carob cake. It lies in an alley leading to the Aquarium, with several shaded tables out front.
Contact: gianni-dubrovnik.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Not possible
Azur
This restaurant in Pobijana street was founded by two Dubrovnik-born brothers and serves Croatian cuisine with an Asian twist. The menu is short but innovative – most dishes are based on fresh Dalmatian seafood, with exotic flavours added by Thai spices and fragrant herbs. Think Szechuan chilli and garlic prawns; swordfish fillet in black curry sauce; and cauliflower popcorn (panko-coated cauliflower with fragrant north african herbs and a yoghurt dip). The atmosphere is relaxed and fun, with tables in a whitewashed vaulted space, with stone floors, Oriental rugs, subtle lighting and mellow music.
Contact: azurvision.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Taj Mahal
This is one of the very few eateries to stay open all year in the old town, and offers a break from ubiquitous Dalmatian seafood. It’s intimate: there are just five tables inside, and half-a-dozen more in the stone-paved street out front. The kitchen turns out Bosnian specialities, with an emphasis on meat. Look out for Begović čorba (creamy chicken soup with vegetables), zeljanica (spinach and cheese filo-pastry pies), charcoal grilled kebabs, and syrupy Turkish-inspired deserts such as baklava. They also serve a Bosnian breakfast, with strong gritty Turkish coffee.
Contact: tajmahal-dubrovnik.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended in high season
Kopun
On a peaceful square in front of the Jesuit Church of St Ignatius, Kopun serves traditional Croatian dishes (which combine influences from Venetian, Austrian, Hungarian and Turkish cuisine), prepared with fresh local ingredients and a modern approach. Try the rich and fruity signature dish, Kopun (castrated cockerel in honey and wild orange), the pasticada (beef stewed in wine with prunes, served with gnocchi), or the royal shellfish brodet (seafood stewed with tomato, wine and fresh herbs). Everything is reasonably priced, and they serve quality Dalmatian wines, both by the glass and by the bottle.
Contact: restaurantkopun.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Barba
This welcoming little hole-in-the-wall eatery specialises in ‘sea food-street food’ and is one of the few places in town to offer a reasonably-priced quick bite. It’s an ideal spot for lunch or supper on the run, and comprises modern pinewood tables and stools seating about 10 guests, plus cushions on the stone steps out front. The daily menu is chalked-up on a blackboard, with perennial favourites being the octopus burger and the tempura prawns, plus local wine served in plastic cups. Everything is cooked-to-order, and if they run out of fresh ingredients, they close early.
Contact: 00 38 598 178 30 86; facebook.com
Prices: £
Opening times: 10am-9pm, Mar and Oct; 10am-midnight, Apr-Sep
Reservations: Not possible
Trattoria Carmen
With just half-a-dozen tables in a narrow alley leading to the Aquarium, this welcoming family-run eatery serves Creative Mediterranean fare, prepared from fresh local seasonal produce. The menu changes daily, depending on what’s best at the open-air morning market. House specialities include smoked tuna, homemade pasta with truffles and shrimps, Octopus Carmen (tender octopus stewed in a rich sauce of tomato, olives and capers) and pašticada (beef stewed in sweet wine and prunes). They also make their own bread, baked fresh each morning.
Contact: trattoria-carmen-dubrovnik.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Buffet Škola
You’ll find this tiny old-fashioned sandwich shop, renowned throughout town for its slabs of freshly-baked bread filled with local pršut (prosciutto) and sir (cheese), as well as tasty homemade apple strudel, in the same street as the gallery War Photo, which makes it a good choice for a carb fix after a morning roaming the gallery. Most people come here for takeaway, but if you eat at one of the three tables inside, you’ll feel as if you’re sitting in the Popović family kitchen. It’s a real local hangout, and one of the few eateries to stay open all year. Cash only.
Contact:buffetskola.hr
Prices: £
Reservations: Not possible
Kamenica
This informal, family-run eatery serves generous platters of girice (small fried fish, similar to whitebait), pržene lignje (fried squid) and miješena salata (mixed salad) at outdoor tables on the square overlooking the open-air market. If you want a dessert there’s no choice, just one standard dish, rožata, a Dubrovnik speciality similar to crème caramel. Despite having been featured in many guide books, and therefore attracting droves of tourists, it’s still frequented by locals too. They don’t take reservations, so you may have to queue. It’s a bit chaotic, but fun.
Contact: 00 38 52 03 23 68 2
Prices: £
Opening times: Daily, 8am-midnight, May-Oct; 8am-4pm, Nov-Dec and Feb-Apr
Reservations: Not possible
Outside of the Old Town
Orsan
This long-standing restaurant has waterside tables overlooking the marina in the Orsan yacht club, and is shaded by pine trees along the stone quay. There’s also additional seating on an upper terrace. Orsan is thoroughly unpretentious, and serves first-rate barbecued fresh fish, such as whole John Dory or sea bass (which they’ll fillet at your table), along with Dalmatian favourites like octopus salad and black risotto (made from cuttlefish ink). For those who prefer meat, they do succulent fillet steak or local lamb. Breakfast is also served here through summer (8-11am).
Contact:restaurant-orsan-dubrovnik.com
Prices: £££
Reservations: Recommended
KIOSK Dubrovnik
In a small park close to Dubrovnik’s Gruž port, this street-food kiosk opened in spring 2022. The global-fusion menu includes tasty snacks from around the world, such as salmon poke bowl, avocado toast with ramen egg and micro-greens, beef cheek bunny chow, and vegetarian poke bowl. Offering something a little different from Dubrovnik’s ubiquitous Dalmatian seafood, it makes a novel and inexpensive option to formal dining. You can sit at high tables in front of the kiosk, or take away. KIOSK is the sister eatery of Azur in the old town.
Contact: kioskdubrovnik.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Not possible
Pepper’s
In a candle-lit stone courtyard, with additional tables indoors, Pepper’s serves creative Mediterranean dishes, with plenty of vegetarian options, such as homemade hummus and warm pitta bread, which you might follow with a grilled haloumi burger (halloumi cheese, homemade basil pesto, rocket, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, lettuce and garlic mayonaisse) then round off with a white chocolate tiramisu trifle. Also be sure to try their excellent cocktails – the Pepper’s frozen margaritas go down a treat. You’ll find it on Lapad peninsular, close to the sailing marina.
Contact: pepperseatery.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
