The main square is pretty, but it's not where the good food is. Step one street back and you'll eat better for less. Here's what to order — and where the locals actually go.
Dalmatian cooking is simple and seasonal — grilled fish, olive oil, herbs and time. Look for these.
The catch of the day is priced by weight and grilled whole. Ask what came in that morning.
Meat or octopus slow-cooked under an iron bell with coals on top. Usually order a day ahead.
Squid-ink risotto, and beef braised in sweet wine — the two Dalmatian classics to try once.
An honest selection across budgets. Croatian menus and hours shift with the season, so check current reviews before you set off.
A konoba is a traditional Dalmatian tavern — stone walls, a short menu, grilled fish and a carafe of house wine. The best ones sit on the quiet lanes a street or two back from the cathedral, where prices drop and the cooking gets more personal.
For fresh fish with a sea view, head to the Riva promenade or cross to the Čiovo side. You pay a little extra for the setting, but the fish is genuinely local. Go for the daily catch rather than anything frozen on the menu.
For a budget lunch, grab burek (filled pastry) from a bakery, a wood-fired pizza, or fruit and cheese from the small green market by the bridge. Perfect to take down to the Riva or off to the beach.
Restaurants right on the main square and the busiest stretch of the Riva charge for the location. Quality usually improves the moment you turn off it.
Laminated menus with photos in six languages are aimed at passing tourists. A short, hand-written or daily-changing menu is a good sign.
Fish priced by the kilo and chosen at the table is fresher than anything fixed-price on the menu. Don't be shy to ask the weight first.
The good konobas are small and fill up. In peak season, reserve a table earlier in the day, especially for a group.
A wine and food tour pairs local Plavac Mali with Dalmatian bites — an easy way to find flavours you'd otherwise miss.
Eaten well? Find a base for the night and the best swimming spots for tomorrow.