What to eat Dubrovnik? culinary specialties and gastronomy

At the height of the tourist season, it's a bit crowded, the service isn't always the best and, above all, the queues get long, sometimes very long (an hour's wait) in front of the best restaurants in the old town (which don't take reservations). This is especially true in the evening. To avoid them, there's only one solution: dine early (7pm) or late (10pm). Lunchtime is simpler, also because restaurants often work around the clock, without a break.

Dubrovnik has many pizzerias and at least as many fish and seafood restaurants. A word of clarification on restaurant menus: salads tend to be served as side dishes, and are rarely mixed salads that constitute a meal in their own right. As elsewhere in the Dubrovnik region, risottos (black and seafood) are offered as starters and main courses. Formulas or menus are very rare - except in two or three establishments in the old town at lunchtime - and everything is à la carte. The city's restaurants all have terraces, sometimes overlooking the sea.

Meals are far from cheap, and every year prices rise (with the highest prices going to the restaurants in and around the old town). Expect to pay at least €25 per person. They go very well with local wines. House wine(domaće vino) can be both a good and a bad bet! A place setting of around €2 is sometimes charged, and translates into a fish pâté served as a starter.

In restaurants, you often have to pay for food and drink, as well as water and bread (if you use them). Tipping (10% of the bill) is not compulsory, but it's appreciated!

As you stroll through the old town, you'll notice the presence of touts at the entrance to some restaurants. The addresses they suggest are usually very touristy and of average quality. It's not impossible to eat well in the old town (on the contrary!), but it's best to avoid the main streets. Good restaurants don't need touts!

In season, cafés are open every day from dawn to dusk. In winter, they close earlier in the evening and sometimes only open at weekends (especially if they are concert bars).

The cafés in the old town, especially those along the Stradun, are very expensive. The situation changes as you move away from the city walls, but in general, consider that Dubrovnik is much more expensive than the rest of Croatia (even in the neighboring regions of Pelješac and Konavle). A coffee can cost between €1 and €3, depending on the location of the bar, while a pint of beer can reach €8 in the most popular places. Please note: credit cards are not accepted everywhere.

Under-18s are not allowed to consume alcohol. You may be asked to show proof of identity at the bar.

Ragusans are great coffee drinkers. Good Mediterranean people, they like to make the most of the terraces that can be found in every corner of the city and dozens of them within the city walls. You can enjoy an espresso (or any other kind of coffee, such as the well-known bijela kava, or café crème) at the foot of the cathedral, opposite the Rector's palace, on the Stradun, facing the old port - and there, the magic of Dubrovnik inevitably takes place! Some cafés, such as Gradska Kavana, were founded during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. You'll also want to stop off at the Café Festival and the Cafés Buža, which are located on the rocks south of the city walls, facing the sea. Some bars also offer live music.

Practically all bars in Croatia are smoke-free. So expect smoky atmospheres in cafés and nightclubs, except in the open air!