The 22 best restaurants in Dubrovnik

Soak views across the entire city from the terrace at Panorama, one of the best restaurants in Dubrovnik

Local Adriatic seafood tops the menu in Dubrovnik, from octopus burgers in low-key, hole-in-the-wall eateries to magnificent platters of grilled fresh fish and shellfish, served in fine dining ambiance and expertly boned at your table. Other options in this city of food lovers range from hearty sandwich joints to intimate Bosnian eateries, as well as slap-up sushi feasts with fresh local oysters and amberjack sashimi.

All our recommendations below have been hand-selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in Dubrovnik. Find out more below, or for more inspiration, see our guide to Dubrovnik and the city’s best hotels, bars and things to do.

Find a restaurant by type:

• Best all-rounders
• Best for families
• Best for cheap eats
• Best for fine dining
• Best for walk-ins
• Best for sea views

Best all-rounders

Bota Sushi & Oyster Bar

Bota specialises in raw fresh oysters from the owner’s farm in the Pelješac peninsula (they can 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. Bota moved to a new location in 2024, just inside the Buža Gate entrance to the Old Town.

Area: Old Town

Price: £££

Reservations: Recommended

Bota specialises in oysters but also serves exceptional sushi and tempura

Sesame

In a peaceful pedestrian side street, between the Old Town and Lapad, Sesame extends over several stone terraces shaded by orange trees and furnished with an eclectic mix of antique and modern tables and chairs. The lunchtime menu includes prawn and asparagus risotto, and roasted beetroot with sweet potato and feta cheese, while at dinner you might opt for gregada (sea bass, monkfish, shrimps and mussels casseroled with wine, onion and potato), or lamb shank with truffle purée.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££-£££

Reservations: Recommended in high season

Sesame serves an eclectic menu in its peaceful garden terrace

Taj Mahal

This is one of the few eateries to stay open most of the year in the Old Town, and offers a break from ubiquitous Dalmatian seafood. 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 desserts such as baklava. They have a halal certificate. The restaurant now dominates most of stone-paved Gučetića street with a long row of outdoor tables, but note that prices have shot up here recently.

Area: Old Town

Price: ££-£££

Reservations: Recommended in high season

Taj Mahal’s Bosnian specialities cut a nice contrast with the city’s plentiful Dalmatian seafood

Taverna Loggia

In Gruž, with candle-lit tables on a shaded garden terrace with climbing roses and magnificent pink hydrangeas, Taverna Loggia is romantic without being outrageously expensive. Hidden away at the end of the bay, it serves beautifully presented regional seasonal specialities such as pumpkin soup, homemade pasta with truffle cream sauce, and cuttlefish with fava beans and gnocchi. To round off, choices include a cheese platter or chocolate soufflé.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended in high season

Taverna Loggia is romantic without being outrageously expensive

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 CroAsian style seafood laksa (seafood cooked in fragrant coconut broth with rice noodles), and seared tuna served with jasmine rice, stir fried vegetables, cashews nuts and micro greens. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun, with tables in a whitewashed vaulted space, with stone floors, Oriental rugs, subtle lighting and mellow music.

Area: Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended

Urban & Veggie

Overlooking boats in Gruž port, this hip vegetarian-vegan eatery is popular with locals and visitors alike. It has a funky interior, with lots of plants and a small courtyard with outdoor tables in summer. Come here for cold-pressed juices such as beetroot, apple, lemon and ginger, soups made from seasonal organic vegetables, a choice of vegetarian burgers, and a tasty green salad with roasted butternut squash, walnuts and chestnuts.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended in high season

Vibrant, health-conscious and delicious – Urban & Veggie is a local favourite

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 pašticada (beef stewed in wine with prunes, served with gnocchi), or the brodet (casserole of octopus and potato cooked in wine and fresh herbs). Needless to say, they serve quality Dalmatian wines, both by the glass and by the bottle.

Area: Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended

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Best for families

Konoba Dubrava

This rustic stone-and-wood eatery is hidden away up on Mt Srđ, and a 10-minute drive from Dubrovnik. It specialises in barbecued meats and peka dishes – lamb or octopus slow-cooked in a casserole pot, placed on glowing embers and covered by a peka (cast-iron domed lid). You can visit the outdoor kitchen to watch the chef working over the open fire. It’s popular with locals and hosts occasional live music and folk dancing, and it’s family-friendly and has a children’s playground.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended

Konoba Dubrava specialises in rustic, traditional outdoor cooking

Lacroma

On the tiny green island of Lokrum, Lacroma is a gorgeous spot for lunch, with tables set below big white parasols, surrounded by palms, oleander, Bougainvillaea and strutting peacocks. The menu includes delights such as octopus salad with sea fennel and barbecued prawn tails with rocket and cherry tomatoes. There’s barbecued smoked tofu for vegetarians, plus burgers and chips for kids. Lokrum is served by shuttle boat from Dubrovnik’s old harbour, and Lacroma is open daily through summer till 8pm.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended in high season

Konavoski Dvori

In a magical setting, in an old mill next to the gently cascading River Ljuta, set amid woodland in Konavle, this much-loved restaurant offers an escape from the heat and crowds of the city. The menu features traditional Dalmatian specialities, including platters of ham and cheese, and trout from the river. They also do dishes prepared under a peka (cast-iron domed lid), which slow cooks meat (normally lamb or veal) over an open-fire. Informal and fun, with waiters in folk costume, it lies 35km east of Dubrovnik.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: £££

Reservations: Recommended

Konavoski Dvori’s magical dining space next to the cascading River Ljuta

Pepper’s

In a candle-lit stone courtyard, Pepper’s serves popular international fare, with plenty of sharing plates and vegetarian options, such as homemade hummus and warm pitta bread, corn-on-the-cob and skin-on fries. Meat-eaters might opt for a rib-eye steak or a homemade burger, while teens will love the tacos, chocolatey desserts and fun vibe. Also be sure to try their excellent cocktails – the Pepper’s frozen margaritas go down a treat. You will find it on Lapad peninsular, close to the sailing marina.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended

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Best for cheap eats

Barba

This welcoming little hole-in-the-wall eatery specialises in “seafood 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 mixed seafood platter, plus local wine served in plastic cups. Everything is cooked to order, and if they run out of fresh ingredients, they close early.

Area: Old Town

Price: £

Reservations: Not possible

Barba’s reasonably priced “seafood street food” – when it’s gone, it’s gone

Buffet Škola

You will 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 will feel as if you are sitting in the Popović family kitchen. It is a real local hangout, and one of the few eateries to stay open all year. Cash only.

Area: Old Town

Price: £

Reservations: Not possible

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Best for walk-ins

Trattoria Carmen

With just half a dozen tables in a narrow alley leading to the aquarium, plus a handful of indoor tables, 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.

Area: Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Not possible – works on first-come, first-served basis

Trattoria Carmen’s seasonal Mediterranean menu changes daily according to the produce available

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 a sushi tower, salmon poke bowl, and vegan poke bowl (with mushroom, hummus, guacamole and pickled pumpkin). Offering something a little different from Dubrovnik’s heavily favoured 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.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: £-££

Reservations: Recommended only if you want to sit

Kiosk’s fusion menu is globally influenced and locally sourced

Gianni

This charming ice cream parlour serves delicious artisan ice creams, homemade French-style pastries, old-fashioned Dubrovnik desserts, 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.

Area: Old Town

Price: £

Reservations: Not possible

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Best for fine dining

Above 5

With just 10 tables on a tiny rooftop terrace, Above 5 affords stunningly romantic views over the old town, making it popular with visiting celebrities. The menu features sophisticated creative Mediterranean cuisine, with highlights including lobster with charred asparagus and citrus beurre blanc, and rack of lamb with sweet potato cream, pumpkin seed pesto and leeks. You’ll find it on the fifth floor at Hotel Stari Grad – note that there’s no lift and the stairs up are steep.

Area: Old Town

Price: £££

Reservations: Essential

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 summery octopus salad, homemade ricotta ravioli with shelled shrimp tails, and whole fresh fish, served filleted. Recent illustrious customers include Croatian NBA legend Toni Kukoč and retired Ivory Coast and Chelsea FC footballer Didier Drogba.

Area: Old Town

Price: £££

Reservations: Recommended

Old-fashioned romance and classy seafood at Proto - Damir Fabijania

Gradska Kavana Arsenal Restaurant

The Gradska Kavana (city café) has an elegant terrace overlooking the Stradun. If you walk through the café, you’ll find the Arsenal Restaurant at the back, with its best tables on a covered stone terrace within the wide arch of the 16th-century arsenal (shipyard) giving onto the old harbour. Feast on refined Dalmatian fare, such as crni rižot (black risotto made from cuttlefish ink, with sage and grated sheep’s cheese), or sea bass fillet with leeks, broccoli and caper sauce.

Area: Old Town

Price: ££-£££

Reservations: Recommended

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Best for sea views

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. It serves first-rate barbecued fresh fish, such as whole John Dory or sea bass (which they will fillet at your table), along with Dalmatian favourites like octopus salad and black risotto (made from cuttlefish ink). For meat-eaters, they do succulent fillet steak or chicken breast wrapped in bacon. It stays open all year, doing a cut-price daily menu in winter.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: £££

Reservations: Recommended in high season

Enjoy fresh barbecued fish by the quayside at Orsan

Panorama

Affording glorious views down onto the Old Town and out to sea, Panorama stands on the peak of Mt Srđ. For a light lunch they do salads and burgers, while the more elaborate menu features creative Mediterranean fare, with favourites including the chef’s king prawns cooked in tomato and caper sauce and served with garlic bread, or lamb chops with chickpea cream, feta cheese and Jerusalem artichoke chips. You can reach Panorama directly by cable car, or hike up via a serpentine footpath.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££-£££

Reservations: Recommended

Panorama has unrivalled views across the city, which are more than worth the ascent

Fratello’s

What began as an open-air prosecco bar now includes a lovely terrace restaurant. The menu is short and select, as everything is freshly prepared that day. Treats include chilled gazpacho soup, fettucine with lobster and mussels, potato gnocchi with shrimps, and vegetarian risotto. You’ll find Fratello’s up a flight of stone steps, off the main road between the Old Town and Lapad, with a series of terraces affording views down to the open sea.

Area: Outside of the Old Town

Price: ££

Reservations: Recommended

Fratello’s peaceful tiered terraces hang out over the Adriatic

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How we choose

Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller’s taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations.

About our expert

Jane Foster

Jane has lived on the Dalmatian Coast on and off since 1998. She explores the blissful Croatian islands in summer, and the cultural attractions, bars and restaurants of the mainland port cities of Split and Dubrovnik through winter.

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