With Dubrovnik being the popular destination that it is, it can be easy to find yourself dining at one of the many overpriced and not-so-great restaurants that lure tourists in. Throughout my travels, I have learned more and more to stay away from these tourist traps because although they might seem appealing and convenient, there are always much better and more authentic options. My advice would be to stay away from restaurants that are located along the main streets, have someone standing outside to convince people to come in, and have a menu with pages for multiple languages with pictures of all the dishes.
What to Expect:
If you are a seafood lover then you will be in heaven when dining in Croatia. There is no shortage of places serving fresh seafood that is caught locally. You also may notice a pattern of similar options appearing on most of the menus you look at as there are several popular dishes that are offered by most the restaurants.
Besides the seafood, many of the restaurants offer traditional Croatian dishes and I highly recommend doing your research on this before your trip. With no prior knowledge on these dishes, I tried to learn more about what ingredients these meals included so that I could get an idea of what I did and didn’t want to try based on my preferences. I am no expert on Croatian food by any means, but from what I experienced, their food is not only delicious but also very different from the usual cuisines we can find in the United States.
Where I Ate:
Yelp is usually my go-to tool for figuring out where to eat, but unfortunately Dubrovnik restaurants cannot be found on the site. This leaves Trip Advisor as one of the only options for reading reviews, and I personally try to stay away from this option since the more touristy spots seem to work their way up to the top of your search results. I can share, however, the places that I chose to eat at and my personal opinion on them so here they are…
Barba
This tiny little spot was the perfect option for a cheap lunch during a day of exploring within the Old City walls. I tried the fried squid and in my opinion the portion size was perfect especially if you’re looking for a meal that won’t weigh you down on a hot day. I got lucky with finding seating since the inside is so small, but I saw many other people who showed up after me having to take it to go. My suggestion would be to be aware of the time and try to beat the lunch rush by either going either before or slightly after the peak times.
Taj Mahal
Despite what the name might make you think, the Taj Mahal serves traditional Bosnian food and has two different locations in Dubrovnik. I ate at the restaurant located outside of Old Town, closer to Bellevue Hotel. As delicious as all of the fresh seafood in Dubrovnik is, I was ready for something a little different. I get very excited about trying new food, so I jumped on the opportunity of trying this unique cuisine that I had never had the chance to before. With it being my first time eating Bosnian food, I have no comparison to other Bosnian restaurants, but I loved it. The Burek, Cevapi, and Bosnian Meatballs were great for meat lovers.
Rajski Vrt
This outdoor restaurant is where I wounded up when I found myself starving for lunch during my day trip to the Island of Lokrum. The seating outside is really cute and has enough tables under the shade to keep you cool on a hot summer day. The portion sizes were perfect for lunch and the prices were reasonable.
Gusta Me
This restaurant was conveniently located just outside of the Old Town walls but didn’t have the huge crowds that the other dinning options inside the walls had. The outdoor seating offered views of the beautiful sunset over the Old Town and plenty of people watching. Both the sole fillet with prawns and stuffed squid were fresh and flavorful dishes. The only downside would be that the service from the staff was not so great.
