Best Food to Eat in Split, Croatia

Photo of Split

Croatian cuisine delights all those who are looking for first-class gastronomic specialties. A range of restaurants lures tourists with local specialties and tempting wine lists full of wines with rich flavors and aromas. Sunshine, beautiful beaches and buildings from the Roman era make this city one of the most desirable tourist destinations in Croatia. Every year, more than 800,000 visitors come to Split and enjoy their meals in different restaurants in the city. 

If you plan to visit Split soon, you already made a list of the cool things to do in Split and now and you’re wondering what are the food and drink prices in Split, Croatia, here’s the list of the top 9 restaurants in Split that will delight you with the cuisine, ambiance, and top service. We’ll go through the top three of fine dining, mid-range, and cheap restaurants in Split.

Best Fine Dining Food in Split, Croatia

Restaurant Para di Šoto

A small gastro paradise on the ground floor of Hotel Slavija infuses antique furniture and a modern minimalist interior. Para di Šoto’s dishes are made in the spirit of Mediterranean and local cuisine and accompanied by modern presentation techniques with immaculate service. Certified organic produce is an indispensable ingredient that goes through every dish that Para di Šoto’s staff brings to your table. A great selection of wines can amaze your palate if you enjoy wine tasting.

The prices for main dishes range from 100 to 320 kuna, which places this restaurant on the list of the best food in Split, Croatia in the fine dining category. 

Restaurant Zrno Soli

Zrno Soli is located fifteen minutes by foot from the city center, on the top of the ACI Marine administrative building, so you can not see the exquisite luxury that awaits inside. However, you’ll have great views overlooking the harbor once you get there. The restaurant is one of the 50 Croatian restaurants in the Michelin’s Guide. The (mostly) fish dishes are prepared imaginatively and creatively, with fresh fish and groceries. Moreover, they offer the top selection of wines, champagne, rum, and cognac.

The seafood restaurant’s 4-course menu will cost you 450 kuna, while an 8-course menu with the carefully-picked Croatian Mediterranean specialties costs 890 kuna.

Restaurant ZOI

ZOI’s located next to the entrance of Diocletian’s basements (South Gate). It’s a restaurant that describes its food as a mix of Mediterranean cuisine from the east to the west. The menu is inspired by the varied ingredients grown in the area and its rich history. It is a mixture of cultures and the fusion of unmatched ingredients. The chefs pay great attention paid to the seasonality of food. What’s more, it changes every few months. You can find this restaurant in the Michelin Guide as well.

Main courses prices range from 189 kuna to 255 kuna, but we suggest you try Catch of the day or Mediterranean lobster for the true seaside culinary experience.

Best Mid-Range Restaurants and Taverns in Split, Croatia

Restaurant Šug

Two young chefs opened Restaurant Šug in Tolstojeva 1a in Split in 2019. Both of them were strongly inspired by the islands they spent their childhood on, while the traditional recipes stayed with them long after they grew up. The smells of homemade bread and the smiles of attentive staff make this cozy little restaurant a place to rest and eat delicious food in Croatia in Split.

The prices in Restaurant Šug range from 70 to 250 kuna, so it’s an affordable option for all of the gourmands out there.

Konoba Laganini

The tavern that’s located on the address Kraj svetog Ivana 2 is home to the excellent mixture of traditional Dalmatian and modern cuisine. They source fresh fish from the fish market in Split and offer exquisite red meat dishes for every meat lover. Moreover, the perfect ambiance makes Konoba Laganini an excellent choice for a romantic dinner.

The prices for a fantastic night out range from 40 to 297 kuna. So, if you’re still in doubt, it’s definitely time to visit Laganini.

Konoba Babarin

The last on our list of mid-range restaurants is a tavern in the Old Town called Konoba Babarin. Best known for their seafood menu, the homey tavern has plenty to offer to hungry taste buds. You can call it the traditional Croatian cuisine with a modern spin. Their motto is  “relax in the beautiful ambiance and enjoy top dishes.”

The daily menu dish price ranges from 50 to 100 kuna, making this tavern an extremely affordable dining place.

Best Cheap Food in Split, Croatia

Pikanterija Food Bar

When you’re tired of a walking tour and want to eat a sandwich, you should go to Pikanterija. It’s a little fast food place near the Croatian National Theater that offers sandwiches with fresh ingredients. The authentic taste entices hungry eyes. Except for a variety of sandwiches, you can have fresh salads which you can wash down with a glass of local Dalmatian wine. It’s a small food place but nonetheless an outstanding one.

With a menu that offers great food for as little as 20 to 46 kuna, it’s a great place to stop by and have a bite.

Buffet Zlatna Ribica

The Old Town is full of old restaurants. Next to the Fish Market, Zlatna Ribica offers tasty food for visitors who travel on a budget. It’s a 20-year-old buffet that serves fresh fried fish with lovely wine. If you want to experience the true local spirit, make sure to put Zlatna Ribica on your list. It’s one of the best cheap foods in Split in Croatia. Despite the competition out there, this little restaurant managed to survive until now.

The standard fish dish here will cost you around 30 to 40 kuna.

Konoba Fratelli

A real culinary tour of Split wouldn’t be possible without Konoba Fratelli. A little further west of the Old Town, this food place is a real gem for seafood and pizza lovers that have to stay within their budget. Konoba Fratelli is a Mediterranean restaurant that has the traditional Italian and Croatian dishes which leave every visitor happy. After you finish your meal, you can go for a walk down the promenade. What would you need besides that to have a nice evening?

A meal here will cost you around 100 kuna, placing it between mid-range and cheap food restaurants in Split.

What’s the Best Food to Eat in Split, Croatia?

Once your food tour of Split, Croatia is over, you should know what you like best. Is it fine dining for refined taste buds or a mid-range restaurant for the whole family? On the other hand, you might need something “on the go” and grab a sandwich, or simply don’t have the budget to worry about expensive food. 

Whatever your preference might be, we hope our short list helped you to decide where you’ll go to eat authentic Croatian food next time you’re in Split.