10 Best Restaurants in Central Dalmatia, Croatia

Some of the mainstays on this restaurant's menu come directly from the Adriatic Sea, and many of the ingredients are sourced from across the Croatian mainland. Located within the palace walls, this relaxed spot requires turning a few corners to find it but the food and setting are worth the hunt. The carefully researched wine menu pairs well with sushi.

Located in a quiet area a few miles out of town, Dvor offers up a superior rendition of Croatian seafood and professional service. Alfesco tables have outstanding views, and there's an outdoor grill as well as parking, which is a luxury in Split.

Conceptualized in 1883 and opened in 1902 as a lobster house, this cleverly converted restaurant has platforms with tables built out above the water, and guests arriving via sailboat can berth here for free. The house specialty is—as you may have guessed—lobster, which guests can choose from live cages in the sea.

Surrounded on all four sides by the shade of an olive grove, this restaurant is the perfect place to wind down after a day of sun and sightseeing. It's known for steak, lamb cooked peka-style, and fish prepared traditionally na gradele (on the grill).

With a tremendous sense of style, family-owned TRS combines traditional food with modern ingredients that are freshly sourced from the owner's family farm in a nearby village. The unusual combinations are a welcome change and still subtle enough to allow the strength of the traditional Dalmatian food to dominate. Reserve a seat outside to enjoy the sight of trs—grapevines—twining around the courtyard as you sip your wine.

Based in an elegant stone building in the Old Town, this welcoming family-run restaurant (formerly called Vanjaka) serves Dalmatian specialties. Sit outside on the open-air terrace, or take a table in the intimate air-conditioned dining room. Ask your waiter for a travarica (traditional Dalmatian herbal rakija) as an aperitif. 

Great care is taken to select and focus on the best local fresh ingredients at this sophisticated restaurant, tucked away in a picturesque courtyard off the main square of Hvar Town. The wine list is impressive and includes local standouts and a wide international selection.

In a modern glass-and-wood conservatory that looks onto a courtyard garden of orange and lemon trees, Pojoda makes for a popular spot among the sailing crowd that won't disappoint a food-savvy traveler either. During the summer, it can get crowded and service may be a bit inconsistent.

Above the ACI Marina and at the foot of Marjan Hill, this mostly seafood restaurant has a light and airy, minimalist interior, as well as a summer terrace. In the spirit of slow food, the kitchen gives great care to fresh seasonal ingredients and presentation. The former owner, Zoran Grašo, is a retired basketball player, and his son Petar is a famous singer, so you may still spot some local celebrities from time to time among the diners.

On the tiny island of Sveti Klement, a 20-minute taxi-boat ride from Hvar Town (or dock your sailboat in nearby ACI Marina), this terrace restaurant is backed by a romantic wilderness of Mediterranean flora and offers stunning views over the open sea. Besides wonderfully fresh seafood, dishes showcase local ingredients such as sheep's cheese, olives, and beef. The owners are the Meneghello family, whose ties to the island date back to 1906. They are well-known for their love of art and culture, as well as food: the walls are decorated with contemporary Croatian art.