Where To Eat In Split - Best Restaurants In Split, Croatia

Last Updated on 6th March 2023

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The Best Restaurants In Split, Croatia For Every Budget

During our one month in Croatia in October/November 2022, we ate at many of the best restaurants in Split, particularly in the Old Town.

Food is one of the best and most essential parts of our travels, so we were super excited to experience the awesome food scene in Split. My guide below about where to eat in Split contains everything you need to know about food in this beautiful Croatian coastal city.

You’ll find my recommendations for the top restaurants in Split, including where to find the best cheap eats in Split, the best gelato in Split, plus a list of the best coffee shops if you’re looking for somewhere to eat while you work!

What to expect from Croatian food

Croatian food is an awesome blend of all the countries surrounding it. You’ll find Italian influences, Balkan cuisine from nearby countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania, Austrian, German and Hungarian food, plus plenty of Asian influence too.

It’s essentially a culinary melting point with incredible seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes. The cuisine inspired by the Balkan region was my favourite part of the food in Split.

With dishes such as burek/börek (a delightful pastry/pie made from filo pastry with fillings such as meat, cheese, potatoes, spinach and sometimes apple), ćevapi/ćevapčići (the most heavenly minced meat kebab-like sausages) and pašticada (a scrumptious beef stew cooked in a fragrant sweet and sour sauce), “Croatian cuisine” offers some of my favourite dishes I’ve ever had in Europe!

You’ll also find lots of seafood in Split as it’s a coastal city, as well as dishes such as pasta, pizza, risotto and ice cream, all influenced by Italy.

Typical Croatian dishes

Here are some of the most common foods in Split:

Ćevapi/ćevapčići
Börek
Black risotto (usually made with squid ink)
Paški sir (cheese from the island of Pag)
Istrian ham
Pašticada
Njoki
Truffles
Dalmatinski pršut
Peka

Where to eat in Split for every budget

The best restaurants in Split for every budget

Below, you’ll find my comprehensive guide to the best places to eat in Split.

I’ve separated it into categories for every budget, so you’ll find the best cheap eats in Split, the best mid-range restaurants and the top restaurants in Split for higher-end budgets!

Where to eat in Split map

Best cheap eats in Split

We didn’t find the food to be insanely cheap in Split, however, it was certainly more affordable than in Dubrovnik…

A good tip to bear in mind if you’re looking for somewhere cheap to eat in Split is to look out for places that have “konoba” in their name. Dino, our awesome guide on our Split Food Tour, told us that a konoba is essentially a Croatian tavern and was originally where families traditionally stored their food and wine.

A konoba is where you’ll typically find some of the best cheap eats in Split and they usually serve “traditional” Croatian cuisine.

ST Burek

ST Burek is one of the best cheap places to eat in Split. Not only does it serve the most heavenly bureks, but it’s also outrageously cheap, with a substantial burek slice costing just 17kn (less than £2).

Stuffed with minced meat or cheese and occasionally some sweet options too, the bureks at ST Burek are sensational and so filling! Matt and I shared one every single time (and we ate here four times in four weeks!) because they’re just so big! We first visited ST Burek on our Split Food Tour and after that, we just couldn’t get enough!

Phil Rosenthal from Somebody Feed Phil visited ST Burek when he was filming the Croatia episode from season 6 of the show and after visiting ourselves on numerous occasions, I can totally see why he recommended this awesome place!

Kantun Paulina

If there’s just one dish I could recommend in Split, it would have to be the čevapi burger from Kantun Paulina.

Served in the softest, doughiest bread, with kajmak (cheese), onions and ajvar (roasted red pepper and tomato paste), these čevapi “sausage” sandwiches are unlike anything I’ve ever had.

I ordered mine without the ajvar because I’m not the biggest fan of peppers, but even without them, this sandwich is arguably the best I’ve ever had! It doesn’t look like much, but I promise that it will be one of the best things you eat in Split!

The small portion is also enormous and incredibly filling and it’s only 30kn (approx £3.40)!

Best mid-range restaurants in Split

Of course, determining what a “mid-range” budget is when it comes to places to eat in Split, depends on how much you’re actually willing to pay for each meal and what you deem as expensive.

I’ve included some of the top restaurants in Split below that I think fall into the “mid-range” category. You’ll find dishes for as little as £6, as well as meals that cost around £12, which I would say is a respectable mid-range food budget for eating out in Split.

Let’s take a look at more of the best restaurants in Split Old Town!

Gourmet Bar Basta – best pizza in Split

Basta came highly recommended to me by numerous people during our time in Split and once we ate there, I could totally see why!

The menu is extensive and varied, with everything from charcuterie platters to dozens of pizzas to salads, as well as plenty of dessert options, too.

I had the Rustica pizza which came with toppings of salami, bacon, fresh tomatoes and basil. The dough was so light, yet chewy and the toppings were absolutely delightful. Matt had the Basta pizza which came with its very own “washing line” of prosciutto so that he could distribute it on the pizza himself!

Basta resides right on the water, so it’s such a beautiful place to eat; the inside of the restaurant is also gorgeous and the food is wonderful. I’d highly recommend adding Gourmet Bar Basta to your list of places to eat in Split!

Rustica pizza 90kn
Basta pizza 96 kn
Radler beer 32kn
House white wine 36kn

Sanctuary Caffe Bar – where to eat in Split Old Town

Our apartment during our one month in Split was adjacent to Sanctuary which is a Mexican bar that started offering food just before we arrived in the city.

The bar itself is a great place to hang out and while it’s not the cheapest place to drink in Split, it’s a super lively place that’s always full of both locals and tourists.

The food is also really good, especially the chips and dip; I’ve never really enjoyed nachos before, but the guacamole and pico de gallo at Sanctuary are heavenly! We also ordered the chicken quesadillas and pork carnitas tacos which were both super yummy and reasonably priced!

Chicken quesadillas 65kn
Pork carnitas 55kn
White wine 30kn
Beer pilsner 32kn
Chips and dip 30kn

Toto’s Burger Bar/Good Food

We’d heard so many great things about the burgers at Toto’s, but we didn’t eat there until the penultimate day of our stay in Split, which I somewhat regret now as I wish we’d have visited more times!

The crispy bacon burger combo came with a huge burger, fries and a drink for 83kn and even though it’s not the cheapest place to eat in Split, I couldn’t get over how delicious the burger was!

It’s pretty much just fast food, but a whole lot better!

Pizzeria Portas – best pizza in Split

Pizzeria Portas - best restaurants in Split

Pizzeria Portas was the very first place that we ate at in Split when we arrived on our first day and it was such a great meal to begin our one month in the city!

It’s ranked #25 out of 443 restaurants in Split and even though I thoroughly enjoyed the pizzas here and would 100% recommend it to you guys, I think I actually preferred the pizzas at Basta. If you’re in Split for long enough, I’d advise trying them both out to see which one you prefer!

Margherita pizza 75kn
Pizza Portas (ham, bacon, spicy salami, onion) 95kn
House white wine 23kn

Baza – where to eat in Split

Baza is another one of the best restaurants in Split that has such a great choice of dishes on its menu. You’ll find things like octopus salad, spring rolls, burgers, salmon, steak, stir fry, lamb shanks and more!

I had the barbecue pork ribs with mashed potato and crispy onion rings (99kn) and apart from the fact that there was a little too much barbecue sauce for my liking, I absolutely loved this dish! Matt had the Baza burger (99kn) which was enormous and so delicious!

Baza is a great place to eat in Split if you’re looking for somewhat simple, yet utterly yummy dishes!

Konoba Kod Joze – best Konoba in Split

Konoba Kod Joze was the third place that we ate at on our Split Food Tour and I wanted to include it in this list of the top restaurants in Split as well as it’s much more of a local place to eat in the Old Town.

You’ll find a vast variety of different dishes at Konoba Kod Joze, with some super cheap local cuisine, as well as pretty expensive seafood dishes.

If you want to eat at a local restaurant while in Split, be sure to add Konoba Kod Joze to your list.

Konoba Pjaca – where to eat in Split

Konoba Pjaca is located in the People’s Square (Pjaca) and it’s approximately 100m from the front door of the apartment that we stayed at during our one month in Split, making it the perfect place for breakfast after a night of drinking too much wine…

They have an excellent breakfast deal where you can choose from over a dozen different breakfast combinations such as eggs, bacon, ham, sausages, omelette, bagels, juice, coffee and more, all for 85kn.

It’s not the cheapest breakfast place in Split, but you do get a lot of food and drink in the deal, so I think it’s worth the money!

Where to eat in Split – luxury budget

Split is definitely an affordable place to eat, but there are also several luxury restaurants in Split that you might want to check out if you enjoy more fine dining experiences.

Take a look at some of the best places to eat in Split on a higher-end budget.

Štorija – best fine dining in Split

Štorija Fine Dining was the first stop on our Split Food Tour and it was also perhaps my favourite stop of the evening!

It’s located on Riva, which is the main promenade in Split that boasts plenty of great bars and restaurants, and Štorija might just be one of the best! It has a sizeable outdoor dining area, but I would seriously urge you to get a table inside as it’s the only restaurant in Split that’s literally a part of the walls of Diocletian’s Palace!

Offering delicious pasta dishes, divine Dalmatian charcuterie boards (this is what we had while eating there and it was sublime), tuna steak, monkfish, ribeye steak, scampi, veal and more, there’s something for everyone at Štorija and it makes for a great place to eat in Split on a special occasion.

Silk – best sushi in Split

Silk is renowned for being one of the best sushi restaurants in Split and even though it’s certainly not cheap, it does have some of the most delicious Asian food in the city!

We’re not big fans of sushi at all, so we decided to go for noodle and rice dishes instead which was a very good decision as my Hong Kong udon chicken noodles were some of the best noodles I’ve ever had (and I eat noodles a lot)!

If you’re willing to splash out a bit and you want to eat at one of the top Asian restaurants in Split, be sure to check out Silk!

Hong Kong-style udon chicken noodles 110kn
Kimchi beef rice 120kn
Radler beer 25kn

Leonis Restaurant – the best seafood restaurant in Split

Leonis is another place that we visited on our food tour in Split and it was actually my least favourite place that we ate at in Split, but that’s just because I don’t really like seafood!

Everyone else on our food tour absolutely loved Leonis, however, and it’s arguably one of the best seafood restaurants in Split, so if you enjoy seafood, you’ll be in for a real treat!

Bepa – where to eat in Split

Bepa is another one of the more expensive places to eat in Split, but it’s still worth visiting as the food is super yummy!

They offer brunch until 5 pm daily, and with dishes such as pork belly, pulled lamb burgers, risotto, chicken caesar salad and more, there’s plenty to choose from! Some dishes are pretty affordable, but there are a few things, such as the veal chop, that are a little more on the expensive side.

Pork belly cubes with potatoes 98kn
Pulled lamb buns 119kn

Best bars and cafes in Split

As a digital nomad in Split, I made it my mission to try and find the best coffee shops in Split to work from. During our one month in the city, we got a good feel of the cafe and bar scene in Split, so I wanted to include a section below to help you find the best coffee shops in Split Old Town!

Caffe Bar St. Riva – Split restaurants with a view

This is one of the best Split restaurants with a view as it resides on Riva, meaning that the adorable little balcony area offers awesome views of the harbour and Riva itself.

Caffe Bar St Riva doesn’t have a food menu, but they do have an extensive cocktail menu, as well as beer, wine, cider and spirits. You’ll definitely find cheaper places to drink in Split, but this is arguably one of the best cafes/bars in Split for the views.

Somersby cider 30kn
Pan Radler 35kn

Gentile

Gentile is another cafe/bar that sits on Riva and while it doesn’t serve food, it does serve relatively affordable drinks and it boasts incredible views of the sunset.

I worked here for a few hours one afternoon and it was one of my favourite cafes in Split to work from.

Coca Cola 22kn

Kazalisna Kavana

Kazalisna Kavana is inside the same bright-yellow building that also houses the Croatian National Theater in Split.

The interiors of the cafe are so beautiful and it provides lovely views out to Gajin gaj park outside. You can get a cup of coffee for as little as £1 and I’ve also heard that the cocktails are pretty good, so if you don’t intend to work from here, you can enjoy a refreshing cocktail while enjoying the view.

Lemonade 21kn
Coffee 9kn

D16 Coffee – best coffee shops in Split

During our time in Split, we joined a Digital Nomad WhatsApp group with over 200 people in it so that we could meet new people and find great places to work from while in the city.

D16 is one of the most popular cafes in Split for digital nomads as it has two separate seating areas, free Wi-Fi and an extensive coffee menu. There are also a few light bites such as croissants and cookies, but you won’t find a full food menu.

I personally didn’t enjoy the drinks here too much but it was a good place to work from and you’ll usually find it full of remote workers, so if that’s the sort of thing you’re looking for, it’s the perfect cafe in Split.

Americano 16kn
Earl Grey tea 18kn

Caffe Bar Drama

Caffe Bar Drama is located in the square directly opposite the front door of the apartment that we stayed in and it also happens to be one of the cheapest places to drink in Split.

It’s not the fanciest bar in the city, but it does offer cheap drinks such as vodka lemonades for less than €2. It’s also just opposite Sanctuary, so you can head there straight after for some yummy Mexican food!

The Daltonist

The Daltonist was one of the most consistently recommended places to drink in Split by our digital nomad friends, but unfortunately, we weren’t big fans of it at all!

The cocktails are far too expensive for what they are (I actually had the most disgusting gin cocktail of my life here), and even at happy hour when you can get 20% off, the cocktails are still around €7-€8.

However, we have heard that the food at The Daltonist is very good and so many people rave about their experience there, so perhaps we just didn’t visit at the right time or we ordered the “wrong” cocktails! If you do check out The Daltonist while in Split, please let me know your thoughts!

Club Ghetto

We visited Club Ghetto on our first weekend in Split with around 50 other digital nomads after the weekly meet-up on Matejuška Pier and it was our first and only experience of clubbing in Split.

The drinks here are very reasonable (around 20kn for a glass of house white wine) and they often have different DJs playing which makes for a fun experience!

There’s also a nice outdoor courtyard area which is a welcome respite away from the thumping music inside.

The best ice cream in Split

One thing I didn’t realise about Croatia before we visited both Dubrovnik and Split is that they bloody love their ice cream.

I thought that Dubrovnik had plenty of ice cream parlours, but Split might have even more, so you can guarantee that you won’t struggle to find yummy ice cream in Split!

Here are some of my favourites!

Mr. Pozzetti Ice Cream

Mr. Pozzeti was probably my favourite ice cream shop in Split as not only is the ice cream utterly delicious, but the gelateria itself is absolutely beautiful and the kind lady who served us let us try a few different flavours before we ordered and she also advised which ones we shouldn’t order due to Matt’s peanut and hazelnut allergy.

They also have super fancy chimney cones with so many different flavours and toppings which looked so scrumptious as well!

A scoop of standard ice cream is just 14kn in a tub; I had the strawberry sorbet and Matt had plain vanilla and even though they’re probably the least adventurous flavours in the shop, they were so good!

Bili San – where to eat in Split

Bili San was the final stop on our food tour in Split and it was the perfect way to conclude our experience.

I had the white chocolate cheesecake flavour in a cone and it was so, so good!

Gelateria Emiliana

Gelateria Emiliana is notably one of the best ice cream parlours in Split and it was conveniently located just around the corner from where we stayed.

They make their own cones on-site and the smell it emits as you walk past is absolutely heavenly. I dare you to walk past Gelateria Emiliana without getting ice cream!

They have so many great flavours to choose from, including chocolate, pistachio, strawberry cheesecake, mango, coconut, caramel and more!

The best food tours in Split

If you want to take your food experience in Split one step further, check out these top-rated food tours in Split for local food guides and authentic Croatian cuisine experiences!

Split Food Tour (this is the one we went on and we had the best time!)
Diocletian’s Palace Private Food and Wine Tour
Split Old Town Food Tour
Vegan Food Tour of Split
Roman History & Market Food Tasting Tour

Conclusion – best restaurants and where to eat in Split

I hope you’ve found this post about the best restaurants in Split useful and hopefully you’ve found some great places to eat in this incredible city! Let me know in the comments if you visit any of the places that I’ve recommended in this guide!

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Pin for later – where to eat in Split

Do you have any more recommendations on the best places to eat in Split? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.

*Prices are accurate as of the exchange rate at the time of writing this post in November 2022.

Where To Eat In Split – Best Restaurants In Split, Croatia