There is a lot of things to do in Split, Croatia and a lot of places to visit. However, be sure to try some nice food while you're here! You will not be dissapointed. Split is located in Dalmatia, a region in Croatia that has its own type of food, heavily influenced by italian cuisine.
We have listed below 10 best foods (dishes) that are a must try in Split, Croatia, but also some extras in case you need more!
- Traditional Peka - a slow cooked dish under an iron bell surrounded with fire. It take up to 4 hours to be cooked. Usually they serve it with potatoes and a seasonal salad. You can pick any type of meat, but the traditional one is either a veal peka or an octopus peka.
- Pašticada with gnocchi - delicious stewed beef cooked in a special dalmatian sauce. The key ingredients are a handful of prunes and spices mixed in a sauce full of vegetables.
- Black risotto - another amazing dish. This one is made out of squid and the squid ink that gives in the black colour. It is very tasty, especially since it's cooked with garlic, olive oil and some wine. You serve it with some grated parmesan cheese and a glass of cool white wine.
- Grilled fish - any type of caught fish from the Adriatic sea that the restaurants get that day, they grill it and serve it right away. Freshly caught fish is a must! It is served with some nice wine and you top it with a mixture of olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.
- Škampi na buzaru - which literally translates to "shrimp stew," this dish can be served in about 45 minutes. Buzara-style cooking simply means that some type of shellfish or crustacean is cooked with olive oil, wine, garlic, breadcrumbs, and fresh herbs. These ingredients are usually base to a lot of Dalmatian meals.
- Prosciutto and cheese plate - this is a typical starter dish in Split, Croatia and in Dalmatia. It is a cold dish of thinly sliced ham and cheese, usually served with some olives and home-made bread. The ham - prosciutto - is a dry-cured raw ham, salty and tasty.
- Kroštule and fritule - these two are actually sweet desserts that our grandmas used to make. We are lucky that they have taught us how to make them today. Kroštule are an elongated deep fried pastry that is similar to cookies in texture, but they melt in your mouth. They are topped with powdered sugar. So simple, yet delicious. Fritule are little balls of pastry that resemble doughnuts, filled with a couple of raisins and covered with powdered sugar.
- Soparnik - a starter meal or a bite to eat any time of the day that resembles a pita (pie), but very simple to make. It is a pie filled with swiss chard, parsley and onions, baked on an open heart called komin. It is coated with olive oil and garlic once it's done for extra flavour.
- Brudet - this is a fish stew from Croatia, similar to an Italian Brodetto or Greek Bourdeto. It is a common dish made in cities of Adriatic sea. We urge you to try it in Croatia, especially in Dalmatia, where all the mediterranean ingredients such as fresh fish, olive oil, parsley, garlic and more are used in this amazing fish stew.
- Pizza - to some, this is an odd suggestion at first. However, we recommend that you try a nice pizza anywhere in Croatia, and in Split as well. There are many great places to try it in Split. You can find them on Tripadvisor easily!
More food to try in Split, Croatia
Olive oil - you can just try olive oil in any restaurant and ask for some extra if needed, or you can even buy it from a lot of places. There are shops in the center of Split, Croatia where you can buy amazing olive oil and take it home with you.
Salty fish, anchovies - you also have to try some srdele (salty little fish) or salty and marinated anchovies from Dalmatia if you love fish. This is a true delicacy for anybody that enjoys fish and some nice wine.
Luka sladoled - find this amazing little place behind the Croatian National Theater in the city center of Split and try homemade unique flavours such as lavender ice cream or some nice cake as well. We highly recommend!
Čevapi - this is a type of fast food for people in Split, Croatia. Čevapi is basically minced meat in a bun. You can have it in somun or lepinja (there are two types of buns). In Split, you will usually get it in lepinja and people usually eat it with ajvar and chopped onions.
Krafne and Burek at Mate - krafne are basically doughnuts, but without a hole in the middle and filled with either chocolate or marmalade and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Burek is a pie usually stuffed with fresh cheese, meat or vegetables. In Split the most popular one is burek sa sirom (burek with cheese).
Restaurants in Split, Croatia
Some amazing restaurants in Split, Croatia to try amazing fish and seafood are Konoba Marjan, Restaurant Šug, Konoba Otprilike Ovako, Konoba Matejuška and Konoba Fetivi.
If you want to taste the amazing meat dishes in Split, then go to places like Konoba Matoni, Restaurant Duje, Chops and grill restaurant, Konoba Varoš or Perlica restaurant.
You can easily find the reviews for them on Tripadvisor, people really love them and we as locals enjoy them as well!
Most of these restaurants are located in the center of Split. If you want to be able to explore them just by walking to the old town, be sure to book a room very close to them. Take a look at Royal suites and Royals suites Sky rooms that are very loved by visitors from all over the world.
What food is Split known for?
The best food you can try in Split, Croatia is a nice brudet, prosciutto and cheese, risotto, pašticada, fritule and much more. Basically, we covered this in our entire post, so feel free to read above.
Is the food in Croatia good?
Food in Croatia is actually amazing. Croatian food is a mix of italian and balkan influence, where meat and fish are heavily represented in a lot of dishes, but vegetables are a must as well.
Besides the food, desserts and wine are also amazing. The reason for this is Croatian rich history and the location. Mediterranean ingredients and the climate is what makes a lot of amazing recipes come to life.
What is a typical Croatian breakfast?
A typical Croatian breakfast is different by location. A continental breakfast usually consists of a spread on some bread, sprinkled with red paprika and a strong coffee.
In Dalmatia, typical breakfast is also a spread, such as pate (pašteta) on bread, or just a croissant (some pastry) and coffee. Coffee is a must.
People in Croatia tend to eat just a sandwich or some eggs and bacon for breakfast. Other than that, some anchovies and olives with some bread are very popular in Dalmatia.
Is food expensive in Croatia?
Food is relatively inexpensive in Croatia. Breakfast is the cheapest, no matter if you eat on the go or you sit down.
Restaurants are a bit more expensive than fast food and street food. Of course, you can enjoy some fine meals in exquisite restaurants, but you can have a decent 3 course meal for about 30 euros.
Just for reference, you can have a croissant for 1 euro, a slice of pizza for 1,5 euros. You can enjoy an entire pizza for about 7 euros or a meal for 12 euros. Food in stores is even cheaper.
Of course, if you go in a highly touristy place during high season, such as Dubrovnik or Hvar, the prices are much higher. But even still, you will get a cup of coffee in a cafe bar for 3,5 euros (espresso will usually cost you about 1,5 euros anywhere in Croatia).
So, yes, food can be cheap in Croatia, but also delicious!