Few weeks back we were site-inspecting in Dubrovnik and part of the job is to try several restaurants in Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is known for a fairly good restaurants but the offers simply has to be better! We, Croatians are often proud of our food and rightfully so. But when our guests come, they don’t have a chance to eat at our grandmas’ or enjoy the fish from gradele my uncle prepares… They are mostly oriented towards the restaurants and that is sometimes “hit and miss” experience (like everywhere else, of course). For my clients, I usually prepare the list of the restaurants we recommend and I often eat there but I am always on a look out for new places and something refreshing. Dubrovnik, as the place where “all the tourists go” is particularly interested for it’s restaurants.

So, during our brief visit to Dubrovnik last week, we tried to sample a variety of places. I will cover only three restaurants here but all three are worth mentioning and make a nice overview of what is available in Dubrovnik.

Poklisar – http://www.poklisar.com/

Something appealing to most of the travelers. Located in the old Dubrovnik harbor, this is a standard “Dalmatian” tavern/restaurant offering a basic menu with several interesting dishes like the sea food plate which my wife enjoyed. As expected, this place has reasonable prices (dinner for two without a dessert and with two glasses of home wine) was about 300 Kn (or cc 40 E). The food is tasty and the portions are very good for Dubrovnik (got burned several times before!)

Then, based on suggestion from the Hotel Bellevue staff, we decided to try the hotel restaurant.
And that was an amazing experience! You know how often hotel restaurants make you sorry for even staying there? Well, this restaurant will make me stay at Bellevue again! Besides, this is the best hotel in Dubrovnik in my opinion.
The menu, the location, the service, THE FOOD! Everything was perfect and now I consider it to be a mistake coming to Dubrovnik and not eating at Vapor restaurant of Hotel Bellevue! Simply superb! And the wine list was just as good.

The menu is not too long but you can pick from a variety of dishes. The chef is local but the meals are out of this world! The three course meal for two with two glasses of wine – cc 500 Kn or about 70 E. Worth twice as much! Glass of Maraština went superb with the meal!

Restaurant Vapor – not to miss!

Then, later that evening, we went to the shrine of haute cuisine in Dubrovnik: Gil’s of Dubrovnik!

We were there earlier that day arranging possibilities for cooperation and sending our clients there for special meals.

Anybody looking for authentic cuisine and affordable place to eat – turn around. Gil’s is French restaurant serving fusion dishes of mostly French ingredients in chic, modern club/bar/restaurant type of venue.
Like their manager said to us: “Everybody eating at our place is a VIP!” and we surely felt that way!

We are not used to high end restaurants and we did not feel quite comfortable with 4 people serving us. But after a while, you get used to that 🙂
We skipped the starters as nothing looked that good and we moved on to main course dishes. I went with turbot fillet on chick pea panisse and with some mushrooms on top. Sea snales known as “volak” have been stuffed with parsley and garlic. My wife chose free range chicken from Bresse… and much, much more. For wine, I decided to go with a glass of Mendek Selection

But desserts are unbelievable! Simply a must for everyone into sweet stuff!

That are violets as small candy around the plate!

Gil’s – simply a must if you want something very different in Croatia!
The food was quite good (although Vapor serves better food) and we even got to meet the man himself: Mr. Gil stopped us on our way out asking how was everything. A nice touch from someone who was very nervous entire evening making sure everything was going smoothly.
Bill? 1070 Kn (cc 150 E) for two main dishes, two glasses of wine, two desserts and two glasses of sauternes.
Worth every penny!

Overall, Dubrovnik offers a great variety of places for every budget: from pizza outside the Old Town to the great experiences of Gil’s and Vapor. It is also noticeable that some new and more interesting places are opening for this season and we were recommended to visit Lucijin Kantun off Stradun but did not get a chance. We were also warned not to visit the restaurants in Prijeko street as the locals call them “poisoners”… Did not have a chance to try their food but the restaurants looked quite nice.

Anyway, I know where I am going to eat again when in Dubrovnik!

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