Apetit in Split's Old Town sits on the upper floor of a 15th-century palazzo between the Riva and Pjaca, cooking Dalmatian classics under stone vaulting.
Must order: Pasticada slow-braised in prosek with homemade gnocchi.
Tip: Climb the stone stairs to the second floor; the small dining room takes only around 30 covers.
Address: Ul. Pavla Subica 2, 21000 Split, Croatia
Zinfandel Food & Wine on Maruliceva in Split is a 2013 wine-led bistro pouring 100-plus Croatian bottles, with 30 wines by the glass on the Pjaca route.
Order: Slow-cooked octopus with a glass of Korcula Posip.
Tip: The courtyard tables are the right seats; live music nightly in summer, with the best by-the-glass list in town.
Bistro Toc near Split's Diocletian Palace is a creative Mediterranean bistro with vegetarian options and a tight stone-walled room set just off Pjaca.
Order: The chef's tasting plates with a glass of Plavac mali.
Tip: Reserve early in summer; the tasting plates work for a relaxed two-hour sitting before a wine bar nightcap.
Bota Sare in Split's Diocletian Palace is the Bota family oyster and sushi bar pairing Mali Ston oysters with Adriatic-fish nigiri across a few seats.
Order: Mali Ston oysters with the Adriatic tuna nigiri tasting set.
Tip: Counter seats are the right view; book ahead in July and August, when the room fills with one sitting per night.
Uje Oil Bar inside Split's Diocletian Palace is the city's Dalmatian small-plates room, built on olive oil tastings, paski sir and Dalmatian prsut.
Order: Olive oil tasting flight with the cured-meat and paski sir board, followed by pasticada.
Tip: Start with the olive oil flight; the kitchen will then build a small-plates meal around what the morning Pazar yielded.
Zinfandel Food & Wine on Maruliceva in Split is a 2013 wine-led bistro pouring 100-plus Croatian bottles, with 30 wines by the glass on the Pjaca route.
Order: Slow-cooked octopus with a glass of Korcula Posip.
Tip: The courtyard tables are the right seats; live music nightly in summer, with the best by-the-glass list in town.
Bistro Toc near Split's Diocletian Palace is a creative Mediterranean bistro with vegetarian options and a tight stone-walled room set just off Pjaca.
Order: The chef's tasting plates with a glass of Plavac mali.
Tip: Reserve early in summer; the tasting plates work for a relaxed two-hour sitting before a wine bar nightcap.
Trattoria Tinel in Veli Varos, Split is an Italian-leaning Dalmatian trattoria 30 metres from the Riva on Tomica Stine, open daily 08:00 to midnight.
Order: Black cuttlefish risotto and a glass of Korcula Posip.
Tip: Best for late lunch from 14:00 when the room calms after the Riva crowd; the by-the-glass list runs Croatian-only.
Bota Sare in Split's Diocletian Palace is the Bota family oyster and sushi bar pairing Mali Ston oysters with Adriatic-fish nigiri across a few seats.
Order: Mali Ston oysters with the Adriatic tuna nigiri tasting set.
Tip: Counter seats are the right view; book ahead in July and August, when the room fills with one sitting per night.
Artičok at the edge of Veli Varos in Split is a small modern Croatian room with a rooftop terrace just off the Riva, holding 14.5 of 20 from Gault Millau.
Order: Jerusalem artichoke risotto and the smoked trout with creme fraiche.
Tip: Book the rooftop terrace at sunset for the strongest table; the kitchen leans on wild herbs and Adriatic seafood.
Uje Oil Bar inside Split's Diocletian Palace is the city's Dalmatian small-plates room, built on olive oil tastings, paski sir and Dalmatian prsut.
Order: Olive oil tasting flight with the cured-meat and paski sir board, followed by pasticada.
Tip: Start with the olive oil flight; the kitchen will then build a small-plates meal around what the morning Pazar yielded.
