Restaurant Kadena above the Zenta marina in Split is a Mediterranean terrace looking south to the Adriatic, in the Michelin Guide every year since 2018.
Signature dishes: Adriatic fish carpaccio, Black truffle pasta, Whole grilled fish
Must order: The whole Adriatic dentex for two, grilled and finished with Brac olive oil.
Tip: Open daily noon to 01:00; the wide terrace catches a sea breeze even in August. Order from the daily catch board.
Address: Ulica Ivana pl. Zajca 4, 21000 Split, Croatia
Bokeria Kitchen & Wine in Split's Old Town is a tall-ceiling stone room cooking modern Mediterranean dishes from a wood-burning grill into the night.
Signature: Adriatic tuna tartare, Bone-in steak, Hand-cut tagliatelle with prawns
Order: Tagliatelle with Adriatic prawns, with a glass of Posip from Korcula.
Tip: Late-evening sitting works; the dining room shifts into a wine bar mood after 22:00, with bottle-cellar pours kept until 01:00.
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.
Signature: Black cuttlefish risotto, Pasticada with gnocchi, Adriatic fish stew
Order: Pasticada slow-braised in prosek with homemade gnocchi.
Tip: Climb the stone stairs to the second floor; the dining room is small, so booking in summer is sensible.
Brasserie on 7 on Split's Riva is an all-day Mediterranean kitchen with French-Croatian dishes, from breakfast platters through to grilled fish at midnight.
Signature: Handcut tagliatelle with Adriatic prawns, Breakfast Riva platter, Grilled sea bream
Order: Hand-cut tagliatelle with Adriatic prawns and aged tomato.
Tip: Daily 08:00 to 23:00; the Riva terrace is best at sunset, when the kitchen pivots from brunch to grill.
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.
Signature: Olive oil tasting board, Paski sir with prsut, Brac soparnik
Order: Olive oil flight with the cured-meat board and aged paski sir.
Tip: Order the olive oil tasting flight as a starter; the kitchen will pair it with the cured-meat and aged paski sir board.
Konoba Varos in Split's old fishermen quarter of Veli Varos serves classic Dalmatian comfort cooking, in a stone-walled room behind the Church of St Francis.
Signature: Pasticada with gnocchi, Black risotto, Grilled squid
Order: Pasticada with homemade gnocchi.
Tip: Open 09:00 to 24:00; weekday lunch is calmer than the August evening crush, and the seafood platters are sized for two.
Konoba Matejuska in Split's Veli Varos is a family-run room in a 19th-century UNESCO stone house, cooking the day's market catch over a wood fire.
Signature: Black cuttlefish risotto, Grilled daily catch, Octopus salad
Order: Black cuttlefish risotto with the chef's pour of Brac olive oil.
Tip: Cash preferred; the small terrace fills early in summer, so go for a 19:30 dinner or a late 21:30 sitting.
