Soparnik is the savoury chard pie from the Poljica region just south of Split: paper-thin dough stretched over a chard, onion and parsley filling, baked over hot coals.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
Soparnik comes from the medieval Republic of Poljica, a self-governing peasant community in the hills south of Split that survived from the 13th to the 19th century. The dish is now protected by Croatia as intangible cultural heritage and was inscribed into UNESCO's safeguarding list. The Split version is served as a marenda mid-morning snack at most Veli Varos konobas, often with new olive oil and a glass of Plavac mali.
Common allergens: Gluten
Tip from the editors. Traditional soparnik is baked under hot ash; an oven works but go as hot as it allows.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Konoba Fetivi in Split's Veli Varos is the Bib Gourmand family konoba on Tomica Stine, cooking grilled Adriatic fish and pasticada to a daily Pazar buy.
Signature: Grilled Adriatic fish, Pasticada with gnocchi, Crni rizot
Order: Whole grilled white fish by weight with chard and potatoes.
Tip: Tue-Sun 15:00 to 23:30, closed Mondays; book ahead for the early dinner sitting and the best whole fish go by 21:00.
Konoba Marjan at the foot of the Marjan trail in Split serves classic Dalmatian dishes from a tiny kitchen in a centuries-old Veli Varos stone house.
Signature: Pasticada, Soparnik, Grilled fish platter
Order: Pasticada with gnocchi.
Tip: Cash and card both accepted; small terrace, book ahead in peak season.
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