Splitting can either feed you well or feed you lazily. When you sit down for Riva’s first menu, you often end up paying for the view. Walk a few more streets, go under Marjan for brunch, or follow the narrow streets inside the palace, and you start to find places that people actually remember later.
This is what makes this city such a delight to eat. The best restaurant day in Split depends on your mood and timing. Enjoy a leisurely brunch in the shade, a late healthy lunch on the beach, then dress up for dinner in Old Town.
Related reading: Things to Do in Split, Croatia
Here’s our guide to where to eat in Split:
How to eat well in Split
Split is not just a place to eat. Old Town offers classic convenience and atmospheric dinner. The Marjan side offers chilled-out daytime dining. Smaller side streets often offer better service and more character than the busiest central areas.
A smart approach is to split your meals by time. Save the historic center for long dinners or relaxed breakfasts on a street with stone walls on either side, and use the quieter neighborhoods for brunch, bowls, and places where locals really hang out.
Related reading: Split Guide for Solo Travelers
Where to eat in Split
Best brunch and daytime restaurants in Split
Cat’s Kitchen One of the most easily recommended restaurants in Split. set below Marjan HillA 15-20 minute walk from the Old Town, this spot helped pioneer the city’s organic brunch scene, and the terrace alone makes it easy to see why people enjoy the stroll.
The menu is plant-based but not preachy. Vegan pancakes, avocado toast, chickpea omelettes, granola bowls, wraps, juices and smoothies are the mainstays, and some of the produce is sourced from the owners’ own organic garden, providing freshness that’s connected to real life rather than just a brand line.
This is the place to go when you want to have a leisurely morning. It closes in the late afternoon and on Sundays, so make this a brunch spot rather than an all-day stop.
address: wool. Antuna Mihanovića 33, 21000, Split
feel the green It fills a healthy niche all day long. A break from Old Town Crush, they offer bowls, wraps, oat breakfasts, salads, salmon, steaks, cold-pressed juices and vegan cakes, so it’s great if one person wants something light and the other wants a larger plate.
This is also one of the more flexible options for dietary preferences. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices span the menu, and outdoor seating is one of the reasons regulars rate this place so highly.
I sat outside with homemade granola and a delicious cappuccino and watched the city slowly wake up.
address: wool. Ban Mladenova 3, 21000, Split
For a leisurely local dinner in Split
Rocco & Sisibella This is the place that works best if you are tired of the restaurant hype and just want to have a fun evening. On Penića Street, it centers around local ingredients, Mediterranean simplicity, seasonal vegetables and a more intimate setting than the noisy Old Town options.
The important practical detail here is the name. Roko & Cicibela on Penića Street is a new venue and different from the previous Cicibela Food and Wine Bar on Senjska Street. So if you’re following online recommendations, check the address carefully before you go.
For the right traveler, feeling newer and less over-the-top is part of the point. Perfect for a relaxed dinner with local wine and generous portions, especially when you want to get away from the main tourist crowds without leaving the center completely.
We chose salad, truffle pasta and fish for our meal and it was really delicious. It’s better to come early or reserve a table, especially on weekends or during peak seasons.
address: Penića St. 5, 21000, Split
When it comes to restaurants in Split’s Old Town, it’s best to plan ahead.
Fig Split This is one of those places that keeps showing up in our recommendations because it actually offers it. Inside Diocletian’s Palace, on a narrow alley near the Peristyle and Jupiter’s Temple, has a casual, welcoming style and a menu that moves comfortably between breakfast, brunch, tacos, quesadillas, bowls, salads, coffee and cocktails.
This is different from the traditional Dalmatian formula. If grilled fish and pizza have reached your limit, Fig offers more international food without feeling disconnected from the surrounding city.
It’s popular for a good reason, so be prepared to wait during peak season. As a result, even in tourist-heavy locations, reviews consistently praise the value, generous portions, and friendly service rather than just the environment.
address: Dioklecijanova 1, 21000, Split
Ragani It’s a more sophisticated dinner. Tucked away in a narrow alley near the Temple of Jupiter, it focuses on seafood, pasta and steaks in a more sophisticated style than the humble Konoba, with the menu ranging from oysters, tartare and carpaccio to seafood pasta, truffle flucancchi, octopus, sea bass, tuna tataki and filet mignon.
You can make longer dinner reservations here. Attentive service and well-thought-out plates served without feeling rushed for the waves of tourists make it perfect for a date night or a more special dinner in Old Town.
address: Ulica Kraj Svetog Ivan 2, 21000, Split
Choose a place that suits your mood
When you want a slow morning, fresh food, and an atmosphere that feels disconnected from the busy pulse of the city, head to Kat’s Kitchen. Visit Feel Green when you want nutritious food at almost any time of the day and a menu suitable for mixed diets.
For an unfussy local dinner that feels more secluded than staged, choose Roko & Cicibela. Choose Fig for a casual yet memorable Old Town meal with creative comfort food, or Laganini when dinner is more of an event than just a refreshment.
practical information
Reservations are key at Laganini, and during peak season Kat’s Kitchen and Fig. Laganini takes reservations through its site, and indoor and patio space is limited, so it’s worth booking in advance.
Kat’s Kitchen is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm and closed on Sundays. Think of it as a cafe that is open all day, and it catches people’s attention. Feel Green is typically open all day, while Roko & Cicibela is open for both lunch and dinner. Opening hours change seasonally in Split, so check with other restaurants before you go, especially during peak season.
If you want to avoid the touristy eats in Split, the simplest rule is to follow specificity. Choose a venue with a point of view: Kat’s organic brunch focus, Feel Green’s full food menu, Fig’s twisted comfort food style, Roko & Cicibela’s intimate Dalmatian identity, or Laganini’s sophisticated seafood and pasta approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best restaurants for brunch in Split?
Kat’s Kitchen is a great choice, especially if you want a proper brunch with plant-based dishes and a garden-like terrace beneath Marjan. If you want a more central brunch with a broader, comfort food menu, Fig is also a strong option inside the Palace.
Where should you eat for a special dinner in Split?
Laganini is a strong choice for a dinner that sometimes feels worthwhile. The seafood-centric menu, sophisticated plating and atmospheric old town setting near the Temple of Jupiter make for a longer evening better than a quick meal.
Are there any good vegetarian or vegan restaurants in Split?
yes. Kat’s Kitchen is primarily plant-based, and Feel Green also offers robust vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options throughout breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Even though Fig Split is in a tourist centre, is it worth it?
yes. Despite its very central location, reviews consistently praise the food quality, service and value rather than the environment itself. You’ll have to wait in the summer.
What is the difference between Cicibela and Roko & Cicibela?
They are different restaurants. Roko & Cicibela on Penića Street is a new place, while the old Cicibela Food and Wine Bar is on Senjska Street, so addresses are important when following online recommendations.
Do I need to make a reservation at a Split restaurant in summer?
If it’s a popular dinner spot, yes. Laganini is the most obvious example of being able to book in advance, while popular attractions like Fig can also get busy enough to require waiting or planning in advance.
