5 Best Restaurants in Southern Dalmatia, Croatia

Located on the breezy seaside terrace at PineTree Boutique Apartments (and run by the same family), the food at Ante's Place is so good you'll likely eat all of your meals there while on Mljet. It's the best place to try traditional Dalmatian dishes, from lamb or octopus cooked peka-style to plentiful seafood platters and divine lobster spaghetti. The humble hosts will tell you that the food they cook is just the typical stuff they eat at home; if they really eat this well at home every night, you'll consider moving in.

If you have to wait to board the ferry from Orebić to Korčula, you'll be relieved to find Croccantino just around the corner from the port. This fun, colorful little café right along the waterfront promenade serves exquisite homemade gelato, artisan cakes and cupcakes, and excellent smoothies, coffee, and milkshakes.

Occupying the ornate Arsenal building on Luža Square, Gradska Kavana remains Dubrovnik's favorite meeting place for morning coffee and cake, breakfast, or an evening aperitif. The grand café has an ample summer terrace and is a perfect spot for people-watching and admiring the sites that surround it, including Rector's Palace, Sponza Palace, and the Cathedral. City Hall is located just upstairs, so you'll often see news cameras and journalists outside waiting for politicians to emerge.

Designed to look like an actual ship with a life-size captain at the helm, this restaurant outside the classy Boutique Hotel Adriatic is one of the best in town. Try the seafood platter for two, with tuna steak, grilled squid, mussels, scampi, and extraordinary sea bream, plus a glass of Plavac Mali from the family's own vineyards.

This colorful bistro in Gruž features local produce from farms around Southern Dalmatia on its plant-based menu and makes a great spot to fuel up before or after a long journey. Dishes change with the season but perennial highlights include Mac 'n Tease gnocchi (gnocchi with truffle "cheese" sauce) and marinated seitan. They also have a great selection of smoothies, specialty coffees, and shared plates. There are a few tables inside or grab a seat on the spacious back terrace.