Five places to eat on Rab for September 2026: a fish tavern on the town waterfront, a year-round restaurant in Palit, an old-town konoba that cooks peka to order, a family restaurant above Supetarska Draga and burgers on Srednja Street.
The best restaurants in Rab, as of September 2026, are split between the old town with its four bell towers and the bays along the road to Lopar. This guide says which is where and what to order.
Where to eat in Rab: old town, waterfront and bays
Rab Town sits on a narrow peninsula with three parallel streets, Donja, Srednja and Gornja, and the waterfront facing the harbour carries most of the seafood terraces. Right next to the old town is Palit, the newer part of town, with car parks and restaurants that stay open in winter. Further along the coast come Banjol and Barbat, on the channel facing the islet of Dolin. To the north-west lies Supetarska Draga, a deep bay with family restaurants above the sea, and beyond it Lopar with Rajska plaža (Paradise Beach), where many summer guests stay. The local menu is easy to recognise: štokalj with eggs (octopus dried in the bura wind), brudet, lamb under the peka and Rab cake made with almonds and maraschino, which tradition says was first served in 1177.
How the list was put together
The Jelo.hr directory currently lists 15 venues on the island of Rab, so this is a Top 5 and not a Top 10. The criteria are guest ratings and the number of reviews, a listing in the Gault&Millau guide, and variety: a fish tavern, a year-round restaurant, a konoba with peka, a place with a view outside town and a cheap quick meal. The order reflects reputation and what each place offers, because nobody from Jelo.hr has scored the plates. Three addresses are in Rab's old town, one in Palit and one in Supetarska Draga; tips for Lopar, Banjol and Barbat follow below. The recommendations also hold for the 2027 season, until the guide is refreshed.
Season, crowds and reservations
Peak season runs from mid-July to the end of August, when there is often a wait for a table on the town waterfront. In September tables are easier to find, but peka still has to be ordered a day ahead. Most restaurants are open from April to the end of October; in winter the choice shrinks to a handful of year-round places. Croatia has used the euro since 2023, yet some of the smaller places on the island take cash only, so carry some.
1. Šanpjer
Obala Petra Krešimira 6
A fish tavern with its own fish shop on the town waterfront
The safest choice for seafood in Rab Town. Šanpjer is a family-run konoba on the waterfront, Obala Petra Krešimira IV, with wooden tables on the terrace and a view of the harbour, in business since the late 1990s. The family also runs a fish shop next door, so there is no meat on the menu: sea bream, sea bass, scampi, octopus and squid are grilled, fried or baked, alongside risottos, pasta and salads. The dishes reviews mention most often are fried squid, mussels, fried scampi and the fish platter.
Prices, season and waiting for a table
According to the local tourist board the konoba is seasonal, open from 1 April to 31 October, every day from morning to midnight, and seats about 80. Guests describe prices as moderate for a waterfront location and point to large portions. One practical note from reviews: as a rule, tables cannot be booked, so in July and August people queue. Those who arrive before 6 pm usually sit down without waiting. Dogs are welcome.
In reviews, guests highlight the freshness of the fish, tender fried squid, large portions and quick, friendly service, while complaints mostly concern waiting for a table in peak season.
Šanpjer — profile, menu and contact
2. Restaurant & Caffe „Velum“
Palit 71
Rab tradition in Palit, open all year
The most dependable address when the rest of the island shuts down. Velum is in Palit, the newer part of town near the old centre, and is one of the few restaurants on Rab open all twelve months. It was opened in 2004 by Igor and Nikica Španjol; Nikica's idea is old Rab recipes cooked with modern technique, put into practice by his wife Ksenija. The menu lists "rapska grota", brudet and štokalj with eggs, followed by fresh fish, grilled meat, risottos, pasta and pizza. The Gault&Millau guide, which lists the restaurant, singles out the tuna carpaccio and the shrimp risotto.
Prices, opening hours and parking
The restaurant seats up to 130 guests, has its own car park and is open daily from morning until late evening, so it also works for coffee or the daily lunch. Prices sit in the island's mid-range, though some reviewers find it dear. The tourist board says cards are accepted, and booking is advised in peak season and for larger groups. To finish: warm chocolate cake or cheesecake.
In reviews, guests highlight the service, the tuna, the risottos and German-speaking staff, while complaints concern prices and squid that is occasionally just average.
Restaurant & Caffe „Velum“ — profile, menu and contact
3. Konoba Rab
Ul. kneza Branimira 3
Štokalj and lamb under the peka in an old-town lane
First choice for Rab cooking inside the old town. Konoba Rab is tucked into narrow Kneza Branimira Street, away from the waterfront, and the family of owner Romano Vidas has run it for decades. Gault&Millau gives it 12/20 in its 2026 edition and calls it one of the places that best describe the island. The menu is divided between sea and land: the catch of the day, štokalj with eggs, homemade sausages and grilled meat, with lamb and octopus under the peka as the main event. Dessert is Rab cake.
Prices, opening hours and ordering peka
Peka has to be ordered at least a day ahead, by phone when you book the table; without notice you are left with fish, the grill and homemade pasta. The konoba works split hours, 10 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 11 pm. Guests in reviews report around 30 to 35 euros per person for a starter, main course and wine, which is fair for the old town. The room is small, so in season book ahead.
In reviews, guests highlight the lamb and veal shank under the peka, fair prices and family service, adding that peka must be ordered a day in advance.
Konoba Rab — profile, menu and contact
4. Gonar Restaurant
Supetarska Draga 328
Octopus under the peka above Supetarska Draga
The best reason to leave Rab Town and head north. Gonar is in the hamlet of Gonar at the far end of Donja Supetarska Draga, towards Lopar, slightly raised above the sea and facing the sunset. The Dumičić family has run it for more than thirty years: Ante Dumičić looks after the wine, Marija the desserts, and chef Nikola Žentil runs the kitchen. Gault&Millau gives it 12/20 for 2026. A hearth burns in one of the three dining rooms, and the house speciality is fresh octopus under the peka; there is also Rab-style brudet, lamb and veal under the peka, and Rab cake.
Season, payment and parking
There are about 60 seats inside, 50 on the terrace and some thirty parking spaces. The main season runs from 1 April to 31 October, daily until midnight, and in winter it opens by arrangement. The Gastronaut guide lists Maestro, Visa and MasterCard, while the restaurant's own page mentions cash, so ask when you book. The family also makes award-winning olive oil. For peka and for a terrace table at sunset, call ahead.
In reviews, guests highlight the buzara and dishes from under the peka, the view over the bay, the quiet away from the crowds and friendly staff, and call the prices adequate.
Gonar Restaurant — profile, menu and contact
5. Caffe&food BUŽA
Srednja ul.
Burgers in a passageway off Srednja Street
The cheapest dinner in the old town, and the address for anyone who has had enough fish. Buža is on Srednja Street, the old town's main shopping street, in a narrow passage with tables packed close together. Burgers are the core of the menu, vegetarian ones included, along with grilled dishes, tortillas, salads and sweet potato fries. Going by guest ratings, Buža is among the best-rated addresses on the island, which is unusual for a fast-food place.
Prices, opening hours and payment
It only opens at 5 pm and runs until midnight, every day, so lunch is not an option. A burger with fries and sauce, which are charged separately, can reach about twenty euros according to reviews; without the extras it is noticeably cheaper. Payment is cash only. Smoking is allowed in the outdoor section, and food can be taken away, which shortens the wait at peak times. A local guide says the place is open all year; outside the season, check the hours by phone. Dogs are welcome.
In reviews, guests highlight juicy burgers, a homely atmosphere and quick service, while complaints concern the cramped space, smoking on the terrace and the occasional over-salted burger.
Caffe&food BUŽA — profile, menu and contact
How to choose a restaurant in Rab
Start from where you are staying. From the old town and Palit, four of the five addresses are within walking distance, while Gonar needs a car or a taxi. Guests based in Lopar, by Paradise Beach, will find Gostionica Laguna in the Jelo.hr directory, with grilled meat, fish and pizza. In Barbat there is Leut, with a terrace and a sea view, and in Banjol Morčić and the pizzeria Barba Ivo. In Supetarska Draga, More, Vojko and Zlatni Zalaz operate alongside Gonar.
Seafood, peka or something quick
If you are after restaurants with a sea view in Rab Town, go to the waterfront, to Šanpjer, and go early. Peka needs a day's notice, both at Konoba Rab and at Gonar. If you want local dishes and have booked nothing, Velum is the easiest bet because it has the most seats. For dinner under twenty euros a head there is Buža, provided you have cash. Order Rab cake at least once; Konoba Rab and Gonar both serve it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does dinner cost in Rab?
According to guest reviews, dinner with a starter, main course and wine at Konoba Rab comes to 30 to 35 euros per person, and guests describe Šanpjer as cheaper than the terraces around it. Fish sold by the kilo and peka push the bill up. A burger with sides at Buža reaches about twenty euros.
Do I need to book a table in Rab in high season?
In July and August, yes, especially at Konoba Rab, which is small, and at Gonar for a terrace table at sunset. Dishes cooked under the peka are ordered at least a day ahead. According to reviews Šanpjer does not take reservations, so you either arrive before 6 pm or wait in line.
Where to eat seafood in Rab?
Šanpjer on the town waterfront serves nothing but fish and seafood and has its own fish shop. Konoba Rab offers the catch of the day and octopus under the peka, Gonar octopus under the peka and Rab-style brudet, and Velum shrimp risotto and tuna carpaccio. The local speciality is štokalj, dried octopus with eggs.
Are restaurants in Rab open out of season?
Most are open from April to the end of October; Šanpjer and Gonar end their main season on 31 October, and Gonar opens by arrangement in winter. Velum in Palit is open all year, every day. From November to March, check opening hours by phone or on the restaurant's Jelo.hr profile.
What is the typical local dish in Rab?
Rab cake (rapska torta), a spiral-shaped cake of almonds and maraschino, which tradition says was first served to Pope Alexander III in 1177. Savoury classics are štokalj with eggs, meaning octopus dried in the bura wind, Rab-style brudet and lamb under the peka. Konoba Rab and Gonar serve them, and Velum some of them.
