Bistro Alighieri in Pula: truffle pljukanci, cuttlefish risotto and raw fish on Dante's Square

Bistro Alighieri stands at Danteov trg 3 by the fountain, a step from Sergijevaca. The cooking is Istrian and Mediterranean: home-made pasta, cuttlefish risotto and raw-fish starters, plus a children's menu, terrace and delivery. Book on +385 98 981 1401.

Bistro Alighieri stands at Danteov trg 3, by the fountain, a step from Sergijevaca, the busiest pedestrian street in Pula's old town. It holds third place in our guide to the Top 10 restaurants in Pula as the best choice for dinner in the old town, and has a 4.5 rating on Google with almost 2,900 reviews and 4.2 on TripAdvisor. This text explains what is eaten there, when the bistro is open and when, in September 2026, it is worth booking.

The square, the terrace and several rooms

Dante's Square is a small square between Sergijevaca and the Forum, with a fountain in the middle, so the bistro's terrace looks out on passers-by rather than traffic. The Forum and the Temple of Augustus are two minutes' walk away, the Arch of the Sergii about the same, and the Arena some ten minutes, so the bistro works as a break in the middle of sightseeing or as dinner after it. The interior is divided into several differently furnished rooms that guests in reviews compare to a small museum: anyone wanting quiet sits inside, anyone wanting to watch the square stays on the terrace. The premises are wheelchair accessible, and dogs are welcome both inside and out.

Bistro Alighieri, a dish from the menu, Pula
Bistro Alighieri, Danteov trg 3, Pula

What is on the menu

The cooking is Istrian and Mediterranean, built around home-made pasta and fish.

There is a children's menu, which is unusual in the old town, and dishes can be ordered to take away or for delivery. The vegetarian choice is smaller than the pasta and fish sections, which reviews do mention. Prices are mid-range for central Pula; the restaurant publishes its priced menu on its own website, so check it before you come. Cards and contactless payment are accepted, which is still not the rule in the old town.

Opening hours

The bistro is open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10.30 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11.30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 10.30 p.m. On weekdays it opens at 8 in the morning, making it one of the few kitchens in the old town you can count on for breakfast. At weekends it opens only at noon.

What guests point out

Guests in reviews point out the home-made pasta, the fish and the value for money, along with the terrace on the square. With almost 2,900 reviews on Google it is one of the most reviewed restaurants in the old town; only Pizzeria Jupiter and Agrippina have more in the centre. Complaints concern occasionally slow service when the terrace is full and the small choice of vegetarian dishes. If you are choosing one dish, the reviews give a clear order: truffle pljukanci for a first visit, cuttlefish risotto or spaghetti with clams when you come for fish.

Booking, and when to come in September 2026

A table is booked by phone on +385 98 981 1401. In July and August the terraces around the Forum are full from 7 p.m.; September is easier, but for Friday and Saturday evening a booking still applies, especially for the terrace. Anyone arriving without notice gets in more easily for lunch or before 7 p.m. Opening hours, photos and the location are on the Bistro Alighieri profile on Jelo.hr.

Dante's Square is reached on foot from any part of the old town; parking in the old town is difficult in season, so leave the car on the waterfront or by the Arena. The other central addresses Alighieri is compared with, from Pizzeria Jupiter in Castropola to Agrippina on Sergijevaca, are in our guide to the Top 10 restaurants in Pula, and the full list is in the directory of restaurants in Pula.