Five Split addresses that earned their place on the 2026 list: two restaurants from the Michelin Guide, the old town wine bar with the most reviews, a Neapolitan pizzeria and a fish restaurant with a view from Sustipan.
In September 2026, Split is a city where good eating happens on several levels at once. Inside Diocletian's Palace and around the Riva, restaurants serve tourists and locals at the same tables, while out at Firule and Sustipan, away from the crowds, a few houses sit with the sea and the island of Brač in front of them. This list picks the five addresses that most deserve a booking in 2026.
The criteria are simple. First, awards that can be checked: a listing in the Michelin Guide and scores in the Gault&Millau guide for Croatia. Then ratings and review counts on Google, Tripadvisor and Restaurant Guru, and what guests keep repeating in those reviews. Finally, the list was built to avoid sameness: one modern Dalmatian kitchen, one restaurant for special occasions, one urban wine bar, one pizzeria and one fish restaurant with a view.
The order is not a ranking of plates. Nobody from jelo.hr has sat at these tables; the verdict is about reputation, documented awards and what thousands of guests write. Each entry comes with the address, a practical note on booking and price, and the most common praise as well as the most common complaint.
1. Dvor, Put Firula 14
The strongest choice in Split for a special occasion. Dvor at Firule holds the highest Gault&Millau score on this list, 16 out of 20, and is listed in the Michelin Guide with the good cooking designation. The restaurant opened in 2013 in the southern, residential part of town, away from the tourist core, with a tree-shaded garden looking out over the sea and the islands. Chef Vesna Vukman runs the kitchen, and the philosophy is traditional Dalmatian dishes in a modern execution. The menu changes with the seasons: spring and summer lean on the sea, autumn and winter on the land.
Among the dishes guides and guests mention are the ceviche of fish, scampi and scallops, the smoked seafood risotto with aged parmesan ice cream and the osso buco with roast potatoes. Prices sit at the top of the Split scale; Michelin marks it with four euro signs. A reservation is essential for lunch and dinner, especially for garden tables. You reach it on foot along the coast from Bačvice or by taxi.
Guests in reviews most often praise the view, the calm of the seaside garden and the service, while complaints concern the price of side dishes and the ratio of price to portion size.
Dvor — profile, menu and contact
2. Restoran Šug, Ul. Tolstojeva 1a
The safest choice for contemporary Dalmatian cooking right in the centre. Šug stands on Tolstojeva, beside the walls of Diocletian's Palace, and is run by two chefs who previously led the kitchens of Split's better restaurants: Duje Kanajet, winner of the Gault&Millau young chef trophy in 2018, and Mateo Kordić. The restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide, and Gault&Millau gives it 13.5 out of 20. The menu draws on tradition, but the execution is precise and modern, with bread baked in-house and produce from local family farms.
Šug is known for its marenda, the daily dish that changes every day and keeps prices at a level that attracts locals, and not only tourists. The menu features slow-braised pot dishes, baked fish, pašticada and veal risotto, plus a tasting menu for those who want more. It is open from 10 am to 11 pm and closed on Sundays. Booking is mandatory, even for lunch; there are few tables.
The most common praise in reviews goes to the relaxed, friendly staff and reasonable prices for the centre, while complaints mostly concern the cramped space and waiting without a reservation.
Restoran Šug — profile, menu and contact
3. Bokeria Kitchen & Wine, Domaldova ul. 8
The liveliest address in the old town and the restaurant with the most reviews on this list. Bokeria Kitchen & Wine works on Domaldova, a few steps from the fish market, in a space with tall glass walls that blur the line between street and dining room; the upper floor is quieter. Chef Željka Bogdan runs the kitchen, Gault&Millau gives it 13.5 out of 20, and the style is Mediterranean with an emphasis on small plates for sharing: tacos, bomboline, soparnik.
Among the larger dishes, guests and guides most often mention the black risotto, the lamb shank and the octopus with mashed potatoes, with paradižot to finish. The wine list leans towards Croatian labels, with plenty by the glass. Prices are above the Split average for the centre, but most guests consider them justified. A reservation is practically essential in the evening; without one you wait, and Tripadvisor lists the house as a Travellers' Choice for 2025.
Guests in reviews highlight the atmosphere and creative dishes made from fresh produce, while complaints concern prices, small wine pours and service at the busiest hours.
Bokeria Kitchen & Wine — profile, menu and contact
4. Pizzeria Sette Sorelle, Trg Franje Tuđmana 3
The highest-rated address in Split, and by a wide margin. Pizzeria Sette Sorelle holds a 4.9 on Google with almost ten thousand reviews, ranks second among some six hundred Split restaurants on Tripadvisor and carries the Travellers' Choice award for the top one percent of restaurants worldwide. It sits on Trg Franje Tuđmana, behind the Franciscan monastery, about a hundred metres from the Riva, with two outdoor terraces.
The concept is simple: seven Neapolitan pizzas named after the seven sisters of Greek mythology, the Pleiades, and nothing beyond that. Guests compare them with pizzas from Italy and praise the ratio of price to portion, which is rare in this zone. The price for that is a queue: after 7:30 pm in season you wait, so it is wise to book online or arrive early. Count on a quick, loud dinner and a good pizza before or after a walk along the Riva.
The most common praise is the dough and the quality of the ingredients at a reasonable price, while complaints concern queues, music that is too loud and an occasionally undercooked crust.
Pizzeria Sette Sorelle — profile, menu and contact
5. Restoran Adriatic, Sustipanski put 2
The best view on the list and the safest choice for fish outside the centre. Restoran Adriatic sits on the cliffs of Sustipan, a few metres above the sea, with a terrace on three sides looking over the marina, the city and the islands. Gault&Millau scores it 13.5 out of 20, chef Zvonimir Bebić runs the kitchen, and in the jelo.hr database it holds a 4.7 with more than 5,600 reviews. The house relies on fresh fish from Vis: gregada, Komiža fisherman's soup and grilled fish.
Those who skip fish find beefsteak, veal and duck on the menu, and among desserts the guide singles out the unfinished strudel with apples and kadayif. The restaurant is open every day from noon to midnight, a rarity in Split. According to Restaurant Guru, dinner per person usually exceeds 50 euros. Booking is recommended, especially for the terrace in season and at sunset; parking is available.
Guests in reviews highlight the view of Brač, the sunset and waiters they mention by name, while complaints concern inconsistent dishes and high prices.
Restoran Adriatic — profile, menu and contact
How to choose a restaurant in Split
First decide what matters more to you: the view or the proximity. Restaurants inside the palace and around the Riva are reachable on foot, but the rooms are small and the crowds are constant. Dvor and Adriatic require a walk or a taxi, and in return give you the sea in front of your table. In summer, book everything on this list at least a day ahead, and sunset terraces even earlier.
Second, look at what a restaurant actually does. Šug and Dvor are for Dalmatian cooking, Bokeria for sharing small plates over wine, Sette Sorelle for pizza without compromise, Adriatic for whole fish. If you want steak, the jelo.hr database also lists Chops Grill near Marmontova and Laganini beside the palace, both with high ratings.
Third, ask for the marenda. The Split custom of a daily dish at a lower price has survived even in the better kitchens; Šug keeps it all year round. On a weekday at noon this is the best way to eat well without the tourist bill. And check opening hours: some restaurants in the centre close on Sundays, and hours shrink out of season.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best restaurant in Split for 2026?
Judging by awards that can be verified, Dvor at Firule: Gault&Millau gives it 16 out of 20, and the Michelin Guide lists it among restaurants with good cooking. For the centre and lower prices, Šug is the strongest choice, with two award-winning chefs.
Do I need to book a table in Split restaurants?
In summer, yes, at all five restaurants on the list. Šug requires a booking even for lunch, Bokeria and Sette Sorelle have queues in the evening, and Dvor and Adriatic fill their garden and terrace at sunset. All take reservations online or by phone.
How much does dinner cost at a better Split restaurant?
It depends on the address. Dvor sits at the top of the scale, marked with four euro signs in the Michelin Guide; at Adriatic, dinner per person usually exceeds 50 euros according to Restaurant Guru. Šug with its marenda and Sette Sorelle with its seven pizzas are noticeably more affordable.
Where can I eat fish in Split with a sea view?
Adriatic on Sustipan has a terrace on three sides above the marina and works with fish from Vis, while Dvor at Firule offers a seaside garden and a seasonal menu that emphasises seafood in summer. Both are outside the centre and both require a booking.
Is there good pizza in Split close to the Riva?
Yes. Pizzeria Sette Sorelle behind the Franciscan monastery bakes seven Neapolitan pizzas and is the highest-rated address in town, with a 4.9 on Google. After 7:30 pm in season there is a wait, so book online or arrive early.
