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Food tours in Dubrovnik: what to eat and which tour to book
Dubrovnik cooking is Dalmatian with a few local twists: black cuttlefish-ink risotto, grilled Adriatic fish dressed with olive oil, mussels in buzara sauce, slow-cooked pašticada, and meat or octopus cooked under a bell-shaped lid (peka). The city has its own desserts too: rožata, a caramel custard, and arancini, candied orange peel. Oysters and mussels come from Mali Ston, about an hour up the coast, and wine from the Pelješac peninsula and Konavle valley. The walled Old Town is one of the most expensive and crowded places to eat in Croatia; Gruž and Lapad, where many residents live, are noticeably cheaper.
Use this page to decide what to order and where: the dishes and areas below say what each part of town does well and when the markets run. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the current price and details on the booking page.
What to eat in Dubrovnik
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black risotto crni rižot | Risotto cooked with cuttlefish and its ink, which turns it glossy black; usually finished with olive oil and parsley. | Konobas (taverns) and seafood restaurants in Gruž, Lapad and the Old Town. | roughly €18–28 a plate |
| Ston oysters and mussels stonske kamenice, dagnje | European flat oysters and mussels farmed in the bay of Mali Ston, eaten raw with lemon or as mussels na buzaru (garlic, wine, parsley, breadcrumbs). | Best in Mali Ston and Ston; also on Dubrovnik seafood menus. | roughly €2–4 per oyster in Ston, more in Dubrovnik; mussels roughly €15–22 a portion |
| Pašticada | Beef marinated in vinegar and slow-braised for hours with wine, prunes and spices into a dark, sweet-sour sauce; served with gnocchi. | Traditional konobas; often a slow-cooked special rather than an everyday dish. | roughly €20–28 |
| Peka | Lamb, veal or octopus with potatoes cooked slowly in embers under a metal bell. Usually must be ordered several hours or a day in advance. | Konobas outside the Old Town and in Konavle. | roughly €30–45 per person, often for a minimum of two |
| Grilled fish riba na gradele | Whole fresh fish such as sea bream, sea bass or scorpionfish grilled over wood and served with blitva (chard and potatoes with olive oil). | Seafood restaurants; fresh wild fish is priced by the kilo. | farmed fish roughly €20–30 a portion; wild fish roughly €60–90+ per kg |
| Rožata | Dubrovnik's custard pudding with caramel, traditionally flavoured with rose liqueur (rozalin) or lemon. | Konobas and pastry shops. | roughly €6–9 |
| Candied orange peel arancini | Strips of bitter orange peel candied in sugar; a traditional Dubrovnik sweet often sold in small bags. | Gundulić Square market stalls and souvenir food shops. | roughly €5–10 a bag |
| Dubrovnik 'dirty' macaroni šporki makaruli | Pasta with a rich meat ragù of beef and pork, a traditional Dubrovnik family dish. | Traditional konobas; not on every menu. | roughly €15–22 |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Gundulić Square market
Small morning market inside the Old Town with fruit, vegetables, lavender, dried figs, candied peel and local liqueurs. Mostly visitor-facing now, but still the place for arancini.
Gruž market and fish market
The everyday market by the ferry port where residents buy fruit, vegetables and fresh fish straight from the boats.
Old Town (Stradun and side streets)
Atmospheric but expensive; the narrow lanes off Stradun hold the most restaurants. Prijeko, the long lane parallel to Stradun, is lined with touts and tourist menus.
Gruž and Lapad
Residential districts west of the Old Town with konobas, pizzerias and seafood places at local prices, plus a waterfront promenade in Lapad.
Mali Ston and Ston
Two villages about an hour north-west, known for oyster and mussel farming and their long medieval defensive walls; oyster restaurants line the Mali Ston waterfront.
Konavle
Rural valley south-east of Dubrovnik towards Cavtat with family wineries, agritourism farms and peka restaurants.
Food tours in Dubrovnik compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubrovnik: Private Cooking Experience with Wine Tasting | 7 hours | from €845 per group | private | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Dubrovnik Old Town: 3-Hour Food and Wine Tour | 3 hours | from €140 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Dubrovnik: Old Town Food Tour | 3.5 hours | from €134 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Pelješac Full-Day Wine and Food Tour from Dubrovnik | 8 hours | from €220 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Dubrovnik Old Town: Night tour with History, Wine & Bites | 2 hours | from €70 per person | — | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
| Dubrovnik: Authentic 8 Dishes Food Tour of the Old Town | 3.5 hours | from €121 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Dubrovnik: Private Cooking Experience with Wine Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Dubrovnik Tours - Horizon
- Length
- 7 hours
- Price
- from €845 per group
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- private
- Included
- English speaking driver/guide Three course meal in countryside farmhouse (salad, grilled fish or ‘peka’ meat meal, and dessert ) Fine selection of Dalmatian red and white wines, soft drinks and water
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Dubrovnik Old Town: 3-Hour Food and Wine Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Dubrovnik FOOD Story
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €140 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 271 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Poljana Paska Miličevića 4, 20000, Dubrovnik, Hrvatska
Dubrovnik: Old Town Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Dubrovnik Food Tours
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €134 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 165 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Clocktower
Pelješac Full-Day Wine and Food Tour from Dubrovnik
On GetYourGuide · run by Dubrovnik FOOD Story
- Length
- 8 hours
- Price
- from €220 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 104 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Dubrovnik Old Town: Night tour with History, Wine & Bites
On GetYourGuide · run by Stroll'n'Roll Dubrovnik
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €70 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 86 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Licensed tour guide Red wine White wine Cheese Prosciutto Olives Olive oil Bread Tips
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
- Starts
- Velika Onofrijeva Fontana
Dubrovnik: Authentic 8 Dishes Food Tour of the Old Town
On GetYourGuide · run by Secret Food Tours
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €121 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 65 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
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Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Dubrovnik has little street food: burek from bakeries, pizza slices and sandwiches are the cheap options, plus ice cream. In the Old Town even snacks are pricey; bakeries in Gruž and Lapad are cheaper.
Sit-down meals
Most eating is in konobas and seafood restaurants. Lunch is from about 12:00 and dinner from about 19:00; Old Town places get busy at sunset. Order peka in advance. Fresh fish is sold by weight, so ask for the price before it is cooked.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are usually held at family homes or farms outside the city, often in Konavle, and cover peka, black risotto or traditional sweets with local wine. Many include pick-up; expect half a day.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | €40–55 (bakery breakfast, burek or pizza lunch, simple konoba dinner outside the Old Town) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | €80–110 (two sit-down meals with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €180+ (seafood tasting menu or top Old Town restaurant) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Possible but limited. Pizza, pasta, salads, blitva (chard and potatoes) and vegetable sides are options, but many traditional dishes use fish or meat stock. Vegan choices are mostly in a few dedicated cafés in the Old Town.
Halal: Halal-certified restaurants are rare. Seafood is the most practical option; pork appears in pršut, sausages and some stews. A few kebab and Bosnian-style grill places serve beef ćevapi; ask about the meat.
Gluten-free: Awareness is improving and some restaurants mark gluten-free dishes; grilled fish and blitva are usually naturally gluten-free. Pasta, breadcrumbs in buzara and pastries contain gluten; carry a Croatian allergy card ('bez glutena').
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Restaurant touts on Prijeko and other Old Town lanes with laminated picture menus and frozen seafood at premium prices. Walk away from places that pull you in, read recent reviews, and consider eating in Gruž or Lapad.
- Fresh fish priced per kilo, then a much larger fish served than you expected, giving a very high bill. Ask to see the fish and agree its weight and total price before it's cooked.
- Couvert (bread and oil) and bottled water charged without being ordered. Check the menu for a couvert charge; ask for tap water ('obična voda'), which is safe to drink.
- Old Town cafés with sea views charging two or three times the normal price for coffee and drinks. Check the drinks menu before you sit down.
Top tours & activities in Dubrovnik
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Dubrovnik?
Tipping is not obligatory in Croatia but is common in tourist areas. Around 10% at a sit-down restaurant is generous if service was good; rounding up is fine in cafés. Check the bill for an included service charge. Guides on food tours appreciate a tip of roughly €5–10 per person.
Why is food so expensive in the Old Town?
Rents inside the walls are very high and most customers are visitors, often from cruise ships. A meal there can cost 30–50% more than the same dish in Gruž or Lapad. Eat at least some meals outside the walls, and save the Old Town for one dinner after the day crowds have left.
Is a trip to Ston worth it for oysters?
If you like oysters, yes. Mali Ston is about an hour's drive from Dubrovnik and has farmed oysters and mussels for centuries. Restaurants on the waterfront serve them fresh, at lower prices than in the city. Combine it with a walk on the Ston walls and a Pelješac winery.
When are the markets open?
The Gundulić Square market in the Old Town runs in the mornings, roughly from 7:00 until midday. The Gruž market by the ferry port is busiest early in the morning, and the fish market there usually closes on Sundays. Check current hours locally, as they vary by season.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Dubrovnik is one of the most expensive places to eat in Croatia. On a budget, about €40–55 covers bakery breakfast, a cheap lunch and a simple dinner outside the walls. A comfortable day with two sit-down meals and wine is roughly €80–110.
Should I book restaurants and food tours in advance?
In July and August, and on days with several cruise ships in port, yes. Popular restaurants, peka dinners and small-group tours can fill several days ahead. In spring and autumn a day's notice is usually enough. Many restaurants close or reduce hours from November to March.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.