As with most places in the Dalmatia region, the island produces excellent olive oil, local cheeses (usually sheep or goat), fruit, and vegetables (much of it organic). Fresh fish is delicious. Special mention goes to lamb from Brac: in Croatia is as sought after as crab from Cromer in the UK.
The animals usually graze wild with a daily diet of local herbs straight off the bushes. There is a great choice of smarter restaurants, rustic konobas and places by the beach. Most have fabulous outdoor terraces.
About konobas – think something like a bistro in France or a trattoria in Italy. Originally these were smaller, often family-run places with rustic decor and a shorter, well-priced menu. Over time, konobas have elaborated and many now offer menus as extensive as those in smarter restaurants! Some of our top choices are:
SUPETAR
Palute is a typical Dalmatian restaurant serving local specialties and fresh fish from the “poorer” blue fish such as sardine and mackerel to the big white fish including sea bass and sole. For lunch on the beach, Restaurant Lovrecine is on a sandy beach of the same name, not far from Supetar. They use all local produce here and it is a short ride from Supetar. Access by car, taxi, bicycle, or on foot. Water taxis from Supetar will take you there and agree a return pick-up time.
SUTIVAN
Konoba Bokuncin is an old stone house serving excellent local Dalmatian cuisine. Think homemade bread, homemade gnocchi with octopus sauce and Brac lamb cooked slowly on embers under a metal bell cover.
BOL
Taverna Riva is on the first floor of an old stone house on the waterfront with wonderful views and excellent food. A little further on in the direction of the Dominican monastery and church on the Glavica peninsula, Ribarska Kucica (means “fisherman’s house”) which is always busy as the fish is superb.
Tables are set on a lovely terrace and sometimes a few are set on the adjacent pebble beach.
When in Bol, Stina Winery has created a wonderful tasting experience at the former Vinski Podrum co-operative on the seafront; a beautifully renovated, huge stone wine cellar where tastings are great value and there is usually a tapas-style menu too. See if you can guess what the design of the bottle of Stinica’s own excellent wines is all about!
AWAY FROM THE COAST
There are some excellent restaurants with a rustic ambiance and more meat specialties. In Donji Humac (one of the oldest settlements on the island), Kopacina has numerous ways of serving local lamb – in soup, on the spit, under the metal bell and vitalac is the local specialty, lamb’s liver wrapped in intestines (not for the faint-hearted). Sheeps cheese here is excellent. Try to have a table on the terrace at sunset. Perfect. Not far away in Gornji Humac, Konoba Tomic is housed in the family’s 800-year-old former home. Famous for octopus, also under the bell, prsut (Parma style ham), and delicious homemade wine. In autumn, visitors can see the old hand-turned press in use.
0 Comments