What to Eat in Hvar: Local Dishes, Where Locals Eat & the Best Food Tours

The short version: on Hvar, eat gregada, the island’s fish and potato stew, octopus from the island’s fishermen, lamb or octopus peka in an inland village, and take home paprenjak, the old peppery honey biscuit. In Hvar town, book Konoba Maestro or Giaxa for gregada; in Stari Grad, eat at Bistro kod Damira; for peka by candlelight, drive up to Konoba Humac above Jelsa. Drink Plavac Mali from the south-facing slopes and the island’s native white, Bogdanjuša. And on a short stay, a guided food or wine tour is the quickest way to the cellars and konobas. Below: what to eat, exactly where to eat it, what to drink, and the food experiences worth booking.

What to eat in Hvar, and where to eat it

Where to eat in Hvar

Hvar town is expensive, and its harbour front is priced for the yachts moored in front of it. The rule: in town, eat a street or two back from the harbour; for value and village cooking, go to Stari Grad, the old town on the north coast, or up to the inland villages above Jelsa, where konobas cook peka on open fires. In July and August, book everything, and order peka a day ahead.

For a classic dinner in Hvar town

Konoba Maestro has about ten tables in a quiet lane beside St Stephen’s Cathedral and a family supply chain: two brothers fish, the third runs the konoba. Octopus is the star, as salad, hot starter or main, alongside gregada and brodetto. Giaxa, in a late-Gothic palace in the old town, cooks from the daily catch: tuna and octopus carpaccio, lobster buzara and the traditional Hvar gregada; book ahead in summer. Mediterraneo Dine&Wine, family-run in the old town for over seventy years and listed in the Michelin Guide (Michelin listing), offers land and sea tasting menus and a small wine room of Hvar wines; booking is essential in high season.

For a local lunch in Stari Grad

Bistro kod Damira is chef Damir Čalić’s homage to Dalmatian home cooking, at affordable prices: pašticada, grilled octopus, homemade pasta and whatever the fishermen bring in, with lavender cake to finish. In the old lane of Duolnjo Kola, Antika has a shaded street terrace and a short menu with black risotto and kotlenka, and Jurin Podrum is a trattoria-style place with simple dishes at affordable prices, its own olive oil and organic vegetables. On the Riva, Kod Barba Luke, run by the Roić family since 1970, does octopus salad and black risotto under the palms.

For a cheap, fast meal

Kogo on the main square has been going since 1983, first as a pizzeria, and it is still best known for pizza, with pasta, risotto and grilled fish at prices well below most of Hvar town. For something sweet, Nonica bakes old Hvar recipes with bitter orange, almonds, carob, honey and lavender, including forski koloc.

For peka in the inland villages

Konoba Humac sits in an old shepherds’ settlement above Jelsa with no electricity: everything is cooked over an open fire or under the peka, and you eat by candlelight under the stars, starting with local cheese and salted sardines before octopus peka. In Vrisnik, Konoba Vrisnik has been a family favourite for over twenty years, cooking around a big hearth in the garden. Above Hvar town, Stori Komin in the abandoned village of Malo Grablje serves lamb and veal peka, which you must order a day ahead.

For a special dinner

Laganini, in Vinogradišće Bay on the Pakleni Islands and reachable only by boat, is the island’s top table, with gregada and buzara done at fine-dining level. In Stari Grad, Terra is listed in the Michelin Guide (Michelin listing) for French technique with herbs and vegetables from the resort garden, on a poolside terrace facing the sunset.

Names link to Google Maps for directions. We checked these places in October 2026. Opening days change, especially out of season, so check before you go.

Where to shop for food

Hvar’s edible souvenirs are paprenjak, olive oil, lavender and wine. For paprenjak, the peppery honey biscuit, and a modern creamy version of it, go to Sweets Pastry Shop in the centre of Hvar town, which also makes a lavender cheesecake. For olive oil, Rajski vrt Radojković in Bogomolje, at the island’s quiet eastern end, is an oil mill with a tasting room. Lavender grows on the terraces around Brusje and Velo Grablje, where the harvest starts in July and the village holds its lavender festival at the start of the month. For wine, buy at the cellar door (see below).

What to drink in Hvar

Hvar’s red is Plavac Mali, grown on the steep south-facing slopes around Sveta Nedjelja and Ivan Dolac, where the sun and the sea give big, warm wines. The native white is Bogdanjuša (also spelled Bogdanuša), a light, fresh white native to the island; you will also find Pošip and Prč (Parč), and the sweet Prošek after dinner. For a tasting, Tomić in Jelsa runs tastings from late April to the end of October, Monday to Saturday, of its Plavac Mali, Pošip, Bogdanuša and Prošek; book by phone. Zlatan Otok in Sveta Nedjelja, on the south-side Plavac Mali slopes, offers guided tastings in summer and sells wine at cellar prices. In Hvar town, the wine room at Mediterraneo pours Hvar labels with dinner. For more cellars, see our Hvar wine tours guide.

Food experiences to book in Hvar

Hvar’s best food and wine is out of town, in hill villages and family cellars that are hard to reach without a car and a local. A wine tour or food tour takes you to the Plavac Mali slopes and the konobas in half a day, with someone else driving between tastings.

Our pick: the Island Tour with Wine and Olive Oil Tasting, rated 4.9 (147) on GetYourGuide.

Ratings as shown on GetYourGuide in October 2026. Check the listing for live prices and availability.

Food day trips from Hvar

The easiest day out is by taxi boat to the Pakleni Islands, where lunch at a beach konoba is the whole point; Laganini on Palmižana is the gourmet version. Inland, a loop through Pitve, Vrisnik and Humac takes in the stone villages of the interior and their peka konobas, with a stop at a cellar on the way. For a longer boat day with lunch, see our Blue Cave day trip food guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the one dish to eat on Hvar?

Gregada, the island’s fish stew with potato, onion, wine and olive oil. Konoba Maestro, Giaxa and Dalmatino in Hvar town all serve it.

Where do locals eat on Hvar?

In Stari Grad and the inland villages rather than on the Hvar town harbour: Bistro kod Damira in Stari Grad, and Konoba Vrisnik or Konoba Humac above Jelsa.

Where can I eat cheaply in Hvar town?

Kogo on the main square is the long-standing pizzeria with prices well below the rest of town. Stari Grad is cheaper overall: Bistro kod Damira and Jurin podrum both have affordable prices.

Do I need to book restaurants on Hvar?

In July and August, yes, especially at Mediterraneo, Giaxa and Laganini. Peka needs ordering in advance, a day ahead at Stori Komin.

Where can I buy paprenjak?

Sweets Pastry Shop in Hvar town makes a modern creamy take on it, and Nonica bakes other old Hvar sweets such as forski koloc.

Is a Hvar wine tour worth it?

Yes: the best cellars are spread across the island, and a guided tour means you can taste Plavac Mali and Bogdanjuša without driving. Compare the options above or on our Hvar wine tours page.

Plan your Hvar food trip

Hvar wine tours · Hvar wine tours guide · Blue Cave day trip food guide