New dining reviews for Makarska, Croatia

Last month was our second summer in a row visiting Makarska, further down the Croatian coast in the region of Dalmatia.

Back in the summer of last year, I wrote a post just about our dining experiences in Makarska and Split.  (CLICK HERE for that entry.)

This year we added some new restaurants to our list while in Makarska, and I wanted to share them with you!

Il Golfo

If I could say one thing about this restaurant, it would be GO THERE!  Perhaps one of the best dining experiences we have ever had.  EVER!  (Just writing about it now makes me want to totally be back there, reliving that amazing evening!)  We reserved a table on the pier over the water.  (Make a reservation in advance!!!)  We got to see a gorgeous sunset as we enjoyed our wonderful meal.  Miloš had filet mignon with truffle sauce (served with large pieces of truffle), and I had shrimp pasta.  We started with bruschetta to share, and Miloš had their home-made beef soup, which was served in a mini crock.  It was all truly excellent!  The service was top notch – our waiter was helpful and attentive, and even though he knew he could speak entirely in Croatian with Miloš, he still asked me in English how my food was and if I needed anything.  We would absolutely recommend eating here for anyone who is visiting Makarska!  (But remember – be sure to reserve your table on the pier ahead of time!)  Bonus – it was a GREAT deal – altogether WITH a good tip, we spent about the equivalent of $75 US. 

DiVino

We decided to try this restaurant because of the good reviews on Trip Advisor, and because we were really impressed by the fact that management responded to every review listed there.  We got one of the tables outside, along the sea side between the trees.  First, the positives – the service was very good and the food was great.  Miloš loved his steak – he rates it as one of the best he’s ever had.  (And he’s had many!)  My truffle pasta was good, but not the best I’ve eaten.  (That award goes to a restaurant in Split from last year.)  The decor was really lovely, and the restaurant’s atmosphere and ambiance was top level.  However, our cold cheese plate course took 50 minutes to arrive (too long), and then our entrees were brought out as soon as we were done with that.  So the timing was not that great.  This restaurant is also a bit on the pricier side, so come prepared with a bigger budget in mind.

Restaurant Ivo

This restaurant was a wonderful treat.  We were drawn in by the real grill (charcoal), where the food is prepared.  There are no wonderful views of the sea here, but they more than make up for it with quality of service and food.  Here they also spoke to Miloš in Croatian, and me in English, which was a very nice touch.  As to the appearance of the restaurant, there were a wide variety of styles.  (The different rooms inside were decorated in various themes – the garden room had a lovely Mediterranean feel, and our side room was very eclectic – down to the purple feather chandeliers, and the victorian desk tables.) 

We started with the “Cuban Bruschetta,” which was lobster, goat cheese, and pineapple.  SO good!  Miloš also had the shrimp soup, which was fantastic.  For our entrees, Miloš had the grilled lamb, with an amazing sauce on the side.  It was served with potatoes and rice.  I had the grilled swordfish, with the most amazing sauce I’ve ever had: shrimp, truffle, cognac, and wine sauce.  Holy cow – it was delicious!  I over-ate just because of that sauce.  My dinner was also served with fried potato slices and what I could only describe as spinach spring rolls.  All great!

Hotel Biokovo

We were told by some locals that this was a great place for pizza, and it certainly was!  The location in the center of town, over-looking the marina, is wonderful.  They had really fast free wifi, which, as someone who works when traveling, is essential.  (So many places that offer “free wifi” have snail’s-pace wifi that barely works.)  I had the Aloha pizza (basic Hawaiian pizza), and Miloš was extremely happy to finally find pizza with turkey ham on the menu.  We really loved our pizzas – nothing negative to say.  Service was really good too, despite how busy they were.   Our pizzas came out nice and fast!  Recommended!