Gluten-free Croatia: food, restaurants and groceries for celiacs

Croatian food

Croatian cooking is rich and varied, influenced by many countries, from Italy to Turkey. The specialties change from one town or region to the next.

For celiacs, Croatia is a very welcoming country. The diet is mostly Mediterranean, with lots of seafood, so you can easily find traditional dishes that are naturally gluten-free.

Here is a selection of typical dishes without gluten:

Starters

• Pršut: dry-cured ham, eaten as a starter, often with...
• Paški sir: sheep's cheese from the island of Pag. You can order cured meat and cheese boards with your drinks and have a feast, as long as you bring your own gluten-free bread (you can buy it in supermarkets, see below)
• Salata od hobotnice: octopus salad, usually with potatoes, tomatoes, onion, garlic and fresh herbs. Typical of the coast near Italy.

Main courses

• Brudet: fish stew made with the catch of the day, a bit like bouillabaisse. A starter or a main course.
• Crni rižot (black risotto): risotto with cuttlefish ink. Rice cooked in white wine with pieces of squid, with the ink added at the end.
• Lignje na žaru: grilled squid. If you stay by the sea, do not miss it. The squid is grilled, not fried, and usually comes with vegetables in olive oil.
• Punjene paprike: peppers stuffed with meat. No flour in the stuffing, just rice, ground meat, herbs and spices. Surprisingly, all the peppers in Croatia are a very pale green. It is a specialty of Slavonia, an inland region, and the recipe is close to my stuffed peppers with ground meat (in French).
• Spit-roasted meat: often a whole pig, roasted on a spit. Croatians love it on weekends.

Unfortunately, Croatia has no typical gluten-free dessert. You can make up for it with the seasonal fruit that tempted me for two weeks on the market stalls.

For adults, another good point of Croatian food culture is wine. Red or white, you will be spoiled for choice. And wine is gluten-free, but drink in moderation. For beer, see below and my ranking of gluten-free beers (in French).

Croatians and gluten-free food

From what I read online, Croatian celiacs can get their gluten-free flour fully reimbursed. It makes sense, then, that they bake their own bread, cakes and even pasta at home. There is no Croatian gluten-free brand, but European brands are imported.

I would say the Croatian relationship with gluten-free food is close to France's: a few products in supermarkets, allergens listed on packaging but not on restaurant menus. However, when I said "celiac" (with an English pronunciation), I was often understood.

In general, the Croatians I met were very kind to me, gluten or not. It is a very safe country, and people working in tourism are very helpful. So do not hesitate to ask what is in a dish, or to ask your hosts for restaurant tips (there are lots of guesthouses in Croatia).

To help you, gluten-free is "bez glutena" (bez means "without"). It is also useful if you look for lactose-free (bez laktoze) or dairy-free (bez mlijeka) products.

Eating out gluten-free

Unlike our trip to Greece in 2021, we did not eat out much. In tourist towns, prices are quite high, especially in Split, Dubrovnik and Sibenik. Still, we found a few nice restaurants with gluten-free or naturally gluten-free dishes.

Good news for English speakers: menus are always translated into English and German. You can also use my list of gluten-free dishes above, which gives the Croatian names. Croatia has used the euro since 2023, so prices are easy to compare.

Split

Split is the country's second city, after the capital, Zagreb. I found several gluten-free places there, and many restaurants with dishes I could eat. The problem in Split is the price, which I found a bit too high in the old town restaurants. So I did not try all the risottos I would have liked... For old town restaurants, I strongly recommend booking, especially on weekends.

• Salt Gluten Free (their Facebook page, with the menu): fast food to take away all day long: brunch, salads, grilled meat, pizza and sandwiches. All 100% gluten-free! However, the burgers were not good value. All over Croatia, burgers are made with poor meat (inedible, and I am not picky). On the other hand, the sandwich was cheap and quite good: I was full for 5 euros, which is rare for gluten-free food. The counter is at Sinjska ulica 7A, and Salt has since opened a proper Italian restaurant, also 100% gluten-free, at Slavićeva ulica 45: pizza, pasta and desserts, with very good reviews for the pizza.
• Good Food (formerly Toto's Burger Bar), at the end of the Riva waterfront (Trumbićeva obala 2): a burger place with gluten-free buns and fries cooked separately. I did not try their burgers, but reviews were more enthusiastic than for the previous one.
• Step by step bistro: a bistro with gluten-free options, at Senjska ulica 2, in the Veli Varoš neighborhood. You can have gluten-free crêpes for breakfast, or sandwiches.
• Konoba Kod Sfinge: not a gluten-free restaurant, but they serve good, generous risottos, cheaper than elsewhere in Split. Cash only. Here is my seafood plate:

Split is famous for its nightlife, and many people come to party. So I cannot resist recommending a great cocktail bar (plenty of gluten-free options!): Pun Kufer, a tiny place in a courtyard of the old town. The cocktails are very good and cheap for the city.

Makarska

Makarska is smaller than the other towns in this post, but its unique setting between sea and mountains makes it a must if you are near Split with a car. Hiking in Biokovo Nature Park (get up early!) gives you amazing views. The beaches are beautiful too, with the turquoise water you will find all over Croatia.

For a cheap bite during a beach day, try the beach bar Neverin, a few kilometers from the center. The food was very good and good value, which is not always the case in Croatia.

Sibenik

In Sibenik, I did not find a dedicated gluten-free restaurant, but as everywhere there are good places serving naturally gluten-free dishes. At Konoba Nostalgija, for instance, finding a gluten-free dish was easy.

Dubrovnik

• Spaghetteria Toni: an Italian restaurant with gluten-free pasta in the old town, at a reasonable price. Hard to say no.
• Pantarul: Croatian cooking with special attention to allergens, gluten-free dishes and even a gluten-free cake for dessert, rare enough to mention. It is in the Lapad neighborhood, not in the old town.
• IGRA gluten free street food (Ulica Andrije Hebranga 64B): a place I have not tried, opened since my trip. It is 100% gluten-free street food: wraps, burgers, fries, cakes and even gluten-free beer. Celiacs who have been there say they felt safe.

In Dubrovnik, everything is very expensive. If you eat out, expect to spend a lot!

If you want to taste Croatian wine, I strongly recommend the wine bar D'Vino, which offers wine "journeys" through the country's regions. The wines were very good, and the waitress gave really interesting explanations. You can pair your tasting with boards of local cured meats and cheese, which are amazing. Bring your gluten-free bread and enjoy.

If you struggle to find a gluten-free dessert, get a giant ice cream at Aroma Gelato: almost 3 euros a scoop, but they are huge and really good.

Finally, if you want to treat yourself (and break the bank) in a unique setting, go to Gradska kavana Arsenal. The restaurant has two terraces, one overlooking the harbor and one the town, both stunning. The food is delicious: try the Ston oysters and the fish dishes. Most dishes are gluten-free, though for dessert you will only have the homemade ice cream. Try the cocktails and ask for wine pairings. Book ahead, of course.

Cooking gluten-free

If you rent an apartment or go camping, you will probably cook. I recommend it, at least in Split and Dubrovnik, because restaurants are expensive and gluten-free fast food barely exists.

Supermarkets

In town centers you will only find small grocery stores: Konzum, Studenac, Primo, Pemo. They often stock gluten-free products, but you need to search: there is no dedicated aisle, and "bez glutena" is not always visible. You will always find gluten-free corn flakes, and often Barilla gluten-free pasta and Schär bread. But there is only one of each.

On the outskirts of the big towns, there are larger supermarkets. I recommend Konzum, which has many more gluten-free products: various cereals, bread, savory snacks, cookies and even beer (like this one, a perfectly decent lager). Prices are about the same as in France.

Organic shops

My trip started in Split, so I looked for organic shops to buy better gluten-free cereal than corn flakes. I found two next to each other (bio&bio and Tvornica): in the first one I found gluten-free beer and delicious Dutch honey waffles (I am addicted!), in the second a big choice of gluten-free cereals, muesli and granola. I stocked up for the whole trip. You will find them outside the old town in Dubrovnik too.

What to buy?

In Croatia, many products are imported, so prices are often high, for chocolate for instance. For a quick meal, rice and pasta are easy to find (gluten-free pasta takes a bit more searching). If you cook, buy your fruit and vegetables at the markets: the experience is authentic and the produce much better. Olive oil is a Croatian specialty, so taste it, or even book a tasting.

For picnics (in French; we had lots, because we love day trips), I tried sandwiches, salads and canned food. For sandwiches, Croatian cured meats are very good, but sliced cheese is disappointing: go for cheese cut to order at the counter. For salads, buy vegetables at the market and canned beans or chickpeas. And there are almost always ready-made salads in cans next to the canned tuna: not ideal, but they help hungry celiacs.

Other tips

Hotels

I did not stay in hotels in Croatia, as prices are high. I recommend guesthouses or rooms in private homes. They are cheaper, you meet Croatians who will give you tips, and you handle breakfast yourself, which is easier than finding gluten-free food at 9 am.

If you prefer hotels, as everywhere, some hotel groups offer gluten-free breakfasts. In a regular hotel, ask before you arrive. I always travel with a bag of muesli: you can find milk almost anywhere and hotel rooms often have a fridge, so I can count on a good breakfast. More ideas in my gluten-free travel tips.

Map of my addresses

To help you find your way, here is a map with all my addresses.

Now you know everything you need to enjoy Croatia's beaches and landscapes while eating 100% gluten-free.