6 Best Restaurants in Southern Dalmatia, Croatia

When the former pastry chef at Restaurant 360 opens his own artisanal ice cream and cake shop in Dubrovnik, you know it's going to be good; Gianni serves up the best scratch-made gelato in town, incorporating natural ingredients and some unusual flavors such as curry and chili alongside traditional favorites like pistachio and chocolate. Don't let the high-caliber credentials intimidate you—this little hole in the wall in the Old Town, located behind the Old Port, is as casual as it gets, with a few outdoor tables where you can hang out and make friends over ice cream, exquisite cakes, and great coffee.

Follow the scent of fresh basil to Aterina, a playful restaurant occupying a square on the periphery of the Old Town, with views to the palm-lined promenade and sea below. Order the "small plate" to try a sample of each of the tapas-style starters including cheese, smoked ham, anchovies, and marinated vegetables. Don't leave without trying one of the excellent desserts, such as basil cake or peaches in Grk.

If you have to wait to board the ferry from Orebić to Korčula, you'll be relieved to find Croccantino just around the corner from the port. This fun, colorful little café right along the waterfront promenade serves exquisite homemade gelato, artisan cakes and cupcakes, and excellent smoothies, coffee, and milkshakes.

In a city full of ice cream shops, family-run Gelateria Dubrovnik is the original. There's a reason why there's always a line out the door—and it's not just because they give free cones to local kids. They make all of their ice cream in-house, and what started with just 4 flavors is now 32, with the original recipes passed down to the current owners from their fathers and grandfathers before them. For the record, the original four flavors were chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and lemon.

Occupying the ornate Arsenal building on Luža Square, Gradska Kavana remains Dubrovnik's favorite meeting place for morning coffee and cake, breakfast, or an evening aperitif. The grand café has an ample summer terrace and is a perfect spot for people-watching and admiring the sites that surround it, including Rector's Palace, Sponza Palace, and the Cathedral. City Hall is located just upstairs, so you'll often see news cameras and journalists outside waiting for politicians to emerge.

European food rule number one: if you see locals lining up for ice cream, get in that line. That's certainly the case with KIWI, the island's oldest ice cream shop; grab a seat outside to try traditional pastries such as klašuni (walnut pastries) and cukarini (handmade biscuits), as well as muffins, strudels, and homemade ice cream that does Korčula's Italian heritage proud.