Best Vegetarian and Vegan Places in Split Worth Visiting

I first walked through Diocletian’s Palace nearly a decade ago looking for decent meat free eating in Split. The hunt was brutal. Back then, you could count the best vegetarian and vegan places in Split on one hand. Today I run a food column, I still live full time on the Riva, and I can walk you through more than a dozen spots that genuinely care about plant based food Split. Here is the updated, honest version, the one I give friends who stay with me from Kranj to Brisbane.

1. Green Square on Zadarska Street, just inside the Eastern Gate

Green Square sits tucked between souvenir stalls and backpacker bureaus. It is the best vegetarian and vegan place in Split that most first time visitors walk straight past because the signage is low. The indoor dining space is tiny, so in peak summer your best bet is the few outdoor tables. They specialise in bowls, wraps, pressed juices, and big creamy soups that pair well with sourdough, not the standard tourist white loaf. Everything is clearly labelled dairy free, gluten free, or both.

What to Order: the mushroom and lentil wrap with roasted vegetables and tahini drizzle; it is filling enough to skip a second dinner.
Best Time: weekdays between 12.30 and 13.30 if you want to sit down instantly, after 14.30 the place empties suddenly.
The Vibe: fast casual. Interior is small and warm in summer, no sea breeze out here on Zadarska. Staff are used to explaining every dish in fluent English and Spanish.

Insider Tip: they rarely list this menu on the public board, but ask for the off menu avocado and ginger toast on sourdough whenever they have ripe avocados. The supply depends on the morning green market near the ferry port.

2. Konoba Matejuška in the Old Town, under the ancient stone archways

Do not let the name fool you, this is a classic Konoba that has quietly become one of the vegan restaurants in Split thanks to its heavy focus on seasonal vegetables. The dining rooms are medieval vaulted stone spaces that were once fishermen’s storage. The kitchen leans on Brač olive oil, local wild asparagus, and silverbeet from Vis Island. Their lentil soup and tomato rich chickpea stew are the meat free menu anchors in a restaurant otherwise famous for octopus under the bell.

What to Order: the island style vegetable stew, the one based on silverbeet, potatoes, and a splash of red wine, plus a side of black cuttlefish ink risotto if you eat seafood.
Best Time: lunch between 13.00 and 14.00 on weekdays to avoid table lines that wrap around the stone steps.
The Vibe: old stone, candle light, serious wine service. The stone absorbs sound, so getting loud after two glasses is normal.

Insider Tip: book through their Facebook direct message rather than Instagram comments if you are a party of more than 4. They control table split better that way.

3. Buffet Špinut on Kopilica Bay, the workers’ zone

Buffet Špinut is the definition of invisible to tourists. It sits at the edge of the port workers’ side of the bay, opposite the yacht marina. This is a rough and honest self service cafeteria style spot that has been feeding dock workers for generations. It is not on any google maps “best vegetarian” list, yet it is one of the best vegetarian and vegan places in Split if you want affordable, homemade, home style cooking. Expect big metal trays of steaming beans in tomato, sauerkraut, roasted peppers, and salad bowls.

What to Order: the bean and sarma plate with mashed potatoes, plus a bowl of the tomato and pepper salad. Keep an eye out for their bruschetta afternoon specials when the bread is fresh from the morning bake.
Best Time: 11.30 to 12.30 sharp, when everything is hot from the pot. After 13.30 the trays start looking tired.
The Vibe: plastic chairs, no tablecloths, no playlists. Busy locals, zero decor.

Meat Free Drawback: items are not labelled strictly vegan or vegetarian. Ask Sanda behind the counter, she will point you to the truly meatless trays.

Insider Tip: pay attention to whether it is meat day or vegetable day on the service counter. The quality gap between the two days is huge. Lazy tourists always show up on the wrong day.

4. Bistro Tomic on Marmont Street, Kala

Bistro Tomic occupies a narrow, stylish little room just two minutes from the waterfront, yet completely overlooked by cruise passengers who never leave the Riva. It is one of the few vegan restaurants Split that openly markets itself as plant forward. The owner openly talks about Dalmatian ingredients meeting the new plant based wave. You get Australian style bracing espresso, Japanese style matcha, and a full savoury menu from jackfruit “tuna” to red lentil dhal bowls.

What to Order: the jackfruit wrap with a fermented cabbage slaw and their internal signature hot sauce. Do not skip the house kombucha on tap.
Best Time: 09.00 to 10.30 for quiet coffee and reading space. Lunch is fully packed between 13.00 and 14.00.
The Vibe: minimalist, white on white with big abstract female portraits on exposed stone. Background music sits at the right volume.

Insider Tip: the interior often smells strongly of matcha powder, which some people love and others find overpowering. Sit outside in spring if you have sensitivities.

5. Nana on the Eastern edge of the old city, near the green market end

Nana sits close to the main entrance from the farmer’s market but slightly newer as a concept. It is one of the consistently good vegan restaurants Split with a higher end bistro touch. The owners cook in the Caribbean Caribbean Latin stylistic direction, so you might find black bean emplantains next to smoky roasted aubergine puree. They use coconut milk in their desserts instead of cow milk, and they bottle their own ingredient.

What to Order: the black bean and spinach Caribbean stew with fried yellow dhal on top, plus their coconut rice.
Best Time: 18.30 on Thursday or Friday if you want a cocktail and bigger groups easily seated.
The Vibe: smooth jazz, open doors onto a side court, very friendly to solo female diners.

Insider Tip: ask for the outdoor back garden table if you have a reservation. Those tables get about 30 percent more shade in summer heat. Front tables fry under the midday sun.

6. Market stalls and long term food trucks on Pazar and on the Riva end past Hotel Split

The official green market on the eastern edge of Diocletian’s Palace is where plant based Food Split and real cooking starts for us locals. Every morning until 14.00 this is the grandmother to grandmother trade of figs, sage bundles, salted capers, spring onions, potted wild herbs. You buy ripe red peppers and have them roasted right there on street side grills. There are also an increasing number of food trucks just west of Trg Francuskog that serve falafel, seitan wraps with cabbage slaw, or cheese toasties with tomatoes.

What to Order: roast peppers with chilli flakes and garlic, plus a bowl of the fava bean spread if there is a stall selling it. Carry home soft figs wrapped in fig leaves.
Best Time: 07.30 to 09.30 on weekdays for the best produce. After 11.00 there are more tourists and prices increase.
The Vibe: loud, fast haggling in Chakavian dialect, sour cabbage smell. Expect a 40 minute elbow to elbow squeeze in July.

Insider Tip: If you spot older women selling wild marjoram and bay leaves in small bundles, always buy them. Those go straight into lentil soups and take them from dull to unforgettable.

7. Vallis Aurea on the northern coastal path, Bačvice edge

Vallis Aurea is technically further along the waterfront towards Bačvice, which keeps it away from the palace crowds. The menu is not purely plant based, but from Bačvice style bean stews to pistachio cheesecake, the kitchen treats vegetables with respect. The owners forage themselves during spring and autumn, so wild herbs appear all over plates. The staff explain ingredient sourcing the way a vineyard explains terroir.

What to Order: the fava bean puree with truffle oil and wild rocket, plus the zucchini and mint salad. Finish with a truly outstanding pistachio dessert.
Best Time: 20.00 onwards in summer when the courtyard lights come on. Afternoons are too windy and cold in shoulder season.
The Vibe: warm wood, nautical lamps, serious wine list. Overly quiet when it is empty.

Insider Tip: the outdoor seats directly on the water get exposed full gust when the Bura kicks in. Staff might beg you to sit further inland unless you enjoy risking your wine.

8. Mazzgoon on Vukovarska Street, over near the bus station side

Mazzgoon sits facing Split’s city transit hub, which means both locals heading home and tourists heading to Hvar pass through here. It has become one of the most popular meat free eating Split concepts by accident more than design. The cooks were inspired heavily by Israel and Lebanon, so you will find hummus variations going from a classic chickpea base to beet and garlic. Warm pita arrives freshly pulled from their own oven.

What to Order: the roasted beetroot hummus with sesame seed crust and a side of their warm halloumi fingers.
Best Time: 19.30 on weeknights when the dinner wave splits into two clear seatings.
The Vibe: bold signage, bright interiors, black and white tile floors. Music gets louder after 21.30.

Insider Tip: the halloumi fingers send out a rich smell that tempts you to order six or eight portions. Hide one in the freezer. You will thank me at 22.30.

What to Know Before You Start Exploring Vegan Restaurants Split

Most vegan restaurants Split today are post-2017 concepts. Before that, meat free eating meant assembling meals at the green market and turning vegetables into homemade bowls at Airbnb kitchens. Split only took off as a serious vegan destination around the same time that low-cost airlines began direct flights to London, Copenhagen, and Berlin.

Tap water in the city is safe to drink but the mineral taste is too salty for some visitors. Many cafes serve micro filtered water by default. Historic building plumbing in the palace can create cloudy, brown-tinged water on the first draw of the morning. Let pipelines run for a minute before filling bottles.

Croatia uses the euro. Expect a casual vegan lunch for about 9 to 13. A sit-down dinner in a vegan-forward spot will run 12 to 20 per person before wine. Coffee prices sit around 1.80 to 2.50 depending on whether you sit or stand at the bar.

Dress code is relaxed. Locals at Konoba Matejuška may change into linen jackets for a 20.30 dinner, but nobody at Buffet Špinut or Green Square cares. Croatia in summer is shorts and clean sandals unless you head to an upscale wine bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant based dining options in Split?

Very easy within the old town and along the Riva. At least eight dedicated vegan cafes operate within a five minute walk of Diocletian’s Palace. Outside the centre, many Konobas offer vegetable focused side dishes even if they are not strictly vegan.

Is the tap water in Split safe to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?

Tap water is treated and meets EU safety standards. Older apartments in the palace may release brown water for a few seconds after overnight stagnation, but it clears quickly. Many restaurants offer free filtered water at no charge upon request.

What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Split is famous for?

Try squid ink risotto, known locally as Crni Rizot, for a seafood icon. For plant based food Split, order bowls of Brač olive oil drizzled fava bean puree with wild rocket or grilled peppers from the green market.

Is Split expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.

Budget travelers can manage on 60 to 80 euros per day by eating at buffets, drinking supermarket wine, and staying in hostels. Mid-range travelers typically spend between 110 and 180 euros daily covering a private apartment, dinners at Konobas, and a few museum tickets.

Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Split?

Shorts and sleeveless tops are acceptable almost everywhere in summer. Some upscale Konobas prefer covered shoulders after 20.00. Open shoe sandals are normal, but dark worn gym shoes without socks sometimes draw side-eye at smarter wine bars.