There are a lot of great places to eat and drink in Hvar – the island is a well known as an upmarket party destination, with plenty of venues for a casual afternoon drink in the sun and chic bars lining the water front where you can rub shoulders with celebs in the evening. That’s not to say the place is particularly rowdy or tacky however, it also caters for families and couples and has plenty of stellar cuisine options. If you are looking for more information on Hvar generally, see our Croatian itinerary.
BLACK PEPPER
Situated on a quiet stair-cased alleyway climbing up from the main square, Black Pepper is a great little find. Their niche is to recommend a specific type of pepper or salt with each dish and it really does seem to work. The passion with which the waiters introduce their variety of pepper, from Paraguayan Pepper to Madagascan, is contagious, and even the puddings come with a sprinkling of Hawaiian sea salt. The atmosphere is incredibly friendly and they go out of their way to make you feel at home with a rose rakija to greet you followed by an amuse bouche. We had two excellent steaks, one beef, one shark, both washed down with an extremely reasonable and tasty litre carafe of Croatian red wine. A great meal out.
DALMATINO
This steak and fish house in the heart of Hvar served what Stu claims is one of the best steaks he’s have ever had. The restaurant itself was nice and the staff were friendly but it wouldn’t matter if this wasn’t the case because the food is absolutely gorgeous and that’s all you need to know. We sat outside in the street on a nice pot plant lined table soaking up the evening bustle of the town, that’s about all Stu remembers, apart from how good the steak was.
FALKO
Falko is a lovely little cafe-come-bar a short walk round the sea front from Hvar town. It feels very homely, almost like you’re eating in someone’s garden, with its stone flag path leading off the main sea front up to the cafe itself and its assortment of wicker chairs and hammocks plonked either side of it. Sails tied between the pine trees surrounding the tables offer a welcome break from the sun. Overall it’s a much more relaxing vibe than some of the beach bars closer to town. Here you can get a nice simple lunch such as a toastie, a salad or a pasta dish.
HULA HULA BAR
One of the places to soak up the sun by the sea with some drinks – be it beers or cocktails – this bar has you covered. The bar is usually crammed with tourists taking up every ounce of space on the wooden decking jutting out into the sea. With the loud music and party atmosphere, it’s a great place to set up for the afternoon if you’re in a group, so some of you can guard the table while others go for a dip to cool off.
Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem is like marmite, some love it, some hate it. It is split between the bar on the Riva by the ferry docks and the beach bar on Stipanska Island (one of the Pakleni Islands off the south coast of Hvar). The bar on the Riva attracts the tourists from the town with its luxurious stone interior and palm-lined terrace by the harbour. As the evening goes on, water taxis (which are included in the entry fee) ferry you across to the beach bar for the real party. Lead by some big name DJs, the parties at Carpe Diem beach bar are extremely popular and require full commitment. During the day, both bars offer drinks and cocktails which you can enjoy in comfy low sofas accompanied by chilled lounge rhythms. We found both Carpe Diem bars a little pretentious and over-hyped when we stopped in for a drink. Prices were expensive, the atmosphere felt fake and the beach was very busy and not particularly clean either. We preferred some of the cafes on the other islands for a drink, they were quieter and much prettier.
Sunburnt Zebra Travel 