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[title]For a week from October 10, almost 40 high-quality restaurants around Dubrovnik will be offering special menus created by some of the best chefs in Croatia as part of the popular Dubrovnik Food Festival.
Now in its ninth edition, the key culinary celebration in Croatia’s main tourist destination will also involve wine tastings, beer evenings, street food, live music, films, themed tours, workshops and presentations.
Around 50 events are programmed for the festival, which runs until October 16. Many are free, although some require registration. See the full schedule here.
Here we select a few highlights:
The spectacular setting of Sunset Beach Dubrovnik in Lapad is the suitable location for the opening events of this year’s Good Food Festival. A series of workshops presents niche aspects of local cuisine, including contemporary takes on traditional desserts (Oct 10, 5pm), techniques for smoking meat (Oct 10, 6.30pm) and how to best preserve and use local herbs (Oct 11, 5pm).
You can register for each event here https://registracija.rckdu.hr/.
Sunset Beach Dubrovnik is also hosting a special dinner prepared by Michelin-starred chef Marijo Curić, at the Nobilis restaurant at 7pm on October 14. Accompanied by live music from Marko Tolja, guests can enjoy five courses with wine pairings for 450 kunas. Reserve through +385 99 444 7717 or info@sbd.hr.
Further workshops cover the practicalities of permaculture at the Dubrovnik County Chamber (Oct 12, 11am), ecological and regenerative agriculture at Osojnik (Oct 12, 5pm). For both, register register through hgkdu@hgk.hr. Making gingerbread, cakes, dessert with bitter orange and crushed almonds, and biscuits on a spoon, are all presented at Deša in Lazareti each morning at 10am from October 13-16. Register at info@desa-dubrovnik.hr.
At 5pm on October 12, a Sunset Sparkling Wine Party on the Lounge Terrace of the Royal Hotels & Resorts (Kardinala Stepinca 31) features tastings of various Croatian and Hungarian sparkling wines, an introduction to champagne-production techniques, savoury snacks, a DJ and saxophonist. Admission is 120 kuna, registration obligatory via ksenija@eventlab.hr.
Lazareti hosts the four-day Bavarin Street Food Festival from 6pm on October 13. Six outlets around this historic complex overlooking the Adriatic offer all kinds of hand-held delights, from burgers to fish to meat-free, alongside a G&T workshop, before a live show by long-established rock band Psihomodo Pop.
Bavarin continues on October 14, with presentations by famed pastry chef Tea Mamut, then by the Saint Hills Winery from Pelješac, followed by a live show from Vinko Čemeraš & Talvi Tuuli. On October 15, Bavarin runs all day, with presentations of traditional sponge cake by Tea Mamut at noon, a whiskey workshop and pub quiz in the evening, then a live show by Gina & the Gee Gees. On October 16, it’s the turn of Doris Pinčić to present traditional Sunday lunch, with wine and painting workshops from 6pm, then a live show by Split band TBF. Admission to the Bavarin festival is free.
On October 14, from 7pm, Sunset Beach Dubrovnik hosts a showcase cookery session with Ofyr, focusing on classic grilled meats.
All day, from noon to midnight on Obala Ivana Pavla II in Gruž, the Dubrovnik Beer Company presents their quality craft brews coupled with Barbarossa Street Food, with live music from 8pm. Festivities continue on October 15 and 16.
On October 15 from 1pm, the chef of the Veranda restaurant at Dubrovnik Sun Gardens shows the secrets of how to make the famous Dubrovnik dish pašticada. Accompanied by live music, the event also includes a three-course lunch with wine (250 kuna).
At 7pm that evening, in the courtyard of the TUP complex in Gruž, Asian cuisine is the subject of a free screening of the Ang Lee film, Eat Drink Man Woman. Themed dishes will also be available. Registration is required via goodfood@tzdubrovnik.hr.
Also at 7pm, the Urban&Veggie restaurant offers an evening of Italian gastronomic invention (three courses, 180 kuna), with live music by Bloom Box. Reserve your place on +385 95 326 2568 and the dress code is 50 Shades of Grey.
From 10am on the last day of the festival, October 16, a Dubrovnik Table stretches the length of the main street in the Old Town, Stradun, stalls overseen by the city’s top restaurants, hotels, bakers, winemakers and confectioners. A food voucher is 40 kuna, wine 20 kuna, proceeds going to charity. Live music by the Vocal Group Subrenum.
At the same time, a hiking tour around Mrčevo Pond takes place on Gornja Sela outside Dubrovnik, where 200 kuna covers your traditional lunch. The guided walk of around three to eight kilometres is free – register at goodfood@tzdubrovnik.hr.
Also from 10am, at Sunset Beach Dubrovnik children can tuck into mini pizzas, pancakes and chicken nuggets until 5pm, with a clown show by balloon artist Tonka Balonka at 11am.
That evening at 7pm, there’s a five-course gala dinner (250 kuna) at the luxury Hotel Rixos Premium Dubrovnik, themed after the Titanic, with live music from the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, dance group Wevents and Maja Grgić & Band. Dress code is 1920s’ fashion. All proceeds go to the Association Dva skalina. Wevents will be presenting their Gatsby Dance Show.
Throughout the week of the Good Food Festival, look out for gourmet tours (635 kuna/€84) that start at 2pm from the Great Onofrio's Fountain and take in three restaurants over the course of three hours. Please reserve at least 24 hours ahead.
A traditional cooking school will be taking place in a rural part of Dubrovnik at 9.30am or 3.30pm every day, the transfer costs included in the price of 840 kuna/€112. Again, book at least one day ahead.
All week, an 'Only Croatian' fare of local handicraft, food and drinks will also be on display with items for sale.