Hvar Island is one of Croatia's most visited destinations, and Hvar Town sits at its beating heart: a walled Venetian city facing the Pakleni Islands across an impossibly blue stretch of the Adriatic. Eating well here matters. Two kitchens on the Hvar Riva are doing it properly: Marigo Grill & Chill and Soul Kitchen.

Whether you are looking for a lazy all-day breakfast on the seafront, fresh Adriatic seafood grilled over charcoal, or a slow fine-dining dinner after sunset, both addresses are a short walk from the Hvar Town ferry stop and the main square.

Marigo: breakfast and grill on the Riva

Marigo occupies one of the best terraces on the Hvar waterfront promenade. The kitchen opens at 08:00 and serves through to the last evening drink. Eggs benedict and cold-brew in the morning, craft burgers, grilled fish and Dalmatian lamb chops at midday, cocktails and shared plates as the harbour fills with yachts at golden hour. The kind of all-day restaurant that makes Hvar worth staying an extra night for.

Soul Kitchen: fine dining in Hvar Town

Soul Kitchen is a quieter proposition, intimate, candlelit, focused on seasonal Croatian ingredients prepared with care. Natural wines from Dalmatia and the islands, tasting menus that change with the catch and the harvest, and a room that feels like the best kept secret on the island. If you are searching for fine dining in Hvar, this is the table.