The Best Restaurants in Split, Croatia (and the Nearby Islands), Serving Gluten-Free Vegan Food
I want to highlight what I consider to be the best restaurants in Split, Croatia (and the nearby islands), that are serving gluten-free vegan food.
During my three months in Split, this is the food that sustained me. So I feel deep gratitude for eateries that make delicious gluten-free vegan food available.
The photo above shows one of the lightest and quickest meals that I enjoyed—plant-based vegan tacos (and soup!) that were beautifully gluten-free.
Yet, I also enjoyed deeply hearty and stunningly gourmet gluten-free vegan food in Split—perfect to fill my hungry belly, delight the senses, and give me lots of energy.
To see the related (and gorgeous) gluten-free vegan food photos, be sure to click all of the links below—the restaurant links, their Google Map links, and their Instagram links.
It might be obvious that I love food that is sustainable for all individuals—including fellow animals, so they are no longer harmed—plus sustainable for our climate.
But I also love that those who are not vegan can enjoy these vegan food adventures, too—that anyone can choose climate-friendly and cruelty-free food anywhere one goes.
When we choose to sample local vegan food while traveling this world, it’s one of the quickest ways to qualify as traveling sustainably. What a beautiful thing!
The Best Restaurants in Split, Croatia (Serving Gluten-Free Vegan Food)
Barakokula Plant-Based
Barakokula Plant-Based restaurant is located in the heart of Split, Croatia—in the middle of old town Split—inside the walls of Cindro Palace.
A gorgeous establishment, Barakokula serves food that is beautifully presented. It’s also 100% vegan.
Barakokula shares how plant-based food “is one of the simplest, yet most effective daily decisions we can make—for our health and for the health of the planet.”
This is an eatery that shows us “how easy, creative, and fun it can be to explore healthy vegan food,” for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
At first, the menu doesn’t appear to have a large assortment of gluten-free dishes. Yet many of their dishes appear as if they could be easily served gluten-free.
So I find it helpful to always ask current staff if any other dishes might be easily served gluten-free. I sometimes message ahead of time with this question.
Especially since staff, even in the kitchen, can change throughout the day. Each of them might offer different options.
The Barakokula beverage menu offers coffees, lattes, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, cocktails, beers, a lemongrass drink, and more goodies.
For breakfast, smoothie bowls and oatmeal bowls are filled with whole fruit, raw cacao, dark chocolate, granola, nut butter, seeds, plant milk, and more.
Sweet and savory vegan waffles warm the plates of those who can eat gluten. (I would love to message them a delicious gluten-free vegan waffle recipe to add to the menu. ;)
Barakokula’s lunch and dinner menu even include sweet potato fries, soups, burgers, “fish” tacos, sushi, truffles, raw cakes—and gluten-free vegan ice cream.
And I love that they allow one to order extra sides of vegan mayo, mustard, and sour cream.
I may have wandered up through an open doorway to view Cindro Palace from above, with a lovely view of the courtyard below.
Pandora Greenbox
Popular, cozy, and mindfully located (just around the corner from Split’s old town fish market), I’ve eaten at Pandora Greenbox more than I ever anticipated.
The entire interior is plant-filled. It feels like I’ve just stepped into a greenhouse. Or an eco-friendly home. It’s almost like enjoying a bit of forest bathing while dining.
Much of the menu is vegan, with gluten-free options. The rest is vegetarian. If desired, I ask if any of the vegetarian dishes might easily be served vegan and gluten-free.
(This was possible on several occasions, as one of the waitstaff and one of the chefs both felt it was easy to do so, which was so lovely.)
Everything tastes homemade and gourmet.
And it seems like Pandora offers nearly every drink imaginable—including warm chocolate pudding-like drinks that are to die for, plus a lot of alcoholic drinks.
I really love how Pandora draws in the community. When the Split community gathers outside Pandora, chatting and music fill the air, no matter the weather.
Pandora Greenbox was an especially wonderful experience during Christmas and New Year, as this restaurant can feel like one’s home away from home.
UpCafe
UpCafe is a gorgeous, hip, cozy cafe located about a ten-minute walk up from the heart of old town Split. I think its stunning glass display case of food is worth that walk.
Most of UpCafe’s food is vegan, the rest vegetarian, including gluten-free options.
UpCafe strives to offer “whole, seasonal and mostly organic ingredients … respect for nature … not … pesticides, additives, GMOs.”
The chef of UpCafe, previously of Makrovega (a beloved restaurant from Split’s past), “proved to Split how vegetarian and vegan cuisine can be very tasty and delicious!”
UpCafe’s master chef prepares fresh desserts daily (this knowledge can even be found on their YouTube channel from their previous long-running restaurant, Makrovega).
The beverage menu is filled with espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, coffee, matcha, fresh-pressed juice, and beer drinks. To keep beverages vegan, just ask for plant milk.
The main menu offers gluten-free vegan cream soup, veggie risotto, baked veggie dishes, falafels, oyster mushrooms, and more.
For those vegan but not gluten-free, the main menu offers burgers, kebabs, burritos, lasagna, pizza, pancakes, sandwiches, and even veggie pies.
The gluten-free vegan dessert menu sports raw cakes, puddings, and porridges—with traditional Croatian desserts, dumplings, strudel, and more for those not gluten-free.
I would describe UpCafe’s presentation as a beautiful breath of fresh air.
VEG
VEG restaurant is located just a five-minute walk up from the heart of old town Split, inside a traditional (old stone) Croatian building.
VEG is 100% vegan with gluten-free options. Its food presentation is beautiful.
The VEG beverage menu offers a list of espresso, kava, pressed juice, smoothie drinks, and more to choose from.
For breakfast, VEG offers a gluten-free vegan scramble. Those not gluten-free can enjoy oat bowls with chocolate or fruit, frittatas, and omelets.
More than half the main dishes at VEG are gluten-free vegan—soup, curry bowl, and veggie risotto. Those not gluten-free can also enjoy lasagna and veggie stew.
And I love that they have a raw food menu and it’s entirely gluten-free vegan: a nori plate, spring rolls, a red zucchini pasta bowl, and a white zucchini pasta bowl.
VEG also offers vegan burgers and wraps that are not currently listed as gluten-free. This is where I just ask if any can easily be GF (bun-free, lettuce-wrapped, etc.).
More than half the bowls at VEG are gluten-free vegan—a falafel bowl, protein bowl, and garden bowl. Those not gluten-free can also enjoy a Greek and XXL falafel bowl.
I think one of the most important steps before going to a new restaurant is to click their google link to see their photos and reviews. I ask the staff what they love most, too.
Vege Vegan Street Food
Vege Vegan Street Food (“Vege”) was the first vegan restaurant I visted after arriving in Split, Croatia. The kindest welcome made it an endearing experience.
Located down near the daily Green Market (aka Farmer’s Market), it couldn’t be easier to access. This restaurant is a street stall, surrounded by other street stalls (clothing).
Inside the Vege street stall was enough cozy seating for four customers (two tables). And the kitchen was open to all, so we could see everything as it was being prepared.
The menu is entirely vegan and I was careful to verify which dishes were also gluten-free at that moment, as they were not marked on the menu.
I loved the oyster mushrooms fried in chickpea flour, with grilled veggies and basmati rice. I don’t usually eat fried/oily food now, so I try to keep that a rare occurrence.
(I blotted the excess oil away with my napkins, before eating.)
The chef was the sweetest, kindest, local Croatian mom/grandma energy, making us feel so welcome. That is why this restaurant felt special to me.
After eating, I assumed I’d use a credit card to pay for the meal (as I had just arrived in Split). But Vege was only accepting cash at that moment.
Fortunately, our kind chef directed me to an ATM across the way (literally placed amongst the soft-sided street stalls), and she waited patiently for me to return with cash.
The Best Restaurants in Split, Croatia’s Nearby Islands (Serving Gluten-Free Vegan Food)
BioMania
BioMania is the only vegan restaurant found in the islands off of Split, Croatia—yet, miraculously, this restaurant has three different eateries located there.
Two BioMania restaurants are located in Bol. One BioMania restaurant is in Hvar.
BioMania is “fueled … to lead the change in … healthy eating and sustainable living … to work in symbiosis with the planet … more relevant than ever.”
All of BioMania’s dishes are vegan, to “inspire … through super tasty organic, eco-friendly, local and seasonal plant-based food.”
Unbelievably, BioMania prepares nearly all of its meals gluten-free, too. And their food is presented so beautifully.
BioMania shares that they source their ingredients locally “whenever possible … apart from our own production, we supply ingredients from trusted local suppliers.”
“Our team dices, spices, cooks, and packages every day. Freshness is key.”
Even BioMania’s water is purified “through a patented Live Water technology … full of dispersed minerals.”
Check out their three gorgeous menus:
It’s incredible that BioMania exists at all for us. Especially since the islands off of Split are small, with essentially just one season that is heavily populated by tourists.
I was there in the off-season and there were so few people out and about. It felt like we essentially had all of the islands to ourselves.
This helps us understand why some Split and/or island restaurants are open part of the year (not the entire year). So it’s wise to first verify their days and hours of operation.
It is so lovely to see how much BioMania truly cares about sustainability, “from the impact … on local communities, waste, energy … water management” and more.
google maps | biomania streetfood in bol