The street is half the meal. Marco Polo hides on Lucarica, a narrow vaulted lane off Dubrovnik's main drag, opening into a quiet stone courtyard that the crowds on Stradun never find. The restaurant dates to the 1980s and has been run since 2012 by Marko, the founder's eldest grandson, who kept the grandmother recipes and added a Silk Road thread to the menu. The cooking is Dalmatian seafood — black cuttlefish risotto, Neretva blue crab — and a meal runs about €45 to €70 a head.
The Kitchen
Marco Polo is a family restaurant, not a chef's stage. It opened in the 1980s as one of the early private restaurants in Dubrovnik's Old Town, and since 2012 Marko, the eldest grandson of the original owner, has led it with a young kitchen team. The brief he set himself is simple: keep the rustic Dalmatian recipes the family cooked at home, then layer on a few dishes that nod to Marco Polo's Silk Road, the namesake's route east.
The heart of the menu is Adriatic seafood. The black risotto, stained with cuttlefish ink, is the dish to order first; the Neretva blue crab, a cold starter made with sweet river crab from the delta north of the city, is the one regulars talk about. From there the kitchen runs to a blue-tuna steak in a sesame crust dressed with Korcula olive oil, a monkfish "Wellington," and fuzi istriani, hand-rolled pasta with shrimp, mushrooms and Istrian black truffle. Expect to spend roughly €45 to €70 per person before wine, with a strong list of Croatian bottles. The address — the Lucarica courtyard in the Old Town — is in the Michelin Guide's selection, recognised for the kitchen if not yet starred.
The Room
The setting is a small walled courtyard on Lucarica, hemmed by old stone and open to the sky, with a handful of tables under parasols and more tucked into the vaulted lane. It is intimate by necessity — the space is tiny, perhaps a few dozen covers — and that is its charm: you are off the Stradun crush, in a pocket of quiet where the loudest sound is the next table's wine being poured. Lighting after dark is candle-and-lantern warm. Dress is smart-casual, in step with Old Town dining. The courtyard is the reason to come; book it rather than the indoor seats.
Best for a First Date
Book Marco Polo for a first date when you want Dubrovnik at its most romantic without the cruise-ship crowds. Three reasons it works: the hidden courtyard is intimate and quiet, a world away from the Stradun a minute's walk off; the shared plates of black risotto and blue crab give you something to talk about and lean over; and the candle-lit stone setting flatters everyone. Picture a corner table under the parasols, a bottle of Posip from Korcula, the cuttlefish risotto between you, and the lane going quiet as the day-trippers leave. For more rooms like it, see our best restaurants for a first date.
Not for a large group or anyone after a quick bite. The courtyard is tiny and the kitchen cooks each seafood plate to order; book ahead and come for a slow, sit-down meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marco Polo Dubrovnik worth it?
Yes, for the setting as much as the food. Tucked into a hidden courtyard on Lucarica off the Stradun, Marco Polo serves honest Dalmatian seafood — black risotto, Neretva blue crab — and sits in the Michelin Guide's selection. A meal runs about €45 to €70 a head, fair for the Old Town, and the quiet courtyard is a genuine escape from the crowds. See our Dubrovnik dining guide.
How hard is it to book Marco Polo?
Book ahead, especially for a courtyard table in summer. The space is tiny, only a few dozen seats, and 8pm is the busiest slot, so the restaurant suggests dining a little earlier or later to avoid the squeeze. Reserve by phone or email, and specifically request the courtyard rather than the indoor or lane seating if the weather is good.
What is the dress code at Marco Polo?
Smart-casual. This is relaxed Old Town courtyard dining, so a collared shirt or a summer dress is right; you do not need a jacket. Dubrovnik evenings are warm and the setting is informal, but it is still a sit-down dinner rather than a beach bar, so smarter resort wear works better than shorts and flip-flops.
What should I order at Marco Polo?
Order the black cuttlefish-ink risotto, the dish to start with, and the Neretva blue crab, a sweet cold starter from the river delta that regulars rave about. The blue-tuna steak in sesame crust and the truffled fuzi istriani pasta are both strong, and the Croatian wine list, especially the Korcula whites, is worth exploring. It is seafood-led, so come hungry for fish.
Is Marco Polo good for a first date?
Yes, it is one of the more romantic tables in the Old Town. The hidden courtyard is intimate and quiet, away from the Stradun crowds; the shared seafood plates are easy to linger over; and the candle-lit stone setting flatters the evening. Book a courtyard corner. See our first-date dining guide for more.