The Verdict
Ćatovića Mlini is a seafood konoba on the Bay of Kotor at Morinj, about halfway between Kotor and Herceg Novi, built around a water mill and family house that had been in the Ćatović family for more than 200 years. Lazar Ćatović converted it into a restaurant in 1994 — it marked 30 years in 2024 — and it has grown into one of Montenegro's top ten tables. The setting is the headline: a garden of streams, trout pools and stone bridges. The cooking is fresh Adriatic seafood — breaded octopus, saffron-and-shrimp risotto, house prosciutto and cheese — at roughly €35 a head.
The Kitchen
The restaurant is the work of owner Lazar Ćatović, who turned his family's 200-year-old mill into a konoba in 1994 and has run it ever since. The kitchen cooks fresh Adriatic seafood with a Montenegrin accent. The dish to order is the crešpana hobotnica — octopus tentacles breaded in polenta and lightly fried — alongside a yellow risotto of saffron and shrimp, the seafood salads, and the house-cured prosciutto and three cheeses that open most meals. Fish comes whole from the bay and grilled simply. A meal runs around €35 per person. Over three decades the Ćatović family has built this into one of Montenegro's most celebrated konobas, as much for the consistency of the cooking as for the grounds.
The Room
The setting is what people remember: the old mill sits in a garden threaded with streams, small waterfalls, stone bridges and trout pools, with peacocks and ducks wandering the grounds and the bay beyond. Tables are spread outdoors among the water on warm evenings and inside the stone mill rooms otherwise. The mood is calm, green and quietly magical rather than buzzy; service is family-warm. It is a destination a short drive from Kotor town, best for a long, unhurried dinner. Smart-casual dress.
Best for a Proposal or Special Occasion
Book Ćatovića Mlini for the big occasion — a proposal, an anniversary or a milestone — where the garden of streams and trout pools does the romancing and the kitchen sends out octopus, saffron risotto and whole bay fish. It rewards couples and small groups willing to make the short drive from Kotor for a long, scenic dinner. Reserve an outdoor table by the water in summer, well ahead.
Not For
Not for anyone wanting a quick meal in Kotor's Old Town — Ćatovića Mlini is in Morinj, a short drive around the bay, and it is built for a leisurely multi-course dinner. Skip it if you cannot travel out of town or want a fast, casual bite.
Reservations
Ćatovića Mlini is at Morinj on the E65 bay road, roughly halfway between Kotor and Herceg Novi and a short drive from Kotor's Old Town. Reserve ahead, especially for an outdoor table among the streams in summer, when it draws diners and yacht crews from across the bay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ćatovića Mlini?
It is in Morinj on the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), on the E65 road roughly halfway between Kotor and Herceg Novi, a short drive from Kotor's Old Town. The restaurant occupies a restored water mill and family house that had belonged to the Ćatović family for more than 200 years, set in a garden of streams and trout pools.
Who owns Ćatovića Mlini?
The restaurant was created by Lazar Ćatović, who converted his family's centuries-old mill into a konoba in 1994. It celebrated 30 years in 2024 and, under the Ćatović family, has become one of Montenegro's top ten restaurants, known equally for its Adriatic seafood and its fairy-tale grounds.
What should you order at Ćatovića Mlini?
The signature is the crešpana hobotnica — octopus tentacles breaded in polenta and lightly fried — with a saffron-and-shrimp yellow risotto close behind. Most meals open with the house-cured prosciutto and three cheeses and seafood salads, followed by whole fish from the bay. Expect to spend around €35 per person.
Is Ćatovića Mlini worth the drive from Kotor?
For a special occasion, yes. It is a short drive around the bay to Morinj, and the reward is a garden of streams, waterfalls and trout pools around a 200-year-old mill, plus some of the most celebrated seafood cooking in Montenegro. It suits a long, unhurried dinner rather than a quick stop, so book an outdoor table ahead.
Also in Kotor
The Bay of Kotor is full of waterside tables. Compare the waterfront Galion below the Old Town walls, the old-mill Stari Mlini at Dobrota and Old-Town Konoba Scala Santa.