"Split's Bib Gourmand Dalmatian kitchen, named for the local word for sauce, a walk off the Riva — book it for a relaxed first date."
Šug is the Dalmatian word for sauce, and at Tolstojeva 1a — east of Diocletian's Palace, off the tourist track — it is also the name on the door of one of Split's best-value serious kitchens. Two young chefs, Duje Kanajet and Mateo Kordić, run a modern Dalmatian menu that turns on its sauces: braised octopus on a tomato-and-olive ragout, pašticada with homemade gnocchi. Michelin gave it a Bib Gourmand in 2022 and 2023 and a recommendation for 2024. A full dinner with wine lands at €40 to €60. The walk off the Riva is the price of eating where the locals do.
The Kitchen
Duje Kanajet — who took the Gault&Millau Croatia Young Talent trophy in 2018 — and Mateo Kordić built Šug on the islands they grew up around, cooking the traditional Dalmatian repertoire with modern technique and ingredients from local producers. The kitchen's whole identity sits in its name: šug, the sauce, the part of a Dalmatian dish that carries the flavour. They draw the occasional thread from nearby Italy, but the spine of the menu is Split and the Adriatic.
The dishes to order make the point. The braised octopus on tomato-and-olive ragout is the signature — tender octopus in the kind of long-cooked sauce the place is named for. The pašticada, Dalmatia's slow-braised beef in a sweet-sour sauce, comes with homemade gnocchi and is the traditional must-order. Lighter starters — beef tartare, swordfish carpaccio, a venison ragout with gnocchi, a prawn pasta — round out a menu that follows the daily catch. Mains run €18 to €30, and a full dinner with wine lands at €40 to €60 per person, strong value for a kitchen carrying a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Croatia adopted the euro in 2023, so budget in euros. For a harbour-side contrast, Fife is the old-school comparison.
The Room
A small, informal room with a relaxed, attractive feel — the kind of place that fills with regulars rather than cruise-ship walk-ins. Sound is a friendly buzz, never loud; lighting is warm and low at dinner; tables are close-set in the way a busy neighbourhood room is, but not cramped. There is no dress code beyond smart-casual — Split runs easy in the evening, so a collared shirt or a summer dress is plenty. The room is small enough that reservations are essential, more so in the June-to-September rush. Service is warm, local and unstuffy.
Best for a First Date
Book this room for a first date for three reasons. First, it is away from the tourist crush — the Tolstojeva address keeps the noise of the Riva at a distance, which makes for an evening you can actually hear. Second, the price is easy and clear, so the cheque is no drama. Third, the food is built to share and to talk over: a sauce-led octopus to start and a pašticada to follow give a table something to do with their hands and their conversation. Take a glass of Pošip, order the octopus first, and let the room's local crowd set the tone.
Not for
Not for anyone who wants a sea view or a Riva-front table. Šug sits inland on Tolstojeva, in a residential pocket east of the old town — book it for the cooking, not for a harbour backdrop, and walk down to the water afterwards.
Frequently Asked
Is Šug worth it?
Yes — it is one of Split's best-value serious kitchens. Šug holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2022 and 2023 and a Michelin recommendation for 2024, cooking modern Dalmatian food a short walk from the tourist crush of Diocletian's Palace. Chefs Duje Kanajet and Mateo Kordić build their menu around sauces — šug is the Dalmatian word for sauce — and the cooking justifies the detour off the Riva.
How hard is it to book Šug?
Reservations are essential, especially in summer. Šug is small and locals fill it year-round, so book by phone a few days ahead in shoulder season and a week or more ahead from June to September. The Tolstojeva location, east of the old town, keeps the cruise-ship walk-in crowd away — which is part of why the regulars love it and why tables go fast.
What is the dress code at Šug?
Smart-casual; this is a relaxed neighbourhood room, not a formal one. There is no jacket requirement — Split runs warm and easy in the evening — so a collared shirt or a summer dress is plenty. The mood is friendly and unstuffy, the kind of place you can arrive in from a day on the water and still feel at home, provided you skip the beachwear.
What is the average meal price at Šug?
Plan on roughly €40 to €60 per person for a full dinner with wine — mains land around €18 to €30, starters lower, and a Croatian-led wine list keeps pairings sensible. That is strong value for Bib Gourmand cooking; the same quality on the Riva would cost more for less. Croatia uses the euro, so budget in euros. See our Split dining guide for the city's wider range.
Is Šug good for a first date?
Yes — it is one of Split's better first-date rooms. Away from the tourist noise, the room is intimate and relaxed, the price is unintimidating, and generous, sauce-led Dalmatian plates are easy to share and easy to talk over. Order the braised octopus to start, take a Pošip or a Plavac Mali, and see our first-date picks for a harbour-side drink afterwards.
What should I order at Šug?
The braised octopus on a tomato-and-olive ragout is the dish that shows what the kitchen is about — the sauce the restaurant is named for. The pašticada, Dalmatia's slow-braised beef, with homemade gnocchi is the traditional must-order. The beef tartare and the swordfish carpaccio are the lighter starters to chase. Trust the daily specials; they follow the local catch.