How To Survive as a Vegan in Dubrovnik

There are places in the world where one simply can’t thrive as a vegan and it’s possible Dubrovnik might be one of these places. While many of the national foods are meat based and the pastas are laced with cheese there is one popular dish that can help you through your visit.

Image courtesy of Connie Ma from Flickr

Enter Blitva

Though you might have flashbacks to your childhood when you saw Popeye busting open a can of Spinach, this dish is actually made with chard as a base. It’s mixed with generous amounts of garlic, potatoes, and drizzled with olive oil. Just be certain to ask your servers that the dish is in fact made with olive oil and not butter – you never know!

Nishta : Your New Home Away From Home

As the only real vegan restaurant in all of Dubrovnik, Nishta takes up a lot of real estate on Happy Cow. Nishta is a favorite with those who choose a vegan lifestyle for moral reasons as well as those who have food allergies: all food is 100% vegan and gluten free.Choose from delicious and unique dishes like banana curry, vegan paneer dishes, filling and fluffly falafel and so much more. Their drink selection is also very extensive and can fill you up because some of these smoothies are very hearty. As the only vegan restaurant in the city it is understandably very popular, their location is quite intimate so reservations are recommended. They have a website as well as Facebook where you can send a message to reserve a place; it’s worth it!

Start Self-Catering with Bio Bio

Oftentimes it’s easier, cheaper, and more nutritious to cook at home. BioBio has a large selection of offerings that are all vegan and well priced. Stock up on alternative milks, rice cakes, pre-made vegan snacks, vegan cheeses, and other health supplements to keep you feeling great. With plenty of tofu, seitan, and meat alternatives there are also a million ways to pack in the protein, so keep calm and vegan on. BioBio can be hard to find as it’s outside of the city but it’s worth the trek as it’s the best health food supplement store in the city, if not country!

Image courtesy of Ivan Ivankovic from Flickr

Stock Up at the Daily Market

Just behind the harbour there is a daily food market where you can get fresh fruits and vegetables right from the farm while supporting local businesses and individuals. There are also many bakers who come with fresh pastries to sell, ask them if their bread is vegan and rejoice in carbohydrate goodness. (hint, download one of the many translation apps to help you)

Dubrovnik is an incredibly popular city for tourists and there’s no doubt that as more demands for vegan restaurants and food options increases so will the supply. In the meantime you can plan on self-catering and enjoying the bountiful harvest of Croatia’s delicious fruits and vegetables!
Though there are no vegan or vegetarian hotels in Dubrovnik (yet) there are plenty who are eco-friendly and responsible and giving business to these little guys helps ensure that responsible and ethical tourism will become more mainstream. My all-time favorite is the Villa Dubrovnik, an absolute dream. See for yourself!
Please note : This is part of a series for #HipmunkCityLove. Hipmunk.com is low-cost and budget travel service that I use while planning budget travel, and am thrilled to write for. I know you will find the articles as well as their services useful.

Remember, you are my first priority and I only work with or support companies whose products and services I believe in. For all the nitty gritty on this check out my disclaimer. It’s even got pictures of monkeys.