La Gitana — Restaurant in Grad Stari Grad

I recently visited the La Gitana restaurant at Trg Škor in Stari Grad, Hvar, with high expectations due to its popularity and location, but unfortunately, the experience was far from what I had anticipated. First, I must admit that the ambiance of the restaurant is truly beautiful. Located in a picturesque square, right in the heart of Stari Grad, La Gitana has that special atmosphere you expect from a restaurant in Hvar – elegant, yet unobtrusive, with a lovely view of the old town. And that’s about it for the positives. As for the food, I have to say it was tasty, but nowhere near what I would expect for the prices charged. Of course, I anticipated it being pricier given the touristy destination, but what I was charged for a simple meal was somewhat shocking. The portion sizes were modest, the flavors were fine, but nothing that justified the prices, which were beyond reason. To be honest, it felt like they were more interested in charging for the “location” than offering real value for money. After paying the bill, I genuinely felt robbed. For that price, I could have had a much better experience at another restaurant, not just on Hvar, but in many other places. I understand that prices can go up in touristy areas, but this was...

La Gitana benefits from being set away from the sea and away from the yacht moorings - the environment is quiet, local and intimate. The square is beautiful, with plants and fairly lights making the dining experience magical and atmospheric.

When we visited, we were lucky enough to try some of the Chef's new dishes. Apparently, the kitchen is run by an unique partnership of an older local lady (clearly specialising in local flavours and ingredients) and a younger man with a skill for presentation and a culinary imagination. The partnership works and under the direction of the owner, Matteo, they are producing dishes that are to a standard that you'd expect to find in a global city.

This is a great restaurant that's properly run. The dishes we had were outstanding and used local ingredients where available across seafood, meat and vegetarian plates, (excellent green walnut ice cream if you can manage dessert too!).

Matteo and his team should be very proud of what they're achieving at La Gitana - they're striving to raise the benchmark of local restaurants; for us, this was the best place we ate and is one...

Some of our friends highly recommended this place and with a very good reason!

We went there for our anniversary dinner but the whole experience made it even more special!

upon entering the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by a warm and intimate ambience. La Gitana has a very specific decor, with its rustic yet elegant, touches to set the stage for a proper culinary journey.

The menu is a true testament to the chefs, creativity and dedication to culinary excellence. With a focus on locally sourced ingredients and flavors that celebrate the rich Mediterranean heritage, each dish is a masterpiece in itself.

We had the tuna carpaccio, the gnocchi, the truffle pasta and a tuna steak. Choosing a favorite dish would be like choosing a favorite child. Impossible!

La Gitana is truly Stari Grad’s hidden gem of culinary delights that we highly recommend to everyone!

PS the food the wine entire experience was so amazing that we even forgot to take pictures. But next time we visit we will take some to share because the dishes are a visual...