This loveliest restaurant terrace in Zadar overlooks the sunset on Maestral Bay, a 15-minute walk from town. Inside is a wonderfully cosy café-restaurant, the decor more modern than the traditional, neat waitstaff would suggest. Lungo Mare is equally appreciated for its fresh seafood and meat dishes, such as the house fish plate or pork fillet, stuffed with scampi, cheese or pršut and mushrooms. Prices represent excellent value, while the wine list runs into three figures and includes a few French and Italian names among the classic Croatian ones. Don’t leave without trying the house cheesecake.
Kornat heads an increasingly upmarket scene, vying with Foša, Pet Bunara and Hotel Bastion’s Kaštel for top table in town. Some of the key gourmet specialities on offer in the region are Pag cheese, and marvellous home-cured pršut from inland villages like Posedarje. The locals attribute their flavours to the powerful Bura wind, which is ideal for curing ham and instrumental in making Pag grass salty. Look out for cherry-cake dessert using Maraschino liqueur native to Zadar. Made from local Marasca cherries, Maraschino is a key local product and the ideal souvenir to take home.