Proto Fish Restaurant: Dubrovnik’s Best Seafood

Proto Fish Restaurant: Dubrovnik’s Legendary Seafood Dining Experience

For over 150 years, Proto Fish Restaurant has been Dubrovnik’s most celebrated seafood destination, serving fresh Adriatic delicacies in an elegant rooftop setting just steps from the Stradun. Favored by celebrities, gourmands, and even royalty (Edward VIII dined here in 1936), this family-run institution combines top-tier seafood, white-glove service, and Old World charm for an unforgettable Dalmatian dining experience.

Why Dine at Proto?

1. Dubrovnik’s Oldest & Most Prestigious Seafood Restaurant

• Established in 1886 as a simple fish tavern, now a Michelin Guide-listed establishment
• The Eskima family still runs it with meticulous attention to detail
• Famous patrons include Pope John Paul II, Tom Cruise, and Beyoncé

2. Hyper-Local Adriatic Seafood

• Daily catch from Dubrovnik’s Gruž fish market
• Signature dishes:
  🐙 Octopus Pasta (slow-cooked in red wine)
  🦞 Black Risotto (squid ink with cuttlefish)
  🐟 Whole Baked Sea Bass (flambéed tableside)
• Oyster & Champagne Bar featuring Mali Ston oysters

3. Rooftop Terrace with Old Town Views

• Romantic lantern-lit rooftop overlooking Dubrovnik’s rooftops
• Intimate stone-walled cellar for special occasions
• Live klapa music (traditional Dalmatian singing) on summer evenings

Dining Guide & Practical Tips

Essential Info

📍 Location: Široka ul. 1 (just 50m from Stradun)
⏰ Hours: 12PM–11PM daily (peak season)
💰 Price Range: €50–€100 per person (seafood platters up to €150)
🍽 Must-Order: Grilled John Dory with Swiss chard

Reservation Tips

• Book 2+ weeks ahead for dinner (months ahead for terrace tables)
• Request a sunset rooftop table when reserving
• Lunch is slightly easier to book than dinner

What Foodies Say

“The seafood platter for two could feed a small village—every mollusk, crustacean and fish tasted like it jumped from sea to plate.” – Condé Nast Traveller

A Taste of History

Proto’s walls display vintage photos of 1930s Dubrovnik, when fishermen would deliver catches directly to the kitchen door. Don’t miss the original 19th-century ice well in the cellar—once used to keep seafood fresh before refrigeration.