The 2026 dining guides are out, and Šibenik county has quietly become one of the most rewarding stretches of the Dalmatian coast for food lovers. You do not need to drive to Split or Zadar to eat at the top of the region. Two of the tables that matter most sit within half an hour of Villa LAVA in Pirovac, one at the fine-dining summit and one in the hills where the peka bell still does the work.
Here is what changed for 2026, and how to build a proper food day around it.
Pelegrini keeps its star, and crowns a Sommelier of the Year
Pelegrini, tucked into the stone of Šibenik’s old town about 25 km south-east of Pirovac, holds on to its single Michelin star in the 2026 Croatia guide. Chef Rudi Štefan’s kitchen also carries four Gault & Millau toques, a 17 out of 20 score that puts it firmly among the country’s best.
The headline this year sits with the wine list rather than the plate. Pelegrini’s sommelier, Branimir Vukšić, was named Sommelier of the Year 2026 in the Croatian recognitions. If you have ever wondered whether a tasting menu with the wine pairing is worth it, this is the address where the answer is clearly yes.
Pelegrini is a special-occasion restaurant. Book well ahead, give yourself a full evening, and let the sommelier lead. It is the sort of dinner that becomes the story of the holiday.
Konoba Vinko earns a Bib Gourmand for its peka
At the other end of the register, and roughly 30 km east of Pirovac in the village of Konjevrate, Konoba Vinko picks up a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2026. The Bib is Michelin’s mark for genuinely good food at a fair price, and Vinko earns it the honest way.
This is a rustic countryside konoba built around peka: meat or octopus baked slowly under a metal bell buried in embers. The one catch is that peka takes hours, so you order it a day in advance. Call ahead, agree on your dish, then show up hungry. It is about as close to real inland Dalmatia as a meal gets.
The wider picture for 2026
The Michelin Guide Croatia 2026 added twenty new restaurants this year, including three new Bib Gourmands and sixteen new entries in the Selected category, bringing the national total to 112 recommended tables. The country now counts fourteen restaurants with Michelin stars, and Dalmatia holds a prominent place on the map.
For guests at Villa LAVA that trend is worth watching. Šibenik and its hinterland keep gaining recognition, which usually means more good kitchens open in the years that follow.
A high and low food day from Villa LAVA
The neat thing about this year’s results is that they hand you a ready-made itinerary. In a single stretch of Šibenik county you can pair the region’s starred fine dining with its most authentic hillside cooking:
- Lunch or an early booking at Konoba Vinko in Konjevrate for peka, ordered the day before. Around 30 km east of Pirovac.
- Dinner at Pelegrini in Šibenik’s old town, with the Sommelier of the Year’s pairing. Around 25 km south-east of Pirovac.
Two tables, one region, one memorable day, and both an easy drive from the villa. Reserve both in advance, especially in peak summer, and treat the peka pre-order as non-negotiable.