Our 15 Favourite Cafés, Bars & Restaurants in Kotor + Veggie/Vegan Options

A complete list of the best places to eat in Kotor, Montenegro, from pasta, pizza, and Aperol Spritzes to vegan restaurants, coffee shops, and cosy wine bars.

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Kotor is famous for its medieval Old Town, dramatic mountain backdrop, and spectacular Boka Bay views, but one of our favourite parts of visiting was simply the food and drink. From tiny cafés tucked into the Old Town’s stone streets and coffee shops that do a damn good iced oat latte to restaurants overlooking the bay and lively bars for an evening cocktail, there’s a surprisingly good variety of places to eat and drink in Kotor.

We spent 5 nights in Kotor when we arrived in Montenegro and pretty much just spent our time eating our way around the Old Town. We scoured out everything from quick breakfasts and coffee spots to traditional Montenegrin food and Italian classics, as well as some of the best spots for a sunset drink – all vegetarian- and vegan-friendly.

In this foodie’s guide to Kotor, we’ll share our favourite cafés, bars, and restaurants in Kotor, including where to get the best coffee, traditional Montenegrin food, drinks with a view, places for a night out, and our favourite vegetarian and vegan-friendly options.

What to eat in Kotor

Kotor can be a little hit and miss when it comes to food, particularly in the busiest parts of the Old Town, which are super geared towards tourists. It’s the most popular and busiest place in the whole country, after all, so finding authentic and genuinely good dishes can be a struggle if you’ve not done the research.

That’s why we’ve focused on the cafés, bars, and restaurants we actually enjoyed, including a few places we returned to with our family later on in our trip.

Kotor’s food scene makes much more sense when you understand its history. The town spent centuries under Venetian rule, and that influence is still obvious in the architecture, language, and food. Italian-style dishes like pasta, pizza, risottos and simple Mediterranean cooking are common, alongside traditional Montenegrin cuisine.

Its position on the Bay of Kotor also means that fresh Adriatic seafood has always been central to the local diet, while the mountains immediately behind the city have supplied meat, cheese, smoked products, and seasonal produce.

You’ll therefore find everything from rustic mountain dishes and slow-cooked stews to fresh fish, seafood pasta and excellent local wine. If you’re only in Kotor for a short time, these are some of the dishes we’d make a point of trying:

Just because meat and fish are so prevalent doesn’t mean that vegetarians and vegans have to miss out. While it can be frustrating finding genuinely interesting vegetarian food when travelling around the Mediterranean, Kotor has a surprisingly good selection of veggie-friendly cafés and restaurants, and we’ve found plenty of vegan options beyond the inevitable pizza and chips. We’ve included our favourite vegetarian and vegan-friendly places throughout this guide, so you don’t have to spend your entire trip hunting down something you can actually eat.

Where to eat in Kotor

Kotor’s best places to eat are spread between the atmospheric lanes of the Old Town, the waterfront, and the surrounding neighbourhoods, so where you eat can have almost as much impact on the experience as what’s on your plate.

One thing we’d be slightly more careful about is where you eat in the Old Town. Kotor is hugely popular with visitors and receives a lot of cruise ships, so some restaurants are clearly aimed at passing visitors (i.e. they’re complete tourist traps) rather than focused on showcasing the best cuisine in the region.

That doesn’t mean you need to avoid the Old Town altogether – far from it – but we’d be wary of restaurants with huge multilingual menus, prices in anything other than Euros, overly aggressive touts, and generic dishes that could just as easily be served anywhere in Europe.

We’ve tried to focus this guide on the places we’d actually return to, from relaxed cafés owned by locals and atmospheric bars with jazz nights to independent restaurants serving traditional Montenegrin food and some of the city’s best veggie and vegan options.

The best cafés in Kotor

Kotor has no shortage of places to grab a coffee, but the cafés vary enormously in style. Inside the Old Town, you’ll find tiny stone-walled patisseries, hidden courtyards, and traditional cafés where the main attraction is simply sitting down and watching the world go by.

I’m something of a coffee snob and actually can’t function some days without my oat latte (iced in hot countries), so I’m always pre-researching coffee shops wherever I go. I was really pleased to find some cute little cafés offering some really good coffee and delicious breakfast options. We’ve included everything from serious coffee roasters to places we’d choose for pastries, breakfast, cake, or a quiet afternoon break.

1. CAVE Coffee Speciality

CAVE Coffee Speciality sits inside Shopping Centre Kamelija, a little mall just outside the old town walls. It’s home to a little coffee stand called CAVE Coffee Speciality that we decided to try while seeking a proper cup of barista coffee.

True to its name, it offers speciality coffee made with Colombian beans, with a good variety of alternative milks, including oat milk. We actually loved the roast so much we bought a 1kg bag of beans to go around the country on our 5-week Montenegro road trip to use in our portable espresso maker. It’s also one of the very few places in Kotor that we found offers decaf beans (not Nespresso pouches like most other cafés offer).

As well as coffee, they offer a variety of cakes, including those viral glazed mousse fruit cakes, which look so realistic – Dan loved the raspberry one. While it’s not really a sit-down café vibe, and it’s not the cheapest coffee in town, it’s totally worth stopping by with your reusable coffee cup before heading into the old town to explore.

2. Small Talks

Small Talks is a cosy speciality coffee and brunch spot just outside the old town near the bus station, making it convenient if you’re just arriving or departing on a backpacking trip. We headed here as soon as we got off the bus from Mostar and enjoyed a lovely barista cup of coffee each.

Small Talks offers a variety of espresso-based drinks, including iced, as well as specials like matcha. The decaf option was Nespresso, but Dan liked it all the same, while I did like the normal roast, and there were alternative milks: soya and almond.

The café also offers pastries, cakes, and brunch classics like croissant sandwiches and shakshuka. There’s not a lot of seating, and being on the main road isn’t super atmospheric, but they play music, have a cool vibe, and it’s a good place to grab brekkie.

3. Too Hot to Handle Coffee Roasting Co.

Too Hot to Handle Coffee Roasting Co. is a speciality coffee roastery tucked away on Ulica 2. It was fairly new when we popped in, so sadly didn’t have any vegan milk options, but we were enticed by the innovative baked goods, which ranged from brownies to cookies. The cinnamon roll is especially popular.

The owner is just the friendliest guy, with so much passion and great to just have a little chat with. We actually popped back in with my sister a few weeks later to pick up a sweet treat after exploring the old town on our DIY walking tour.

4. Patisserie by Wine House

Patisserie by Wine House is a café-bar that’s an absolute staple in Kotor’s old town. It would be easy enough to walk straight past it, but it’s worth seeking out for its combination of carefully made coffee, pastries, cakes, and cocktails.

It has a couple of tables inside under refreshing air conditioning and a handful of tables on the cobbled street, which is the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by.

The menu includes sweet and savoury croissants, cakes, pastries, and breakfast dishes like chia bowls and stuffed croissants, alongside wine (including Lipovac, which is from the vineyard we stayed in in Montenegro’s wine region), beer, cocktails, and other drinks. They have some really inventive flavours, including pumpkin, gingerbread, titanium, and lavender speciality coffees, with almond and coconut milk alternatives available.

We kept returning to Patisserie by Wine House for its vibe, friendly service, and great menu, and brought my family back here for drinks one day. We loved how affordable it was – easily one of the best value cafés/bars in town – and that it didn’t feel like you had to take out a bank loan just to enjoy an Aperol Spritz. We highly recommend it, whether for coffee and breakfast or an evening drink.

5. Mon Bistro Cafétéria

Mon Bistro Cafétéria is a small, French-inspired café in the heart of Kotor’s Old Town, close to the Cathedral of St Tryphon. It’s a good choice for breakfast, with coffee, croissants, breakfast sandwiches, muffins, and lighter café-style food rather than a big restaurant menu.

We did think it was quite meat- and cheese-heavy, with items like the prosciutto platter, croissants, and bagels being popular, but there were veggie options and even a bagel with vegan cream cheese.

The atmosphere is relaxed and informal, with beautiful views over the stone buildings of St. Tryphon’s Square. It was one of our favourite places to sit with a morning iced coffee. They offer a range of coffees (with vegan milk), juices, and cocktails, and I was very happy with my iced oat latte.

6. Piccolo

Piccolo is a tiny café hidden behind wooden doors in Kotor’s Old Town, with a secluded garden that feels surprisingly peaceful given how busy the surrounding streets can be.

The coffees were great, with almond and oat milk on offer, and a range of drinks to choose from. They don’t offer much food beyond croissants and cakes, but their speciality is krempita, a traditional Kotor cake made with delicate pastry layers and rich custard cream, which we’d recommend ordering alongside a coffee if you’re looking for something particularly local.

They also serve a variety of alcoholic drinks, from prosecco and mimosas to Aperol spritzes and gins, which would be lovely in their little outdoor area on an evening.

7. The Cheese Shop

The Cheese Shop is less of a traditional café, but we had to mention it in this list as the experience is super unique. It’s located on the Ladder of Kotor and is a famous stop with anyone who’s done the scenic hike above the bay.

Teh Cheese Shop is simply a little informal café run by a local couple and their daughter, where you can try (you guessed it) homemade cheese. It’s served with the most delicious bread, and you can also get a refreshing beer or water to wash it down. It’s €12 for the cheese (and we were given such a huge chunk we had to take some home and €2 for the bread, but it’s worth it for the views alone. Beware, it’s cash only.

The best restaurants in Kotor

Kotor has a surprisingly varied restaurant scene, with everything from traditional konobas (traditional taverns) serving Adriatic seafood and Montenegrin specialities to Italian-inspired pasta restaurants offering modern dishes with contemporary twists. We’ve focused on places we’d take our friends back to, and that offer something distinctive, whether that’s particularly good pasta, traditional local cooking, a peaceful setting, or a genuinely useful choice for plant-based diners.

8. La Catedral

La Catedral is the perfect place to go for lunch or dinner and possibly our favourite restaurant in Kotor. It’s a cosy pasta bar with plenty of outdoor seating tucked down a scenic little street in the old town.

Obviously, its speciality is pasta, and it’s honestly so good we forgot we weren’t in Italy. The menu also brings in Montenegrin ingredients and specialities, so we asked the waiter for recommendations and ended up with the lemon pasta (a must-try!) and a tomato vegetable pasta, which was delicious but still felt healthy.

We also really enjoyed trying some homemade white and red wines, while local beer and international whisky are also on offer. With really ambient acoustic music, this is one of the nicest date-night restaurants in Kotor.

They only accept walk-ins, so try to get there off-peak to secure a table, as queues tend to form in the evening. It can be a bit of a wait for food in really busy periods, but it’s worth the wait and gives you an excuse to have a drink while you wait.

9. Spaghetti & Wine Bar

As the name suggests, Spaghetti & Wine Bar keeps things wonderfully simple, with Italian pasta and wine at the centre of the menu. It’s tucked into Kotor’s old town and has a more intimate yet relaxed feel than some of the larger restaurants around the main squares.

It does have a decent amount of indoor seating, but we were drawn in by its large window where you can see the pasta being made in front of you, so we opted to get a takeaway pot for lunch.

I was craving a straightforward bowl of pasta and opted for the pesto genovese – omg I’m still thinking about it to this day. It’s everything you want from a pesto pasta – flavourful, filling, and cheesey af. Soooo good.

10. Resto Bar Taraca

Resto Bar Taraca is one of the best veggie/vegan-friendly restaurants in Kotor. It’s just outside the old town’s North Gate beside the Škurda River, and it has a lovely terrace, which is a much quieter setting while remaining only a couple of minutes from the historic centre.

The menu includes plant-based dishes alongside breakfast, salads, lighter meals, and meat options, so it’s good if you’re with a mixed group. It also has several gluten-free options. We opted for the veggie lasagne and vegan burger. The food was really good but definitely not the cheapest menu in town. Overall, a solid option for lunch or dinner with nice river and fort views.

11. Ombra

Ombra sits right in the heart of Kotor’s old town and combines an atmospheric stone setting with an Adriatic seafood and Italian-inspired menu. The restaurant has several distinct spaces, indoors and outdoors in the secluded garden and an interior beneath the old stone walls, so it feels surprisingly peaceful despite being right in the centre.

Seafood is the obvious choice here, with dishes including grilled fish and the restaurant’s signature black cuttlefish risotto, while vegetarian and vegan options are also available, including a vegan pizza, sandwich, and risottos.

If you’re looking for somewhere a little fancier for dinner, this is the perfect place. Sadly, we didn’t have time to try it, but it’s probably where we’d take our family for a nice meal out next time we visit.

12. Kenobo Scala Santa

Konoba Scala Santa is one of Kotor’s more traditional dining options, occupying a characterful spot on Salad Square in the heart of the Old Town.

The restaurant describes itself as the first restaurant in the old town, with the site having operated as a restaurant since 1931 and becoming a family business in the 1980s before taking its current name in 1996.

True to its heritage, it’s more of a local menu rooted in the Adriatic, with fresh fish, seafood, grilled dishes, and mussels prepared in buzara sauce among the specialities. It was busy every time we passed, so we’d choose it when you want a meal that feels connected to the sea rather than another generic Mediterranean restaurant.

Special mention: Perast Pizza Bocalibre

Ok, so it’s not in Kotor’s old town, but the reason we’ve not included anywhere for pizza on this list so far is that this pizzeria in Perast blows all the others out of the water. Perast Pizza Bocalibre serves what we think is the best pizza on the Bay of Kotor (maybe in the whole of Montenegro), and Perast is such an easy addition to a trip around the bay that we had to mention our favourite pizza stop in the area.

Right on the waterfront in the tiny historic village, it’s a good place to combine lunch with a wander through Perast’s stone lanes and waterfront promenade. The menu focuses on proper stone-baked pizzas, alongside great beers and wines, with plenty of vegetarian options, although we always go for the classic margherita – the true test of a good pizza place.

Honestly, Perast is worth the day trip just for here. You can drive and park on the outskirts, take the Blue Line public bus from Kotor, or visit on a Blue Cave Boat Trip.

The best bars in Kotor

Kotor’s nightlife scene is much more varied than you might expect, with everything from tiny wine cellars and cosy cocktail bars hidden among the medieval streets to rooftop terraces and laidback spots with spectacular mountain views.

Thankfully, the old town hasn’t been overrun with rowdy groups of stag and hens like some other parts of Europe. You can still find some banging bars for a night out, but you’ll also find some really cool spots for a relaxing drink. We’ve already mentioned some stellar bars, from Patisserie by Wine House to Piccolo, that also double as cafés, so in this section, we’ve just focused on places we’ve not yet mentioned.

13. Jazz Club Evergreen

Jazz Club Evergreen is one of the best places in Kotor for a more relaxed night out, particularly if loud beach-club-style nightlife isn’t really your thing. Tucked into the old town, it’s known for its cosy atmosphere and live jazz performances from both local and international musicians, with the walls decorated with musical memorabilia.

We timed our visit for a live music night and were not disappointed. It was such a vibe to sit outside at night with a wine or whiskey and enjoy the music. Tables fill up fast, so arrive early to secure a good one if you’d like to be outside on a music night.

14. Hotel Hippocampus

The rooftop terrace at Hotel Hippocampus is one of our favourite places in Kotor for a drink with a view. The hotel itself occupies a restored 17th-century building and is one of the best places to stay in Kotor.

From the terrace, you can look across the historic rooftops towards the dramatic walls and slopes of St. John’s Fortress, with the mountains and Bay of Kotor visible beyond. I enjoyed choosing a Serbian wine from their wide selection, while Dan opted for a local beer.

It’s a relatively small and intimate space, so we’d choose it for a pre-dinner cocktail or glass of wine off-peak, or have dinner there to secure a table when it’s busy. We loved watching the light fade with a drink here above the hustle and bustle of the narrow streets below.

15. Horizont Bar

Horizont Bar actually sits high above Kotor at the end of the Serpentine, the iconic winding road that traverses a series of 25 hair-raising switchbacks into the mountains above the Bay of Kotor.

We’re including it because the views make it well worth the detour if you’re driving the mountain roads towards Lovćen National Park, and it often features on social media as an iconic must-visit. Since it’s Insta-famous, it is pricey, but totally worth it for the views, especially at sunset.

We arrived here in the morning, as that’s the best time to drive up the Serpentine, so we switched alcohol for fresh juice (but we made up for it by trying a variety of wines in vineyards around Lake Skadar). We’d recommend arranging a return taxi and visiting for dinner or evening drinks.

Special mention: Underwater Wine Cellar Kraken

Underwater Wine Cellar Kraken is easily the most unusual entry on this list, as the wines are aged beneath the seabed of the Bay of Kotor before being served at a small floating wine bar just outside Perast.

The company says it began ageing its wines underwater in 2021, with the bottles spending around a year at depths of about 20 metres (66 ft), where the sea provides consistent pressure and temperature.

Getting there is part of the experience, with visitors transferred by boat to the floating platform, where you can sample the underwater-aged wines alongside light food and even take a swim in the bay. We’d definitely treat this as a standalone experience for a couple of hours rather than a quick drink, and we’d book ahead because it has become one of Kotor’s more unusual attractions.

Eating in Kotor on a budget

Eating in Kotor doesn’t have to blow your budget. While the waterfront and main squares can get expensive, there are plenty of much cheaper ways to eat well, from grabbing burek at a local bakery to picking up fresh produce at the market and putting together your own picnic.

Kotor Food Market

The Kotor Food Market is one of the best places to shop for a cheap breakfast, picnic, or self-catered meal, with local traders selling fresh fruit and vegetables alongside cheese, cured meats, and other produce. It’s just outside the old town walls, making it particularly convenient if you’re staying nearby and want to avoid supermarket prices for fresh local ingredients.

Bakeries

Montenegrin pekare are one of our favourite ways to eat cheaply, and Kotor has plenty of them, especially along the roads towards Dobrota and Škaljari. Look out for burek, a flaky filo pastry filled with cheese, meat, spinach, or potato, as well as savoury pastries, sandwiches, fresh bread, and sweet baked goods.

Senso Bakery in the old town was one that we gravitated to – it always smells amazing and has a great variety of savoury and sweet baked goods. It also does the classic Kotorska Krempita cream pie.

Pizza by the slice

If you want something quick and filling without paying for a whole sit-down meal, pizza by the slice is another good budget option in Kotor. Small takeaway counters around the old town like Pizzeria Pronto and Primo Pizza sell individual slices, making it easy to grab something while you’re exploring. They’re usually around €3.50 for a huge slice, perfect for lunch on the go.

Special mention: Marshall’s Gelato

There’s no better dessert in Kotor than ice cream. It’s so hot, so a nice refreshing scoop of gelato really hits the spot. One place we want to highlight is Marshall’s Gelato, which has a large selection of flavours, including vegan and gluten-free options. As much as we liked the local chain Moritz Eis, which you’ll see everywhere, the flavours were more our vibe, and it was slightly cheaper.

Supermarkets

If you’re really trying to keep food costs down, supermarkets are your best friend, particularly if you’re staying somewhere with a kitchen or even just a fridge. We love self-catering to save money while travelling, and found Viktor’s Rooms perfect for this.

You’ll find supermarkets and smaller grocery shops around Kotor, with options including bread, yoghurt, fruit, cheese, cured meats, salads, drinks, and ready-to-eat foods that can easily form the basis of a cheap lunch. We’d particularly recommend stocking up at Voli on the outskirts of town. There’s also an Aroma in the Shopping Centre Kamelija opposite.

Tips for eating out in Kotor

To help you choose where to eat in Kotor, here are our top tips:

Kotor Food and Drink FAQs

To help you decide where to eat in Kotor, we’ve answered these frequently asked questions.

What food is Kotor famous for?

Kotor is best known for the influence of both coastal Mediterranean and Montenegrin mountain cooking. We’d look out for seafood dishes like black risotto (crni rižot), fresh grilled fish, mussels, or prawns prepared buzara-style, and local oysters from the bay. From the mountains around Njeguši, you’ll also find Njeguški pršut and Njeguški cheese, which are commonly served as part of a meze or starter platter. If you’re veggie/vegan, being owned by the Venetians has left a lasting Italian influence on the town, with plenty of plant-based pizzas and pastas.

Is the food good in Kotor?

We think Kotor is one of the better places in Montenegro to experience a mixture of coastal and traditional Montenegrin food, and it’s one of our favourite little foodie towns in Europe, with a great range of restaurants. The quality varies considerably between restaurants, though, so we’d avoid assuming that a restaurant is good simply because it’s in the old town or has a great view.

What should I eat in Kotor?

If you’re vegetarian, look out for Njeguški cheese, fresh salads, grilled vegetables, vegetable dishes, local breads, and priganice, while traditional restaurants often have meat-free versions of some Mediterranean staples. If you eat fish, the Bay of Kotor’s fresh seafood is obviously worth trying, including black risotto, buzara mussels, and fresh grilled fish. We’d also make a point of trying kotorska krempita, a traditional Kotor custard pastry, and pairing your meal with a glass of Montenegrin Vranac or Krstač wine.

What time do people eat dinner in Kotor?

Dinner in Kotor (and much of Europe) tends to be later than you might be used to in the UK, particularly during the summer. Restaurants tend to get busy between 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM, although locals often eat later and restaurants can remain busy well into the late evening during July and August. If you want a quieter meal or you’re visiting during the shoulder season, eating a little earlier (around 6:00 PM) is usually a better bet for quieter spaces.

Is it expensive to eat out in Kotor?

Kotor isn’t the cheapest place to eat in Montenegro, particularly inside the old town and around the main tourist squares. You can still eat relatively cheaply by using bakeries, takeaway food, and simple restaurants, while a mid-range restaurant meal is considerably more expensive. As a rough guide, casual meals can be around €10-20 per person, while a more substantial three-course meal with wine can easily reach €25-40+ per person.

How much is a pint of beer in Kotor?

Beer is generally reasonably priced in Kotor, although the price depends heavily on where you drink. A standard 0.5-litre local beer can cost around €2-4 at a casual bar or restaurant, while drinks in the busiest parts of the old town can be more expensive. Also, don’t assume you’ll always be served a British-style pint – beer is commonly sold by the bottle or in 0.5-litre measures.

Can you drink tap water in Kotor?

Yes, tap water in Kotor is generally considered safe to drink, and the city’s water supply is treated and monitored. We’d happily refill a reusable bottle rather than buying bottled water throughout the day to cut down on plastic pollution. That said, if there has been a local water-supply issue or official notice affecting drinking water, follow the latest local advice.

Are there vegetarian and vegan options in Kotor?

Yes, there are vegetarian and vegan options in Kotor, although traditional Montenegrin food is heavily based around meat, seafood, and dairy. Most restaurants have at least a few vegetarian choices, while vegan options are becoming considerably easier to find, particularly at modern cafés and restaurants. We’d still check menus carefully rather than assuming that something described as “vegetarian” is automatically vegan, particularly with cheese, butter, and sauces.

Do you need to book restaurants in Kotor?

Not everywhere, but we’d book ahead for the restaurants in Kotor that you’re particularly keen to try, especially during the summer. Kotor can become extremely busy when cruise ships are visiting, and the smaller restaurants in the Old Town have limited seating.

Do you tip in Kotor restaurants?

Tipping isn’t compulsory in Montenegro, so you shouldn’t feel pressured to leave a large amount simply because you’re eating in a touristy part of Kotor. If you’ve received good service, rounding up the bill or leaving around 5-10% is a nice gesture. We’d always check whether a service charge has already been included before adding anything extra.

What is the best drink to try in Kotor?

For wine, we’d start with Vranac, Montenegro’s best-known red grape, or try Krstač, a local white variety that works particularly well with seafood. You’ll also find Nikšićko beer everywhere, while rakija is the drink you’re most likely to encounter if you’re offered something traditional after a meal.

Read next:

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How to Spend One Day in Kotor & Our Free DIY Old Town Walking Tour Route + Map

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A Traveller’s Guide to the Luštica Peninsula

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