The MICHELIN Guide Croatia: Bugenvila, the new Bib Gourmand restaurant in Cavtat

"Set beside Cavtat harbour, this long‑established Bib Gourmand offers excellent value for money, a flower‑decked terrace, and warmly attentive service, while menus change frequently to honor seasonality and the credo of “simplicity, creativity and fresh ingredients.” Most fruit and vegetables come from trusted producers in the Konavle valley; seafood is sourced locally (bluefin tuna, monkfish, hake) with ikejime seabass from Marfish, and winter brings octopus and cuttlefish from local inhabitants. Meats are carefully selected—Croatian lamb from Skokic butchers in Split, pork from Slavonia, quail from Zagorje—and the kitchen proudly features renowned Kumparicka goat cheeses and prized Istrian black truffles. Sustainability is central, with energy‑efficient equipment, efforts to cut food waste, and partnership with the EU‑financed FishEUtrus t project to ensure a transparent, traceable seafood supply chain. Standouts include agnolotti filled with ricotta, honey and olives with seasonal vegetables in a tomato sauce; bluefin tuna loin with fregola and red pepper gel; lobster bisque with wild boar cheeks; and a must‑order cuttlefish with black rice and chorizo that refines classic black‑ink risotto with fried cuttlefish, a bright gremolata, smoked‑chorizo foam, and blanched sea fennel. Vegetarians are well served by options like pumpkin–porcini risotto with pine nuts and pecorino, a summer watermelon consommé with tomato essence and a virgin Bloody Mary granita, and vibrant salads such as peaches, tomatoes, toasted almonds and stracciatella. The regional wine list is thoughtfully paired—we recommend the 2019 Rhein Riesling Jakopic with the lobster soup and wild boar cheeks—and the tiramisù is a sublime finish." - Annalisa Leopolda Cavaleri