Gradska kavana Arsenal Restaurant & Bar

Gradska Kavana Arsenal is a historic restaurant, cafe and bar in the heart of Dubrovnik Old Town, beside Luža Square and only steps from St Blaise's Church. It is best known for its central location, all-day dining and eastern terrace overlooking the Old City Port.

Open from breakfast until late evening, Arsenal works equally well for morning coffee, a relaxed lunch, cake and drinks, or dinner with a harbour view. Prices are higher than at neighbourhood cafes outside the Old Town, but much of the appeal is the historic setting and one of Dubrovnik's most atmospheric restaurant terraces.

Gradska Kavana Arsenal quick facts

Is Gradska Kavana Arsenal worth visiting?

Yes, particularly if location and atmosphere matter to you. Arsenal sits at one of the most attractive points in Dubrovnik Old Town, between the city's monumental civic centre and the historic harbour.

The restaurant is a good choice if you want to combine sightseeing with breakfast, coffee, lunch or dinner without leaving the Old Town. The harbour-facing terrace is especially appealing in the evening when the light changes over the Old Port.

If your main priority is finding the lowest prices in Dubrovnik, there are better-value places outside the city walls. Arsenal's pricing reflects both its food and its exceptionally central location.

What is Arsenal best for?

Breakfast

Breakfast is served daily from 08:00-12:00, making Arsenal useful if you want to start sightseeing early and eat inside the Old Town.

The current breakfast menu includes options such as eggs, omelettes, Eggs Benedict, pastries and lighter breakfasts alongside coffee, tea and fresh drinks.

Coffee and cake

Gradska Kavana has a long tradition as a central Dubrovnik cafe, and it remains a convenient place to stop for coffee or dessert between Old Town sights.

The current menu includes espresso drinks, cappuccino, tea, hot chocolate, cakes and traditional Dubrovnik crème caramel.

Lunch

For a quicker midday meal, Arsenal offers lighter dishes alongside its main restaurant menu. Current choices include salads, sandwiches, burgers and other casual options, while the wider menu focuses more strongly on Mediterranean and seafood dishes.

Dinner

Dinner is where the location matters most. A table on the Old Port side gives you views toward St John's Fortress, harbour boats and the historic waterfront while remaining in the centre of Dubrovnik Old Town.

Which Arsenal terrace has the best view?

Gradska Kavana Arsenal effectively offers two different Old Town experiences.

Old Port terrace

The eastern terrace is the one to request if harbour views are your priority. It overlooks the Old City Port, with St John's Fortress on one side and the historic Lazareti complex farther along the waterfront.

This is usually the most desirable location for dinner and evening drinks, so reservations are sensible in summer.

Old Town side

The city-facing side puts you close to Luža Square, Orlando's Column, St Blaise's Church and the pedestrian activity around Stradun.

Choose this side if you prefer people-watching and the atmosphere of central Dubrovnik rather than an uninterrupted harbour view.

What is on the menu?

The restaurant describes its cooking as Mediterranean cuisine based on local ingredients and traditional Dubrovnik flavours interpreted with modern techniques.

Expect a menu built around:

• Fish and seafood
• Mediterranean meat dishes
• Vegetables and seasonal produce
• Olive oil and Adriatic ingredients
• Breakfast dishes
• Light lunches
• Cakes and desserts
• Croatian and international wines
• Coffee, cocktails and other drinks

The menu changes periodically, so check the restaurant's current menu if you are visiting for a specific dish or have dietary requirements.

How expensive is Gradska Kavana Arsenal?

Arsenal is priced as a central Old Town restaurant rather than a neighbourhood cafe.

As a rough indication, the current menu has espresso from around €3.70, cappuccino around €4.80, breakfast dishes around €9-11 and casual lunch dishes generally in the mid-teens. Main restaurant dishes can cost more.

The key trade-off is straightforward: you pay more than you might outside Dubrovnik's historic centre, but you are dining beside some of the city's most important monuments and, on the eastern terrace, directly overlooking the Old Port.

Do you need a reservation?

For breakfast, coffee or a casual daytime stop, walking in is often realistic.

For dinner during the main summer season, a reservation is recommended, particularly if you want a table on the harbour-facing terrace.

The restaurant accepts reservations through its official website.

Why is it called Arsenal?

The name comes from the historic Dubrovnik Arsenal, or Orsan, which occupied this part of the Old City Port.

A shipyard operated here from the medieval period, allowing the Dubrovnik Republic to build and maintain vessels for its powerful merchant fleet. The large arches associated with the Arsenal formed part of this maritime infrastructure.

The restaurant therefore sits in a location directly connected with the seafaring economy that helped make the Dubrovnik Republic prosperous.

For more about the harbour, shipyard and maritime history, see our guide to Dubrovnik Old City Port.

Opening hours

Location and nearby sights

Gradska Kavana Arsenal is at Pred Dvorom 1, one of the most central locations in Dubrovnik Old Town.

Nearby sights include St Blaise's Church, Orlando's Column, Sponza Palace, the Rector's Palace, Stradun and the Old City Port.

This location makes Arsenal particularly convenient if you want to eat without interrupting a day of sightseeing.

Address and official information

Gradska Kavana Arsenal Restaurant & Bar
Pred Dvorom 1
20000 Dubrovnik
Croatia

Phone: +385 20 321 202

Official website and reservations: Gradska Kavana Arsenal Restaurant & Bar