If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that we beans enjoy a cocktail or two in the sun. Never has this been truer, than when I went bar hopping in the serene and scenic harbour town of Cavtat in Croatia with my best friend, sampling Piña Coladas whenever possible.

Let me take you through our experiences, rating each Piña Colada along the way.

Ivan
Our first evening out saw us in Restaurant Ivan, which sat in the nook of the bay, next to the boardwalk. Our table was in prime location for people watching, and watch people we did. We loved our food too – enjoying a delicious array of seafood, which was as fresh as it gets.

So, the first Piña Colada, nothing quite compares. It was the perfect balance of sweet to fruity. It wasn’t watery nor too thick and creamy, it was just right. Complete with a juicy wedge of pineapple. Hands down, the best Piña Colada I’ve ever had. 10/10.

(Side note, I tried Piña Coladas for the first time earlier this year and it has clearly become a fast favourite – if they’re good enough for Dell Boy they’re good enough for me!).

Café Bistro Zal
This gorgeous little bar is situated on a cliff edge on the walkway toward the main area of Cavtat, both secluded and a good spot to watch a sunset. We’d walked past this bar a few times and noted how inviting the cocktails looked and made a point to go back.
After a day of island hopping and before we went back to the hotel for an evening of cards and bottomless pear liquor, we stopped at the beautiful cliffside bar to put their cocktail list to the test. Sadly, and much to our dismay, the bartender was off that day, so no Piña Coladas for us. We had a Peroni instead. Our verdict? No rum or pineapple, so a very poor 1/10.

Lounge Bar Eve
After a failed attempt, Harriet and I managed to get a few drinks at Lounge Bar Eve. You see, the previous night we’d been told that they weren’t serving the public, and we had tried to crash a private party… oops.
The setting was stunning – right on the waterfront, with a pier leading out to sea which had boats coming and going to Dubrovnik. Great décor too, with hanging egg chairs that swung over the water, plush cushions aplenty and thriving greenery. But onto the matter at hand, their Piña Coladas. Great consistency, not too sweet, a large wedge of pineapple on the side – would definitely recommend. 9/10.

Diyonisus Bistro
Well, well, well! Another cracking bar!
This was probably our favourite spot in terms of views, nestled in the bay of Cavtat with sailboats drifting by and mountains all around. The service and food here was exquisite, our waitress was just lovely. On to the cocktail in question – very drinkable, almost went down too easily, ordered another. Rating 8.5/10.

Café bar amor
We made a risky decision on the Thursday and ventured into the busy, buzzing heart of Cavtat on a day that was deliberating over whether or not to rain. As luck would have it (or not), it absolutely poured. Thick, heavy, earth-shattering droplets of rain, and we were drenched. Determined to have a Piña Colada to celebrate my two-year anniversary at jellybean, we perched in Café Bar Amor. Harriet, a smart cookie, ordered a warming coffee – while I stuck to my guns and ordered a thoroughly chilled Piña Colada, to further ice my core. I would rate this one a solemn 3/10, but mostly due to the blooper I made in ordering a cold drink.

So, to bring this round-up to a close, we have learnt that while yes, I do like Piña Coladas – I absolutely do NOT like being caught in the rain.

If you’re planning a trip to Croatia, we hope that these spots may inspire your cocktail ordering, and for more restaurant recommendations for those hitting Dubrovnik, check out Sooz’s blog from back in 2018 here.