Neum is pretty tiny. It is practically a village that happens to have hotels, and it reportedly becomes a ghost town by the time winter comes. This means that there is not a mind-blowing range of offerings in its humble dining scene. There are some places that specialize in grilling meat, some others that are seafood oriented, and a few local fast-food options, such as bakeries, for those who are interested in a quick (and cheap) meal. However, what it lacks in quantity, Neum more than makes up in quality. Make sure to read until the end (or just skip to my last recommendation) to find out why.
Pekara Magistrala – https://maps.app.goo.gl/2YfDYTW33eJZFwEE8
If you want a no-frills bakery that has a large selection of baked goodies, look no further than Pekara Magistrala. Most notably, they have a decent selection of freshly baked bread, with which we made some tasty sandwiches twice during our stay. They also offer pizza by the slice, which did not taste poorly. While this is not the best bakery in the Balkans, not by a long shot, it offers good bang for your buck if you know what to pick. If comments on Google Maps are to be believed try and stay away from burek and simply stick to safer options like bread and pizza, and you will have a good time like we did.
Megi – https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y373ewTc61MHEDnC8
There are actually two branches of Megi (that I could find) in town but only one of them is visible on Google Maps. The other one is located by the Neum Beach, next to a restaurant named Bonita. Megi seems to be a classic establishment, an institution even. Both the locals and tourists frequent it, and honestly with those low prices, who would not. They have rather tasty and certainly fresh sandwiches that are a bit on the bigger side, and while their fries are not that good, with some cold beer on the side, they do not disappoint on a hot summer day after a few hours of swimming. Megi actually has a rather extensive menu, but we did not manage to explore most of it. Nevertheless, both for its affordable prices and for the excellent locations of its branches, this is a decent eatery to keep in mind when you are in Neum.
Marinero – https://maps.app.goo.gl/SMdRF5r1wKg2ncfj7
Speaking of location, Marinero just might have the best spot in the whole town. It is located on the actual road that used to be the only one that connected the two separate parts of Croatia. Today, it remains the busiest road in town. It just happens to be next to the gas station as well, the only one I saw in the vicinity. Suffice to say, it is almost always full with guests dining in. Thankfully, they did not take advantage of this situation. The service here is friendly and the food is decent. I think that their food is a bit on the drier side, but they are generous with sauces, so they at least seem to be aware of this issue and are indirectly working to fix it. They do have tasty pizza, and a rather extensive menu, so I certainly recommend paying them a visit.
Villa Dom – https://maps.app.goo.gl/HimK2WX23zqYqV2H9
Being a coastal town, there are many seaside restaurants in Neum. Frankly, many of these did not have high ratings, and some had outright horrifying comments online. However, people seemed to love Villa Dom. To be completely honest with you, perhaps due to our next dining experience in Neum, what we enjoyed in Villa Dom was mediocre at best. The seaside dining is nice, but that is about it. Food was decent, inoffensive in the most boring way. The wok with fish had little in the way of spices and the salad had the least tasty feta cheese imaginable. The fish was okay, and the service was friendly. Wine was also just okay, but it was certainly on the pricier side. In fact, this whole affair was on the pricier side. Paying a ton of money (for BiH standards) and not being mind-blown by the food just did not sit well with me after the dinner was already over. Still, it is not a bad restaurant per se, and I do suggest you give it a shot yourselves. Our experiences may very well differ.
Restoran Laguna – https://maps.app.goo.gl/WERaCRm3B1YSP9xf6
Every once in a while, I come across a restaurant like Restoran Laguna and have an incredibly difficult time writing about it. How can I possibly describe the symphony that takes place in my mouth when I eat food that is simply too good? Restoran Laguna is reason enough to get out of your way and visit Neum, even if it was not on your itinerary. Service here is professional and friendly, and the food is simply exceptional. Their stuffed squid was out of this world. The filling was made using a bit of rice and a lot of squid innards, which gave it an enjoyable texture and an incredible flavour. Squids themselves were obviously cooked to perfection. It felt like eating butter, and not rubber. The four-cheese pasta was surprisingly good to the point that both I and my mother admitted that it is better than how we cook it back home. This is a high praise, especially coming from my mother. Even the humble shopska salad was so fresh and tasty that it put to shame all the other salads we had in the Balkans up until that point.
Of course, having eaten food this good, we could not help but go back to Restoran Laguna in the following day, this time for lunch. Once again, it was a special experience to say the least. Black Laguna Risotto, one of their signature dishes, was by far the best risotto I had, ever. It had just the right amount of everything, and it was decadent in the best way possible. They also offer a tasty fish paste, and even tastier freshly baked breads that are served alongside them. Last but not least, their house wine was the best we had in BiH. In all honest, I really cannot praise Restoran Laguna enough, nothing I write here will ever do them justice. I plan to open a restaurant of my own later on in life, if I ever get there, and I now have one more perfect example to look up to as I go on with that plan of mine.
