Split Green Market & Fish Market | Food Shopping in Split

The local fish market and farmer’s markets are a fantastic way to save money and enjoy delicious food while on a self-catering holiday in Split, Croatia. There are two principal markets in Split city centre: Gradska ribarnica for seafood and the Green Market with produce from Croatian farms. This includes fruit, vegetables, meat and cheese.

Between them, you can buy most things you need to make delicious food. As a bonus, this also supports local food producers. We enjoyed cooking at various times, using some great produce, during our 7 weeks in the city across three visits.

In my experience, cash is king at most stalls and the only form of payment accepted. In Split, all produce is sold by the kg.

Split Fish Market – Gradska Ribarnica

Split Fish Market, or Gradska Ribarnica, is at the edge of the old town on Marmontova Street near Trg Republike. Records mention fish being sold in Split as early as 1312. The current fish market is over 130 years old.

They built it in 1890 in the revival architectural style, according to designs by Ante Bezic. It has a glazed roof with a cast-iron structure. There are several high-up apertures in the building to improve ventilation.

Inside, stalls sell freshly caught fish and seafood, with the choice changing from day to day. Each stall seems to have special offers, and the traders try to get you interested. They sell most items by the kilogram, which is handy.

When ordering fish, you can opt to have it cleaned and scaled, or filleted. This costs a little extra and was well worth it. Common seafood available includes prawns, ray wings, sea bass and sardines. The available choices change daily depending on what the fishing boats catch overnight. On my 2026 visit, they had both full and prepared monkfish, which was delicious. I suspect this may be seasonal.

It is open from 6:30 am to 13:30 every day except Sunday, when it closes at midday. If you miss the opening times, there are other fishmongers’ shops and a few fantastic seafood restaurants nearby. MAP…

Split Green Market – Pazar

The Green Market is right next to the Silver Gate of Diocletian’s Palace. It’s a rather large farmers’ market-type affair with lots of stalls. You can buy fresh or smoked meats for starters, including some delicious sausages and the Croatian speciality, kulen. Seasonal vegetables are prevalent; a popular vegetable is Swiss chard, a cross between spinach and kale.

They also have many stalls selling dried beans and dried fruit. The stallholders also produce olive oil, and many stalls have bottles, including small bottles, which are ideal for a brief stay.

The Green Market also has some butchers and cheese stalls. For cheese, they do some ricotta-like cheese and my favourite regional hard cheese, Dalmatian Sir. They also have a rotisserie with cooked chicken, turkey and pork options. These are ideal for a quick lunch or a sandwich filling. MAP…

Other Food Markets in Split

Ribarnica Brač

Another excellent fish market is Ribarnica Brač, near the Split FC football stadium. They are more of a fishmonger and local produce shop than a traditional market.

This included tuna steaks, swordfish and shellfish. Ribarnica Brač also stocks some prepared gourmet food. I highly recommend their octopus salad. They are open from 7 am to 8 pm daily, except on Sunday, when they are closed. MAP…

Tržnica Matoševa

Another small market is Tržnica Matoševa, near where we stayed. This is a good place for fruit and vegetables. They are open all day from 6 am. They also have a rotisserie and general store, which I found good for beans and herbs. MAP…

Tips for Shopping at Split Markets

For the best choice at the fish market, it is worth going early in the morning. Cash was important during my visits, and produce was sold by the kilo. At the fish market, you can usually ask for fish to be cleaned, scaled or filleted for a little extra. Small bottles of olive oil from the Green Market are useful if you are self-catering for a short stay.

What We Cooked From Split Markets

Some dishes we enjoyed cooking were made using two pans on a tiny hob in self-catering accommodation.

Ray Wings

Ray wings come whole in the market; however, you could opt for them to be filleted. They are pretty simple to clean and gut, ready for preparation. 2 whole rays far too much for 2 people for lunch.

The whole fish wouldn’t fit in the pan, so I chopped off the meaty wings, which were ready to pan-fry. I fried them with salt, pepper, and some finely chopped garlic. This takes about 5-7 minutes for each side on a pretty low setting.

Sardines

Sardines are one of the cheapest fish options. To prepare them, I gutted them, then chopped off the heads and tails so they would fit in the pan. I cooked them with basic salt and pepper seasoning. I served the sardines with a salad made from peppers, tomatoes, and black olives. Also, I added some capers to enhance the salad’s flavour.

Prawns in Garlic

Fresh prawns are prevalent in Split Fish Market, and many stalls sell them. You can choose from a variety of sizes or opt for the larger langoustines. I purchased half a kilo, which was overkill for two people. Fresh prawns just need a rinse before cooking; however, some people prefer to peel and remove the vein beforehand.

Cooking fresh prawns is quick and easy; my preferred method is to fry them in butter and garlic. If you like them spicy, you could add some chilli too. They only take a few minutes to be ready and turn pink to show they are done.

I served a rocket and tomato salad, garnished with capers. These were delicious and quite the feast.

Sea Bass With Swiss Chard

Sea bass is a lovely fish to cook whole; however, limitations in the kitchen mean I had to chop it to fit into the pan. I fried it with garlic and seasoning for about 15 minutes. For this meal, we utilised the Swiss chard, which takes about 4 minutes to boil in water.

Tuna Steak

Tuna steak is one of my favourite meals when at the coast. I could only find this at Ribarnica Brač rather than the city centre market. The steaks were priced similarly to those at other places on the Croatian coast I’ve visited. Tuna steak is straightforward to cook by seasoning it with salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil. You then pan-fry or grill until cooked. I usually add a few chilli flakes and squeeze lime on as it’s cooking to keep it moist.