Zlatni Rat is the most famous beach in Croatia. It is near the small city of Bol on the island of Brac. This island is the closest to Split, one of the main coastal cities in Croatia. For a small town like Bol, there are quite a few vegan options, which is uncommon in Croatia.
Split hosts the Ultra Europe music festival, one of the best and most famous in the region. Brac is the biggest island in this area. While Zlatni Rat beach in Bol is beautiful, it becomes very crowded during the summer season.
If you have a car, which I recommend when travelling in Croatia, you can find other top-notch beaches on the island of Brac and around Bol, offering more peace and personal space.
I suggest visiting Romantic Beach, a 20-minute drive from Bol. Be sure to arrive early to secure a parking spot. It is a wild beach with no bars, restaurants, or official parking, but it is one of the best beaches I have ever visited in Croatia.
TIPS FOR TRAVELLING TO BOL ON THE ISLAND OF BRAC
For fresh fruits and vegetables, visit the farmer’s market in the centre of Bol. Though it’s not huge, you can buy fresh produce to eat and cook, perfect for bringing lunch to the beach. One day, we enjoyed my vegan tomato pasta – simple and delicious.
We noticed that grocery stores around Bol have almost no vegan options. Items like tofu and vegan yogurt are hard to find. You might find some vegan milk, but that’s about it. I recommend stopping at a shop in Split before you take the ferry to Brac Island to stock up on essential vegan foods.
We shopped at Interspar, a regular grocery store, and Bio&bio, a health food shop. However, there are days on holiday when you really don’t want to cook. Here are some of my recommendations for eating vegan in Bol on the island of Brač.
BIOMANIA BISTRO IN BOL
My top choice on Brac is BioMania Bistro, a fully vegan restaurant in the centre of Bol. From 8:30 to 11:30, they offer a variety of breakfasts. You can choose between avocado toast, a smoothie bowl, a chia fruit bowl, and even pancakes.
For the main meal, BioMania Bistro offers different appetizers like soup or a vegan cheese platter. Their mains include vegan burgers, power bowls, and pasta, and you can also enjoy a vegan dessert. Many of their dishes are gluten-free, and they offer a vegan children’s menu if you’re travelling with kids.
For breakfast, we tried a smoothie bowl, which I loved because it was made from fresh, seasonal fruits. For dinner, we had a delicious BioMania vegan burger and a Falafel Bowl, which was my favourite dish. The Bollito Bowl, while tasty, was quite pricey and small, making it our least favourite choice.
The double chocolate cake was one of the best raw, vegan chocolate cakes I have ever had – you have to try it! With dinner, you can also enjoy organic wine or kombucha. They also offer Indy&Pippa ice cream, which you can take to go and enjoy at your Airbnb, as we did.
BIOMANIA VEGAN STREET FOOD TAKEAWAY IN BOL, BRAC
On Zlatni Rat beach in Bol, you’ll find BioMania vegan street food takeaway restaurant. Their menu includes Mediterranean wok, surf & walk wok, sandwiches, falafel bowl, and bollito bowl. You can also enjoy some vegan sweets and drinks.
We tried the surf & walk wok, which was good, but the portions could be a bit bigger for the price. All the food they serve here and in the bistro is organic, which might explain the higher prices. It’s great to see Croatia stepping in the right direction by offering vegan options even on the beach.
ZLATNI RAT BEACH FOOD STANDS IN BOL, BRAC
On Zlatni Rat beach in Bol, you can enjoy vegan smoothies at the Fresh Juices smoothie bar. Just check the ingredients to ensure there’s no milk or yogurt. They also offer fruit salads and chia pudding, but again, verify that they don’t contain dairy. In the summer heat, I love having smoothies for breakfast or lunch as they are a refreshing treat.
Along the walking promenade from Bol to Zlatni Rat beach, there is another smoothie stand we regularly visited. The prices are a bit more affordable than those at the beach smoothie bar. I always had a smoothie called Green Queen because I love green smoothies. My boyfriend preferred the Think Pink one as he enjoys berry flavours.
I am not sure what this smoothie bar is called, but here is a picture to help you find it while walking around the Bol area.
On the same promenade, you can find vegan Magnum ice cream! Just look for the Magnum advertisement in front of the drink stands. I was so happy when I discovered it.
RESTAURANT WITH VEGAN OPTIONS BUT BAD REVIEWS
In the centre of Bol, Brač, there is a restaurant called Vendetta by Vagabundo that offers vegan breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. However, the reviews were so bad during our visit that we decided not to try it.
For breakfast, they offer vegan chia pudding, waffles, oats, and smoothies, along with coffee with plant milk. For lunch and dinner, you can have sushi or other Asian fusion dishes.
VEGAN OPTIONS IN THE CITY OF BOL ON THE ISLAND OF BRAC
One day, we wanted something simple, so we tried Ranch Restaurant in Bol, which has great reviews. Although it mostly offers meat and fish, you can find vegan options among the sides and salads. We both had fried potatoes, grilled vegetables, and a salad. It was nothing special, but it’s a good option if you want a break from cooking at home.
Some coffee shops on the island of Brac offer plant milk for coffee. We found a sign in front of one such coffee shop, called Riva, in the city of Bol.
WHERE TO STAY ON BRAČ IN CROATIA
There are many great apartments to rent in Bol, some with amazing sea views and others that are more affordable. It depends on your budget, but you can find a lot of different options on Booking.com.
In Bol on Brač, it is better to stay in an apartment than a hotel because it makes cooking and finding something to eat easier. Restaurants are not cheap, and there aren’t many vegan options. You can also check our other articles about eating vegan in Croatia.
SEE ALSO:
Check This Guide to Find out Where to Eat Delicious Vegan Food in the City of Dubrovnik!