June 13, 2020 - Are restaurants open on Hvar? A blissful return to the 'old normal' at Me and Mrs Jones in Jelsa.  

I had a meeting with Deni Ohlsen-Dukic, General Manager of Hvar's only 5-star hotel, Leading Hotels of the World member, Palace Elisabeth hvar heritage hotel in Hvar Town. We had met only briefly at the hotel opening in October and had been meaning to catch up for an extended interview. Deni kindly agreed to come to see me in Jelsa, which immediately gave me a problem; I knew he was a big foodie, so what was actually open to impress him?

Jelsa's fine dining restaurant Artichoke is still not open for the season, so I wandered around the other side of the harbour to see if Me and Mrs Jones might be working. Although the door was closed, I heard voices inside and then saw the welcoming smile of owner Josipa Belic Skarpa. Were they open? If someone wanted to eat, they were open. These must be very strange times for restaurateurs, not knowing if there will be guests or not. I booked a table for four. 

And then the next few hours (and it was a few) passed by like a dream, a reminder of the carefree summers of a previous life. The waterfront terrace at Me and Mrs Jones looks across the harbour to the old town, and we enjoyed the lone sailboat gliding gracefully into the harbour in the tranquil afternoon sun.  

And where else to start than with the signature Me and Mrs Jones octopus salad?  

I was too relaxed to record the main dishes, but a wonderful dessert to finish.  

The food and the service were outstanding as always, but what captivated us as well was the view, the calm waters of Jelsa harbour.  

Then it was the turn of the Jelsa rowing club, located at the other side of the harbour, to engage in their daily practice.  

Restaurant views of European harbours - does it get any better than this?  

My phone rang. Some foodie friends in Stari Grad. Did I know of any good restaurants on the island which are actually open. 

"Come to Jones in Jelsa."

"Jones is open? Great."

And so they came, as did many others. A full house at Me and Mrs Jones, and a reminder that glimpses of the old normal are possible.  

Jelsa is divine at the moment, as is the whole island. Regarding restaurants open on the island, there are a handful in Jelsa and Stari Grad, and Hvar Town has six currently (including Alviz, Jerolim, Hotel Riva, MIzarola) but many more will open this week.

Learn more about magical Hvar from our Virtual Croatia series.