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Having lunch in an abandoned village in Hvar was the last thing I expected to put on my Croatia itinerary, and it ended up being the meal I still talk about months later. Picture this: you spend the morning hiking along the Adriatic, you finish with salt on your skin and tired legs, and then you sit down at a long table in a stone village where almost nobody lives anymore. The food is slow, local, and cooked with real care. The setting looks like a film set that someone forgot to take down.
That village is Malo Grablje, and the restaurant is called Stori Komin. If you have been scrolling through Hvar travel guides and feeling like every recommendation involves a beach club and a bottle of rosé, this post is for you. I am going to walk you through our whole day, the history of the village, what the meal was like, and the booking tips I wish I had read before we went.
Table of Contents
Why I Wanted Something Different on Hvar
Hvar Town is gorgeous. I will say that up front. The waterfront, the Venetian architecture, the fortress glowing at sunset, all of it lives up to the photos. But after a couple of days of crowded promenades and cocktail menus, my sister and I both craved something quieter and more rooted in the island itself.
I do this a lot when I travel. I look for the meal that tells me something about where I am. Food has always been my favorite way into a place, and the best meals are rarely the ones with the best view of a yacht. They are the ones with a story attached.
So when I came across a restaurant inside an abandoned village on the island, I booked it before I finished reading the description. Was it a little impulsive? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Completely.
How We Spent the Day: The Hike From Hvar Town to Milna
We built the whole day around the coastal hike from Hvar Town to Milna. If you like walking, this route is a gift. The trail follows the coastline, so you get a rotating view of turquoise coves, pine trees, and tiny rocky beaches that you can only reach on foot.
A few things I learned on the trail:
- Start early. The Croatian sun does not play around, and shade comes and goes.
- Pack more water than you think you need. I always overestimate how little I will drink when it is hot, and I always regret it.
- Wear real shoes. Sandals are tempting, but the path has loose stones and uneven sections.
- Bring a swimsuit if you want to cool off. We stopped for a quick dip, and it was the best reset we could have asked for.
- Keep your snacks simple. Save your appetite for lunch, because you will want every bite.
The walk took us about two hours, including plenty of photo stops. We finished in Milna, a quiet fishing town that feels a world away from the buzz of Hvar Town. It made a perfect meeting point for our ride up to the village.
How to Get to Malo Grablje From Hvar Town
Here is the part that surprised some of the friends I told about this trip: you really do need a plan for transportation. Malo Grablje sits up in the hills, and it is a long walk from Hvar Town. I would not recommend trying to add that walk onto an already tiring day, and I would definitely not recommend doing it after a coastal hike.
We arranged a taxi in advance to pick us up in Milna and take us to the village. Planning ahead made everything smooth. There was no waiting around, no stress about whether a driver would be available, and no guessing at prices at the last minute.
My tips for getting there:
- Book your taxi before the day of your lunch. Do not wait until you are standing in Milna with tired legs.
- Confirm the pickup time and place the day before.
- Ask the driver about your return ride, since you will want a way back after lunch. We arranged ours in advance as well.
- Check the travel time from Hvar Town if you are starting there instead of hiking. For us the ride from Milna took 10 minutes, and from Hvar Town it takes about 15 minutes.
If you are not hiking, you can still do this lunch very easily. Just arrange a taxi from Hvar Town and make a relaxed afternoon of it or if you have a car you can park at the entrance.
The History of Malo Grablje
Before I tell you about the food, I want to tell you about the village, because the history is what made the whole experience stick with me.
Malo Grablje sits in the hills above the coast on the island of Hvar. For generations, the people who lived here built their lives around the land. They farmed, they grew grapes, and they made their living from what the island’s soil could give them. Stone houses lined the narrow lanes, and the village hummed with the ordinary rhythms of family life.
So what happened? Like many small island villages across the Mediterranean, Malo Grablje slowly emptied out. Hard economic times and the pull of easier lives elsewhere led families to leave. Many moved down toward the coast, where there was work and more modern comforts. Over time, the village that once held generations of families fell quiet.
Today, the houses still stand in various states of decay. Roofs have caved in, vines and weeds have crept across doorways, and nature has started to take its place back. Walking through it feels a little like stepping into a pause button. You can almost imagine the lives that played out behind each window.
I want to be careful here, because I am not a historian and I would hate to pass along anything inaccurate. So If you want exact dates and details, I recommend checking local sources or asking the staff at Stori Komin. They know the story far better than I do, and they tell it with obvious love.
What struck me most was the feeling that this is not a tragedy. It is a memory that someone chose to keep alive. A restaurant in the middle of an abandoned village gives people a reason to visit, and it keeps the place from fading entirely.
Why You Should Arrive Early to Explore
Here is one of my favorite tips from this trip: arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your reservation. I almost skipped this idea, and I am so glad I did not. We got dropped off with a little time to spare, and we used every minute of it to wander the lanes. We peeked into crumbling stone doorways, took photos of the weathered walls, and stood quietly for a moment to take it all in.
Why does this matter? Because once you sit down to lunch, you will not want to leave the table. The meal is slow and relaxed, and you will be happily full. If you do not explore before, you may not explore at all. Walking through the village on an empty stomach, with the smell of the kitchen drifting through the air, is a great way to build anticipation.
A few things to keep in mind while you explore:
- Stay on the paths. These are old buildings, and some are unstable.
- Do not take anything or move anything. This is a historic place, and it deserves respect.
- Go slowly. I noticed so much more once I stopped rushing.
- Bring your camera, but put it down for a minute too. The quiet is part of the experience.
Have you ever been somewhere so still that you could hear your own footsteps? That is what Malo Grablje felt like to me.
Lunch at Stori Komin
Then we sat down to eat. Stori Komin is set inside the village itself, and the setting alone is worth the trip. Stone walls, rustic tables, and a warm, unfussy atmosphere make you feel like you are a guest in someone’s home rather than a customer in a restaurant. There is no sense of hurry. Nobody is trying to quickly flip your table.
The meal itself felt like a proper celebration of the island. I am a firm believer that the best food is simple food made with excellent ingredients, and that is the philosophy I tasted here.
A few things I loved:
- The pacing. Courses arrived slowly, and we had time to talk, laugh, and actually enjoy the company.
- The local flavors. Everything tasted rooted in the place, not imported or generic.
- The atmosphere. Eating in a village with this much history gave every bite a little extra meaning.
- The wine: homemade and served in unlabed carafes
My sister and I ended up lingering far longer than we planned. We kept saying “just one more glass” and “let’s stay a little longer.” By the end, we did not want the afternoon to finish. Honestly, that is the real test of a great meal. Do you feel like staying after the plates are cleared? We did.
If you love food and travel the way we do, this is the kind of meal that reminds you why you started traveling in the first place. It was not about being seen or posting the perfect photo. It was about being fully present.
How to Book Stori Komin
This is the part you came here for, so let me be clear and practical. Stori Komin is not a place where you can casually walk in. You need to plan.
Here is how to book:
- Reserve in advance. You can call the restaurant (+385 91 527 6408), email the owner directly ([email protected]), or book through a website. Follow up and confirm your reservation on the day of as well.
- Expect to preorder. This surprised me at first, but it makes sense. The restaurant is in a remote location, and the kitchen needs to know exactly what to prepare. You may be asked to choose your meal ahead of time.
- Share your group size and any dietary needs when you book. This helps the kitchen plan, and it saves stress later.
- Book early in the high season. Summer on Hvar fills up fast, and a restaurant this special will not stay open for last-minute plans.
- Confirm your transportation at the same time. Booking the lunch and the taxi together saves you from scheduling headaches. You can also drive and park at the village entrance.
I know preordering can feel a little unusual if you are used to simply showing up. But after having lunch in an abandoned village in Hvar, I understand why it works this way. This is not a place with a huge staff and a walk-in kitchen. Everything is thoughtfully prepared, and planning ahead is part of the experience.
Quick Tips Recap for Your Own Lunch in an Abandoned Village in Hvar
If you want to save this post for later, here is the short version:
- Book by phone (+385 91 527 6408) or through the website well in advance.
- Be ready to preorder your meal.
- Arrange a taxi pickup and return ride, since it is a long walk from Hvar Town.
- Check the travel time from Hvar Town, about 10-15 minutes.
- Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early so you can walk around the village.
- Wear comfortable shoes and bring water, sunscreen, and a camera.
- Plan to stay a while. This is a long, slow lunch, not a quick bite.
Who This Experience Is Perfect For
I get asked all the time whether a trip like this is worth the effort, and my answer depends on who is asking. Here is who I think will love it:
- Food lovers who care more about the story behind a meal than the scene around it
- Couples looking for a romantic and memorable afternoon
- Hikers who want a delicious reward at the end of a long walk
- History buffs who love exploring places with a past
- Anyone tired of crowded tourist spots who wants to see a quieter side of Hvar
If you are traveling with young kids or anyone with limited mobility, think carefully about the terrain and the logistics. The village has uneven paths, and the day takes some planning. That said, if you are doing the taxi route instead of the hike, it becomes a much more accessible outing.
What I Learned From This Day
I have eaten in a lot of beautiful places, and I have noticed that the meals that stay with me are almost never the fanciest. They are the ones that made me slow down adn appreciate my surroundings. This lunch did that.
There is something humbling about eating in a place that people once called home and then left behind. It makes you think about what we choose to keep, what we let go, and who decides which places get a second life. Sitting in Malo Grablje, I felt grateful for the people who decided this village was worth saving, even if only for a few tables and a few hours at a time.
If you are heading to Croatia, I hope you will carve out time for something like this. Skip one beach club afternoon, and trade it for a hike, a taxi ride, and a meal you will remember.
Enjoy!
Having lunch in an abandoned village in Hvar turned out to be the highlight of my trip. The coastal hike from Hvar Town to Milna, the quiet ride up to Malo Grablje, the time spent wandering before we sat down, and the slow, delicious meal at Stori Komin all came together into one of those days that you replay in your head.
If you are planning your own trip, start with the basics. Book your table early, arrange your taxi, arrive a little early, and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the village. Everything else will fall into place.
Have you ever eaten somewhere that felt like stepping back in time? I would love to hear about it in the comments. And if you try Stori Komin after reading this, tag us at #BriAndCat so we can see your photos.
Check out our other posts from Croatia:
With love,
Bri and Cat
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