Jelsa's best eating happens in small family konobas tucked into the old town lanes behind the harbour. The menus are short and seasonal — whatever was caught or harvested that day — and that is exactly as it should be. Look for grilled whole fish (sea bream, sea bass, and dentex are common), black risotto made with squid ink, and lamb slow-roasted under the peka. Most konobas are open for lunch and dinner but close entirely from October to April.
Konoba Zlatna Školjka and Konoba Meneghello are among the names locals recommend, but the situation changes from season to season. Your best bet is to walk the back lanes, look for somewhere with a chalk board and a handwritten menu, and trust that the olive oil on the table is local. Reserve in advance for dinner in July and August; in shoulder season, just turn up.