Food · Zagreb · Croatia
What to eat in Zagreb
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Zagreb, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Štrukli, Zagreb schnitzel and Turkey with mlinci. On Saturday mornings, Zagreb's residents go to Dolac Market, then spend hours over coffee on the terraces around Cvjetni trg, Bogovićeva and Preradovićev trg; join them for the city's best people-watching. Cafés often serve only drinks; it is normal to bring a pastry from a nearby bakery or eat elsewhere.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Štrukli
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish · Vegetarian
1.Štrukli (Zagorski štrukli)
Thin pastry rolled around fresh cottage cheese, then boiled or baked with cream until golden. Served as a starter, main or dessert, it is the signature dish of Zagreb and the Zagorje hills and is on Croatia's intangible heritage list.
Where: Traditional restaurants in the Upper Town and Lower Town; ask for 'zapečeni' for the baked version.
Dish
2.Zagreb schnitzel (Zagrebački odrezak)
A veal or pork escalope stuffed with ham and cheese, breaded and fried, usually served with chips or potato salad. It is the city's version of the Central European schnitzel.
Where: Classic restaurants and gostionicas (inns) across the city.
Dish
3.Turkey with mlinci (Purica s mlincima)
Roast turkey served with mlinci, thin dried flatbreads softened in the roasting juices. It is a festive dish from Zagorje, popular in autumn and winter.
Where: Traditional restaurants in Zagreb and the countryside inns of Zagorje.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
4.Fresh cheese and cream (Sir i vrhnje)
Soft fresh cow's cheese with sour cream, sometimes with paprika and spring onion, sold by village women at the market and eaten with bread.
Where: The dairy section of Dolac Market, where you can taste before buying.
Dessert · Vegetarian
5.Kremšnita
A thick slab of vanilla custard and cream between layers of puff pastry, most associated with the nearby town of Samobor.
Where: Pastry shops (slastičarnice) in Zagreb, or the original versions in Samobor's main square.
Street food
6.Burek
Flaky pastry filled with cheese or meat, sold hot from bakeries as a cheap breakfast or late-night snack, often with drinking yoghurt.
Where: Bakeries (pekare) all over the city, especially near tram stops and stations.
Dish
7.Bean stew (Grah)
A hearty stew of beans, often with smoked sausage or pork, served as a simple, cheap lunch.
Where: Mountain huts on Medvednica, workers' canteens and traditional gostionicas.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Gemišt
White wine mixed with sparkling mineral water, the standard drink at Zagreb's café terraces and wine bars on warm afternoons.
Where: Any café or bar; order a 'gemišt' or 'špricer'.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Rakija
Fruit or herb brandy such as šljivovica (plum), travarica (herb) or medica (honey), often offered as a welcome drink or digestif.
Where: Bars and restaurants across the city, and Advent stalls in winter.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Fritule
Small fried dough balls flavoured with citrus and rum, dusted with sugar, especially popular during Advent.
Where: Advent stalls in December and some pastry shops year-round.
Food experiences
Saturday špica
On Saturday mornings, Zagreb's residents go to Dolac Market, then spend hours over coffee on the terraces around Cvjetni trg, Bogovićeva and Preradovićev trg; join them for the city's best people-watching.
Advent food stalls
From late November, the parks and squares fill with stalls selling mulled wine, sausages, fritule and štrukli; Zrinjevac and the Strossmayer Promenade are among the busiest.
Market lunch
Buy fresh cheese, cured meats and seasonal fruit at Dolac and eat on a bench in the Upper Town.
Zagorje inns
Drive or take a tour into the hills north of Zagreb for štrukli, turkey with mlinci and local wine in country restaurants.
Quick bites and street food
- Fresh cheese and cream — The dairy section of Dolac Market, where you can taste before buying.
- Burek — Bakeries (pekare) all over the city, especially near tram stops and stations.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Štrukli, Fresh cheese and cream, Kremšnita, Gemišt, Rakija and Fritule. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Cafés often serve only drinks; it is normal to bring a pastry from a nearby bakery or eat elsewhere.
- Lunch is the main meal for many locals, and some restaurants offer an inexpensive weekday menu (gablec).
- Book weekend dinners at popular restaurants in the Upper Town and around Tkalčićeva.
- Tap water is free on request but not always offered; ask for 'voda iz slavine'.
- Smoking is allowed on many café terraces.
Tipping
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. Round up in cafés and leave about 10% in restaurants for good service; round up for taxis.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dobar dan | Good day / hello |
| Bok | Hi / bye (informal) |
| Hvala | Thank you |
| Molim | Please / you're welcome |
| Račun, molim | The bill, please |
| Živjeli | Cheers |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Zagreb famous for?
Štrukli, Zagreb schnitzel, Turkey with mlinci and Fresh cheese and cream. Thin pastry rolled around fresh cottage cheese, then boiled or baked with cream until golden.
+Is Zagreb good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Štrukli, Fresh cheese and cream and Kremšnita.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Zagreb?
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. Round up in cafés and leave about 10% in restaurants for good service; round up for taxis.