Restaurants in Zagreb

The Zagreb restaurant scene very much focuses on Croatian food, with variations between the more central-European slant of Slavonia (think: sausages, pickled cabbage and potato dumplings) and the Mediterranean offerings of Dalmatia and Istria (fish, seafood and risottos). There is a budding move towards haute cuisine, though it’s always in the higher price brackets.

The Zagreb restaurants below have been grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over 300HRK)
Moderate (200HRK to 300HRK)
Cheap (up to 200HRK)

Prices are for a three-course meal per person with half a bottle of house wine, tax and service included.

Zrno Bio Bistro

Price:
Cuisine: Organic, Vegan

Zrno Bio Bistro is Croatia’s first certified 100% organic vegan restaurant. Ingredients come from their very own Zrno organic farm and you can be sure the menu is fresh, seasonal and prepared with love and dedication. Ideal for a healthy lunch, energize your day with one of their home-made soups or smoothies.

Address: Medulićeva 20, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 4847 540.

Zinfandel’s

Price: Expensive
Cuisine: Modern Croatian

Set inside the dining room of the renowned Zagreb Esplanade Hotel, this elegant restaurant takes the best of Croatian cuisine and gives it an innovative spin. Under the restaurant’s soaring ceilings and sparkling chandeliers, beautifully crafted dishes such as roasted veal with foie gras are served by impeccable, polished staff. During summer, dinner is served on the attractive terrace.

Address: Mihanovićeva 1, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 456 6644.

OXBO Restaurant & Bar

Price: Expensive
Cuisine: International, Croatian

Steak becomes theatre at the DoubleTree Hilton’s ultra-modern restaurant in Zagreb’s Green Gold business district. Succulent cuts of Black Angus steak feature prominently, but the menu is incredibly varied with its range of international classics and Croatian specialities. Save room for rich but unmissable dishes like oxtail and foie gras ravioli. The wine list leans heavily towards top-class wines produced in Croatia rather than just the usual suspects from France and the New World.

Address: Grada Vukovara 269a, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 600 1914.

Dubravkin Put

Price: Expensive
Cuisine: Seafood

Seafood is the speciality at this highly acclaimed restaurant in Zagreb, with fresh fish arriving daily from the coast. The owner is from Dubrovnik, so it’s Dalmatian food all the way, and the crowds that vie for tables vouch for its quality. The restaurant is in a leafy area northwest of the town centre, and there’s a wonderful terrace for outdoor spring and summer dining.

Address: Dubravkin put 2, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 483 4975.

Lanterna na Dolcu

Price: Moderate
Cuisine: Croatian

This atmospheric vaulted brick cellar dates from the 18th century and specialises in seasonal produce, much of which they get from nearby Dolac Market. In fact, the market’s proximity is reflected in the restaurant’s name. Not surprisingly, it’s heavy on the meat, with dishes such as veal in a truffle sauce, grilled rump steak, pork loin with mushrooms and chicken stuffed with prosciutto. But you can have lighter dishes such grilled sea bass or tuna.

Address: Opatovina 31, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 481 9009.

Agava

Price: Moderate
Cuisine: Mediterranean

In this bustling restaurant overlooking Tkalčićeva Street (Zagreb’s pedestrianised promenade) the food is as sophisticated as its clientele. The extensive menu offers the best of Mediterranean cuisine in a setting that’s rustic and smart at the same time. Choose from bream with pesto, baked octopus, ribeye steak, or go for the cheaper choices of fantastic risottos and pastas. There’s also a good wine list that offers a great introduction to high-quality Croatian wines.

Address: Tkalčićeva 39, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 482 9826.

Boban

Price: Moderate
Cuisine: Italian

A vaulted brick cellar in the centre of Zagreb’s Donji grad is the warm setting for this Italian restaurant owned by Croatian footballer Zvonimir Boban. It’s solidly and classically Italian, with handmade pasta dishes such as tagliatelle in a creamy truffle and mushroom sauce, plus rich risottos with squid ink. Treat yourself to a giant Boban starter platter for two featuring a great selection of salamis, cured meats, cheeses, olives and pickled vegetables.

Address: Gajeva 9, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 481 1549.
Website:

Mundoaka Street Food

Price: Moderate
Cuisine: European, Street Food

Zagreb is not behind the latest trends and Mundoaka is one of the pioneers of street food in the city. The menu changes often, presentation is top notch and if you visit during the winter time when the terrace is closed, make sure you book a table in advance.

Address: Pertrinjska 2, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 7888 777.

Tip-Top

Price: Cheap
Cuisine: Croatian

This former haunt of one of Croatia’s most famous poets, Tin Ujević, is a fantastic place for a whiff of Dalmatian cuisine and old-style Croatia. The food is sumptuous, with a daily changing set menu where you can taste their octopus brodet (stew with red wine, garlic and herbs) and grilled fish and seafood. The waiting staff hasn’t been ‘updated’ since the 1980s, together with the loyal regulars. It’s a real Zagreb oldie, with great food at low prices.

Address: Gundulićeva 18, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 483 0349.

Pivovara Medvedgrad

Price: Cheap
Cuisine: Croatian

This popular beer hall is known for its hearty dishes and its own-brand brews served at heavy wooden tables. It was Zagreb’s first microbrewery when it opened in 1994, and it still serves up generous portions of Croatian staples such as sausages, beans and roasted veal. The beers are top quality, brewed traditionally and without preservatives. The garden is a lively spot in the summer, when street musicians serenade diners. You’ll find other branches around the city.

Address: Ilica 49, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 4849 922.

Restoran Nokturno

Price: Cheap
Cuisine: Croatian, Italian

One of Zagreb’s most affordable restaurants is tucked away in a busy little pedestrianised side street near Dolac Market. The pizzas are especially good, but there’s also an excellent selection of risottos, pastas, salads and steaks – all combining Croatian and Italian flavours. In the summer, tables are set out on a covered platform that follows the upward slope of the narrow street. It’s not haute cuisine, but it’s great value.

Address: Skalinska 4, Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone: +385 1 481 3394.
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