Zagreb Food Guide: 15 Popular Restaurants and Bars

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was co-written by Ana Cerovski of KitchenToast. Any restaurants recommended by Ana are labeled “(Ana)”.

Zagreb is the capital city of Croatia and a place with an intertwined history, culture, and gastronomy. It’s a place to explore and enjoy, so any tips and tricks to help appreciate it like a local are always welcome.

This Zagreb food guide was originally written by our friend Ana, a local who recommended her favorite “street food” restaurants and bars to us. It isn’t street food in the way you’d expect from cities like Bangkok or Mexico City.

Instead, in Ana’s words, they’re establishments that utilize the trendy street food concept – offering delicious food that’s easy to eat with your hands, making them the ideal partners for exploring the city or simply finding a nice, relaxing place to sit and soak up the sun.

We’ve since eaten our way through Zagreb ourselves and added our own personal recommendations to Ana’s list. Not all serve “street food”, but they do offer terrific dishes that will make your trip to Zagreb even more enjoyable.

RESTAURANTS & BARS TO VISIT IN ZAGREB

1. Otto & Frank

We loved this restaurant. Located in the heart of the city center, Otto & Frank serves breakfast, burgers, and an attractive selection of meat and seafood dishes like grilled chicken fillets, sirloin steaks, and ground pork and beef meatballs. Nothing fancy – just nourishing, hearty food prepared well and presented thoughtfully.

Pictured below is their perfectly grilled salmon. It’s served with a bulgur, spinach, and baked beetroot salad, along with a side of sour cream and dill. Delicious!

If you prefer meat to fish, then you may want to go for this equally tasty pork belly instead. Fatty and tender with a crackingly crisp shard of skin, it’s served with a creamy parsnip puree, grilled broccoli, and pickled onions.

We weren’t in Zagreb for very long, just a few days, but we would have loved to eat at Otto & Frank again. Sometimes, you just want simple, comforting food done well, and that’s exactly what you can expect from this restaurant. Their burgers look delicious as well.

Otto & Frank

Location: Ul. Ivana Tkalčića 20, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 8AM-11PM, Mon-Sat / 9AM-5PM, Sun

2. Batak Grill

We normally shy away from restaurant chains when we travel, but Batak Grill is a notable exception. It’s a chain of popular (and consistently highly rated) Croatian restaurants in Zagreb known for serving grilled meat dishes like cevapi (Balkan sausages), pork chops, steaks, burgers, and more.

Mrs Traveleater wasn’t too hungry today, so she said no to the steak and ordered this healthier grilled chicken salad instead. It’s made with lettuce, arugula, zucchini, dried tomatoes, bacon, croutons, and feta cheese.

Batak Grill’s menu is heavily focused on red meat and pork, but they also offer a few chicken and fish dishes, like this grilled salmon served with chard and potatoes. Fish options are limited, but they do offer salmon tartare and salmon salad as well.

Check their Google reviews, and it’s clear the people who run this restaurant chain know what they’re doing. They have over a dozen branches throughout Zagreb, and all of them, even with thousands of reviews, maintain an average rating of at least 4.6. We went to the outlet on Tkalčićeva Street, but I don’t think you can go wrong at any Batak Grill branch.

I forgot to take a picture inside, but all Batak Grill restaurants – based on their website and pictures on Google Maps – have stylish, well-designed interiors. It’s a great place to enjoy cevapi and other meat dishes in Zagreb.

Batak Grill

Location: Multiple branches
Operating Hours: Varies per branch

3. Heritage (Ana)

When we mention the word charming, this place immediately comes to mind. Heritage combines two ideas – the traditional flavors of Croatia and the popular street food concept. With its recognizable blue sign with red letters, Heritage is a small spot with a beautiful interior. It offers traditional products, so you can always buy small dishes with unique flavors and take them home with you.

Besides flavors-to-go, the restaurant offers Crobites. These are small, but creatively made bites from different regions of Croatia. From Slavonia and Međimurje to Istria and Dalmatia, the restaurant has it all – truffles, prosciutto, fish, cheeses, olive oil, local wines, brandies, craft beers, and more. Every dish presents a small, delicious, and unique taste of traditional Croatian cuisine.

Heritage

Location: Petrinjska ul. 14, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 11AM-4PM, Mon-Fri / 12:15-8PM, Sat-Sun

4. La Štruk (Ana)

If you’re looking for an authentic Croatian food experience with amazing gastronomy and a unique atmosphere, make sure to visit La Štruk! It’s set in an old backyard surrounded by stone, and with charming details and colorful chairs. The restaurant offers romantic summer vibes, which contribute to that authentic experience you’re looking for!

La Štruk is not only unique because of its setting and design, but it also stands out because of its menu. It offers only one dish prepared in a variety of ways – štrukli! Štrukli is a Croatian traditional dish that can be cooked or baked with cheese, nuts, apples, blueberries, truffles, and more. We locals know and agree – this place is a must-visit and a must-try!

La Štruk

Location: Skalinska ul. 5, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 11AM-10PM, daily

5. Konoba Didov San

If you’re an adventurous eater, then this restaurant is for you. Located near St. Mark’s Church, Konoba Didov San is a traditional Croatian restaurant that specializes in Dalmatian food. They offer a wide mix of meat and seafood options on their menu, but what caught our eye were the less common dishes, like this one. Can you guess what it is?

What you’re looking at here is a plate of grilled frogs with baked potatoes. Based on what I read, the owner of this restaurant is from Neretva Valley in Southern Dalmatia, where frogs are a traditional and highly-regarded delicacy.

You can’t really see it in this picture, but the frogs are grilled with bits of Dalmatian prosciutto, for added flavor. They’re delicious and one of the most interesting things we ate in over two months in Croatia.

Another specialty of Neretva Valley? Eels. They can be spit-roasted, fried, grilled, or served in stews.

At Konoba Didov San, they serve their eels grilled with a side of boiled potatoes and chard. You can also get them in a spicy stew with frogs, served with polenta.

Konoba Didov San is within walking distance of Zagreb’s main square, but far enough away to feel like an escape from the crowds.

Konoba Didov San

Location: Mletačka ul. 11, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 11:30AM-11:30PM, daily

6. Nokturno

Nokturno isn’t for the indecisive. I scanned their menu, and I counted almost 150 dishes to confuse the most fickle-minded eaters. They serve everything from pizza, pasta, and risotto to dozens of meat, fish, poultry, and pork dishes. They even serve Asian food!

Like chains, I tend to shy away from restaurants with an identity crisis, but two things about Nokturno convinced me to go. One, they have an average Google rating of 4.4 with almost 12,000 reviews. And two, buried in their bible-like menu was a protein category I hadn’t seen at all until we got to Zagreb – turkey.

Apparently, turkey is a specialty in parts of inland Croatia, particularly around Zagreb and the Zagorje region, so I enjoyed this grilled turkey with a side of grilled vegetables. Simple, but healthy and satisfying.

Smack dab in one of the most touristy parts of town, you’d think a place like Nokturno would have terrible reviews, but they don’t. With such a large menu, it may be hit or miss, so I’d personally stick to simpler local fare like the cevapi or grilled meat/poultry dishes.

Nokturno

Location: Skalinska ul. 4, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 9AM-12MN, daily

7. Izakaya

Zagreb doesn’t have many tourist attractions. Most are situated in and around the Old Town, so it makes sense that almost all the restaurants in this food guide are located within the central part of Zagreb, all but this one.

We were celebrating a special occasion today, so we ventured away from the city center to dine at Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant and Bib Gourmand awardee. At the time of this writing, it’s one of just six restaurants in Zagreb with a Michelin distinction.

Izakaya is an excellent Japanese restaurant specializing in sushi and sashimi. They offer other Japanese dishes as well, like gyoza, ramen, and tempura, but the vast majority of their menu consists of raw fish and specialty sushi rolls.

To start, we had a platter of the freshest bluefin akami sashimi. They offer bluefin otoro (fatty tuna) as well.

Izakaya has over two dozen sushi rolls on its menu. Pictured on the left below is the Izakaya Dragon Roll (salmon, prawn, unagi, tobiko, avocado), while on its right is the age lobster roll (lobster in panko, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce). Both were delicious.

Aside from sushi and sashimi, Izakaya offers a few donburi and poke bowls as well. What you’re looking at here is the sake donburi. It consists of salmon tataki (seared) served over sushi rice with kimchi, wakame, edamame hummus, mango, and pickled ginger.

Mrs Traveleater avoids carbs as much as she can, so she went with this lobster salad instead. It’s made with lobster meat tossed with pak choi, cucumber, tobiko, and avocado in a deliciously nutty sesame dressing.

Compared to the other restaurants on this list, Izakaya takes a little more effort to get to, but it’s absolutely worth it. Considering the quality, we didn’t find it to be that expensive either.

Izakaya

Location: Selska cesta 90b, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 12NN-11PM, Mon-Thurs / 12NN-12MN, Fri-Sat (closed Sundays)

8. Ginger Sushi (Ana)

The idea of this restaurant is quite simple – to offer top-quality sushi. With its colorful design, interesting details, and simple cuisine that emphasizes rich flavors and aromas, this restaurant has become a favorite sushi spot for both locals and tourists alike. It has an ideal location in the center of Zagreb, so every tourist and visitor can enjoy it before, during, or after sightseeing.

Ginger Sushi offers amazing dishes with rich flavors and aromas. They have a great selection of sushi made with high-quality ingredients at affordable prices. All the dishes are carefully prepared, so they bring a true touch of Japanese traditional recipes into the center of Zagreb.

Ginger Sushi

Location: Masarykova ul. 21, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 11AM-10PM, Mon-Thurs / 11AM-11PM, Fri-Sat / 1-9PM, Sun

9. Barbeerian (Ana)

Barbeerian (formerly The Craft Room) is located inside a charming yellow house. It has a beautiful terrace, while on the inside, there are green walls in combination with natural wood.

This place is imagined as a classic bar and pub with an excellent selection of food and drinks. It’s located in the center of Zagreb, so you can enjoy the city’s beautiful architecture and charming streets, and after that, relax on the restaurant’s terrace.

The chefs of this restaurant prepare amazing burgers in combination with beer, and yes, they are really proud of their selection of beers. They offer 12 craft beers and over 100 local and international beers!

Barbeerian is an ideal place to relax after a day of sightseeing or just catching up with some old friends over a tasty, juicy burger and a refreshing glass of beer.

Barbeerian

Location: Opatovina 35, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 4PM-12MN, Tue-Thurs / 4PM-1AM, Fri-Sat (closed Sun-Mon)

10. Ožujsko Pub Tkalča (Ana)

If you’re looking for a nice sunny terrace along Zagreb’s most photogenic street – Ožujsko Pub Tkalča is your place. Aside from the terrace, the pub is placed inside an old house, and its interior looks quite beautiful due to the stone walls and bright yellow chairs and tables. This street food pub combines old Zagreb’s spirit with vintage style, and thanks to that, it’s a perfect match for all visitors and tourists.

When it comes to its menu, well, let us just tell you – it is amazing! The pub’s specialties are ribs, T-bone, ramstek, Zagreb’s burger, and beefsteak with various side dishes, salads, and drinks. Of course, there is a nice selection of different burgers, beer snacks, seafood, and more.

Ožujsko Pub Tkalča is an excellent example of a pub offering a combination of different cuisines, recipes, and dishes that will have your mouth watering in just a few seconds!

Ožujsko Pub Tkalča

Location: Ul. Ivana Tkalčića 16, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 9AM-12MN, daily

11. Brewbites (Ana)

Brewbites is a true American restaurant and sports bar. It has unique decoration – simple, yet with interesting design lines and details. The Brewbites restaurant is a place where locals like to go to relax and watch sports matches. Because of that, you’ll find TV screens all over the place, so you don’t miss out on any match balls or points!

When it comes to its food, the restaurant offers burgers, ribs, bar snacks, salads, wraps, pancakes, and desserts. Of course, it also has a wide selection of refreshing local and international beers. The Brewbites American restaurant and sports bar is a favorite spot to be, and aside from its cool design and pleasant atmosphere, it offers amazing food and flavors!

Brewbites

Location: Gajeva ul. 10, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 10AM-12MN, Mon-Thurs / 10AM-1AM, Fri-Sat / 11AM-12MN, Sun

12. SOI Fusion Bar (Ana)

Decorated with a combination of vintage and industrial vibes, SOI Fusion Bar is quite an interesting place to eat and hang out with your friends, or just relax after a long day of sightseeing. The restaurant is located in a little alley with graffiti and a couple of tables in front. On the inside, the brick dominates the space with simple brown and black details.

SOI Fusion Bar offers delicious Asian recipes and dishes. The chefs prepare a variety of starters, main dishes, and sweets, which brings a bit of Asian spirit into the old town of Zagreb. The restaurant prepares classic Asian street food rich in flavors and aromas with a small selection of local craft drinks.

SOI Fusion Bar

Location: Ilica 50, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 12NN-11PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)

13. Wok n’ Walk (Ana)

The simple interior of Wok n’ Walk presents a nice contrast to all the rich dishes and flavors that await you there. The place is a classic Chinese restaurant focused on preparing Chinese recipes and dishes. The restaurant offers a wok for the walk, or you can sit and enjoy all the flavors. Wok n’ Walk has a pleasant atmosphere for enjoying a bit of Chinese cuisine.

The menu has a wide selection of classic dishes divided into hot appetizers, soups, dishes with noodles, dishes with different proteins, desserts, various specialties, and the chef’s recommendations. Of course, the dishes can be served in small or large portions. Wok n’ Walk is a great place for a taste of Chinese cuisine!

Wok n’ Walk

Location: Ilica 60, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 11AM-9PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)

14. Taquitos Bandidos (Ana)

This street food restaurant is exactly what it sounds like – a classic Mexican cantina with a picturesque interior and design that will transport you to Mexico in the middle of the desert. But, unlike the movies, this time, you’ll be transformed with amazing food and nice, cold drinks!

The flavors you can taste at Taquitos Bandidos are classic Mexican aromas – from chilli con carne and taquitos to quesadillas, wraps, nachos, and salads in combination with Jarritos (Mexican soda) or beer. The flavors may be classic, but the chefs at Taquitos Bandidos know how to bring that special twist to meet all your expectations and more.

Taquitos Bandidos

Location: Ul. Pavla Radića 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 11:30AM-11PM, Mon-Thurs / 11:30AM-12MN, Fri-Sat (closed Sundays)

15. L’oro di Napoli

Last but not least – pizza. Because no human should ever go too long without enjoying this iconic Italian classic.

Being so close to Italy, we found the pizzas in Croatia to be quite good, with L’oro di Napoli arguably being the best. Based on what I’ve read, it’s Italian-owned, which explains why its Neapolitan pizzas are so perfectly imperfect and delicious.

Nothing like classic margherita and marinara pizzas to satisfy our cravings.

Craving authentic pizza in Zagreb? L’oro di Napoli, along vibrant Tkalčićeva Street, has you covered.

L’oro di Napoli

Location: Ul. Ivana Tkalčića 24, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Operating Hours: 10:30AM-10PM, daily

ZAGREB LOCATION MAP

To help you navigate, I’ve pinned all the Zagreb restaurants recommended in this guide on this map. Click on the link to enlarge.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE FOOD IN ZAGREB

From classic burgers to the cuisines of the world, Zagreb truly has it all. You can enjoy American classic dishes or sing a mariachi song while enjoying Mexican food. You can taste Croatian traditional bites as well as indulge in Chinese or Japanese cuisines. The decision is yours.

Enjoy exploring the city, its amazing architecture, culture, and history, and then seduce your taste buds with amazing delicacies and specialties that await you at Zagreb’s every corner!

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