Zagreb • Food & Drink

Food Guide to Zagreb: What to Eat & Drink

A Zagreb food guide focused on what to actually try: local dishes, market bites, café culture, and how to build a delicious day.

Updated Dec 31, 202513 min readBrowse all guides

Photo by Domina Petric on Unsplash.

Start with the market

If you want to understand Zagreb quickly, go to Dolac Market. Even if you don’t buy much, you’ll feel the city’s everyday rhythm — and you’ll find easy snack inspiration.

If you love markets, add one neighborhood market to your trip. You’ll see a different, more everyday version of the city — and the food shopping feels less like sightseeing and more like real life.

What to try (Zagreb classics)

  • Štrukli: baked or boiled, savory or sweet — a comfort-food icon around Zagreb and the region.
  • Zagrebački odrezak: a Zagreb-style schnitzel that’s hearty and satisfying.
  • Market snacks: simple produce, pastries, and whatever looks best that morning.
  • Coffee culture: less “grab and go,” more “sit and stay.”

What to eat (more specific, still practical)

Think of Zagreb food as “warm and Central-European-leaning” — the kind of meals you want after a walk. Here are a few more concrete targets that show up across the city.

  • Štrukli (again): if you only try one local comfort dish, make it this one.
  • Burek and savory pastries: best as a fast lunch before a museum or walking loop.
  • Kremšnita (cream cake): a classic treat — especially if you do a Samobor day trip.
  • Seasonal market fruit: buy what looks perfect and eat it immediately (it’s the most Zagreb snack possible).
  • Local beer night: Zagreb has an easy craft-beer culture if you want a relaxed evening.

A delicious day in Zagreb (template)

  1. Morning: Dolac + pastry + coffee.
  2. Lunch: something classic and local (hearty, warm).
  3. Afternoon: café stop + dessert.
  4. Evening: dinner + a good glass of wine + a walk.

Further reading

Keep exploring Zagreb

Use the guide list to build a trip that fits your pace — a few anchors, plenty of wandering, and at least one night walk.

Love Zagreb is an independent guide. For official updates, visit Zagreb Tourist Board and the linked official sources above.