Being a barista is a demanding job. One is required to be fast and precise, to smile and concentrate, to constantly communicate with guests, to prepare various drinks, and to maintain the cleanliness of the bar. All of this must function in a rhythm that lasts for hours, without a long break and without losing focus. The hardest part is maintaining consistency, so that every coffee, from the first in the morning to the last in the afternoon, looks and tastes the same. This is exactly where the best Zagreb baristas succeed, and that’s why it’s always a pleasure to sit for coffee at their place.
Specialty coffee in Croatia started with Nik Oroši and the baristas who learned from him. Since then, many names have stood out in Zagreb, and after the pandemic, the scene has grown even stronger. Today, the city has female and male baristas who stand shoulder to shoulder with their colleagues from the strongest European coffee shops. This selection is based on years of our visits and experiences, and is a dedication to those who have remained, and remain, in our best memories.
Zoran Šudar
Zoran Šudar arrived at Express Bar in 2019 and experienced real growth there. Before that, he worked with coffee for several years, but at Express he showed his true strength. Zoran is a complete, crazy coffee enthusiast who experiments at home every day with different brewing methods. His coffees are impeccable, he is extremely fast and very tidy. In the morning, he serves more coffees from the bar than many in the city, all with incredible precision.
Additionally, Zoran is very likeable, kind, and warm-hearted. His bar during his shift is one of the cleanest in town, and because of him, we often drop by Express – as he is one of the rare baristas who can simultaneously make consistent milk coffee and hold a conversation. Also, Zoran currently makes the best hand-brewed filter coffee in the city, which is no small feat.
The Trio from Luta - Danijel and Matej Losić and Neven Kamenski
The three musketeers are the fastest on this list to master consistent milk coffee. Although they look relaxed and are total hipsters, they are completely obsessed with perfecting their craft. Danijel the most. Their personalities attract many guests who come precisely because of them, creating a large circle of regulars who have become addicted to their coffee.
Danijel, Matej, and Neven at Luta have been making some of the best coffees in town for more than three years. Danijel is the strictest and most precise, Matej is the gentlest but equally dedicated, while Neven is the most relaxed of the three. Still, it was Neven who recently made us one of the best coffees we‘ve ever tasted. Each of them, in their own way, contributes to the unique atmosphere of the café, while preparing fantastic coffees. Few in Croatia can boast the speed with which this trio learns and progresses. It is precisely these three, with their dedication, who push the city‘s specialty scene forward the most.
If you’re curious about anything coffee-related, it’s best to ask Danijel – of all the people on the list, he is the most knowledgeable about recent trends in the world of specialty coffee outside Croatia.
Ivan Leko
Ivan Leko is one of the first in Croatia to introduce specialty coffee to the public. He is the owner and founder of Express Bar on Petrinjska street. He is a total perfectionist and probably the strictest barista in the city. While many would send coffee out from the bar and move on, Leko does not let anything go that is not impeccable in appearance, aroma, and taste. He is obsessive about pairing coffee with milk, and every cup he makes is perfect for that reason.
Over the years, he has developed his style in collaboration with numerous European roasteries, and currently relies on Split‘s Kava Family. He is passionate about coffee, mixology, and gastronomy. His strictness with baristas pushes them to be the best in town, and if time allows, he is a very pleasant and curious conversationalist. He is extremely meticulous and detailed in every segment of his work.
Vedran Peurača
Vedran Peurača is the head barista and roaster at Broom44 on Dolac. Before that, he honed his craft at Zagreb’s Express Bar, and spent a year at Prolog in Copenhagen, one of the best European specialty coffee bars. His coffee preparation is extremely precise, and since 2023, he also roasts his own coffees used at Broom. The coffees from Broom are getting better and are increasingly recognized and used by numerous cafés.
Vedran’s skills and knowledge of coffee are highlighted by many industry experts, further cementing his reputation. Additionally, Vedran bravely and daily deals with the crowds that often form in front of Broom, which is one of the more popular places in Zagreb, and does so without any compromise on quality.
Kristina Kovačević
Kristina Kovačević is the key reason why guests enjoy coffee at Salo on Dolac. She has honed her craft for years at Cogito, joining a few years after its opening and quickly becoming one of the main stars of the café. When Salo opened, a project by Cogito owner Matija Belković and chef Tvrtko Šakota, she moved to their bar.
Although Salo is not exclusively a café, many guests come precisely for her coffee. Her coffees are consistent, the milk she makes is firm and visually appealing, and as a barista she is extremely fast, friendly, and reliable. Kristina is one of those baristas you can always count on for a perfect cup, and it’s hard to imagine the coffee segment in Salo without her contribution.
Karlo Purić
Karlo Purić is the owner and founder of Four Wheel Coffee, a roastery and café located at Kvatrić in Zagreb. He is a very consistent barista who is constantly exploring new ways of preparing coffee for his café. His milk coffees are among the most consistent and creamiest in town. In addition, he is skillful and fast behind the bar, as well as a waiter.
Purić personally selects coffees for the roastery, roasts, learns, and constantly improves. More and more often, he experiments with new coffee choices in the roastery, so it’s worth following his novelties. His coffees keep getting better, and as for filter preparation, he is among the most dedicated in Zagreb. With him, you can count on a smile, consistency, and always some new information from the world of coffee.
Dado Tudić
Dado Tudić worked in the coffee industry for many years before opening his own Monocycle Specialty Coffee on Mislavova street in 2019. He immediately started making some of the best coffees in town, which he still does today. Dado is a legend of the craft and a master of latte art, always surprising with milk drinks, and is also extremely good at preparing espresso. He traveled to countries where coffee originates, gathering knowledge and implementing it in his place.
It’s very pleasant to have a conversation with him, and he is one of the rare baristas who, in the colder months, serves batch brew daily at the bar. His leadership and passion for coffee are the reason why many regular guests gather throughout the year. Monocycle, because of him and his team, remains one of the better specialty cafés in Zagreb.
Sara Cehman
Sara Cehman was one of the first female baristas to grow alongside the specialty coffee scene in Croatia, following the development of Cogito from its beginnings. In fact, she has been honing her craft behind the machine for more than thirteen years. Today, she works at Monocycle and makes top-notch milk coffees with a very relaxed and pleasant approach to work.
Sara is a barista with a wide smile, fast, skilled, and effective in a crowd. She is always up for a conversation, whether the topic is coffee or something else entirely, so every visit becomes a pleasant experience for the guest.
Nik Oroši
Nik Oroši is a key figure in the development of specialty coffee in Croatia. He is the owner of Eliscaffe, the first and longest-running specialty coffee bar in Zagreb, which has been operating successfully for more than 20 years. The bar was recently renovated. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including multiple titles of the best Croatian barista.
Eliscaffe remains an essential place for top-quality coffee, and if he’s in the mood, Nik is also a great conversationalist. Despite all the successes and challenges, he still tirelessly works on continuously improving the quality of his coffee, which is why he rightfully holds his place among the most important figures of the Croatian specialty scene.
Ivan Tota
Ivan Tota is currently the head barista at Holographic Space in Trešnjevka and is certainly one of the fastest and most distinctive baristas in Zagreb. He is a multiple champion in latte art competitions, where he won first place last year. His technique of pairing coffee with milk is very precise and innovative, which further highlights every milk drink he prepares.
Tota is very passionate about coffee, and with his energetic approach and knowledge, he motivates and educates many young baristas in Zagreb – which is commendable.
Ana Graberski
Ana Graberski has been working at Express Bar since 2023. Before that, she had various jobs, including working in several cafés. Under the mentorship of Ivan Leko, who at first gives little room for baristas to work on the espresso machine, Ana soon began to consistently prepare fantastic coffees.
Besides that, she is a passionate lover of specialty coffee and, like a true fanatic, experiments at home with different brewing methods. She progresses incredibly quickly and perfects her craft. On top of all that, she is very likeable and fast, which makes her excellent in a crowd and always ready for conversation. While it takes many much longer to balance coffee and milk, Ana, through her work and dedication, is one of the rare ones who managed to achieve it in a short time.
Gordan Škunca
Gordan Škunca is one of the baristas at Cogito, but certainly one of the most skilled and greatest coffee enthusiasts among them. Every visit to Varšavska becomes better when we see him behind the bar, as he prepares an exceptionally high-quality espresso.
During a guest appearance at Urania Bar with Matija Belković, he demonstrated his ability to quickly adapt the bar to different types of coffee. Additionally, he learns very quickly about the coffee roasting process, further expanding his knowledge and skills – which means he will become even more skilled in the future.
This list represents only a thin layer of people who excel at their jobs in specialty cafés. There is a large group of very talented baristas who are almost on the same professional level as those on the list, as well as many who are already very good and could become excellent in the future.
We did not include everyone because, for some, we have not had the chance to taste their coffee in a long time, so we did not want to base the list on old experiences. Among such baristas are names like David Petar Balaban, Tobijas Kuleša, Lea Bartulović, Petar Spudić, Marin Strukar, Mihovil Horvat, and Vita Šola, as well as many others who contribute daily to the quality and development of coffee in Zagreb.
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