Anyone who has visited larger Danish cities, especially Copenhagen, has experienced the unique atmosphere of their specialty cafes. It‘s not just about places to drink coffee, but an extension of the living room. Their design is often defined by Scandinavian aesthetics: dominance of wood and other natural materials, plenty of daylight streaming through large windows, and minimalist yet comfortable furniture. Everything is aimed at creating a relaxed atmosphere that encourages socializing and interaction among guests, making these cafes the centers of modern social life.
Zagreb has gained a new place that brings a touch of that very Scandinavian specialty culture. At 2 Henrika Degena Street, right next to Ribnjak park, Workshop has opened—a project by architects Marta Kolar Senjanović and Luka Cindrić.
The concept of Zagreb‘s Workshop brings a refreshing change to the local hospitality scene. As Filip Senjanović, husband of co-owner Marta Kolar Senjanović and the café‘s head barista, explained to us, the idea behind Workshop wasn‘t to create an all-day café. Instead, coffee service hours are limited to the morning, from 8 am to 3 pm. Afternoons are reserved for more dynamic and creative content, and the space transforms into a venue for various workshops, lectures, panels...
Although the idea of afternoon workshops is great, we came to Workshop with one clear goal—to try the coffee. And luckily, the coffee is already at a high level. They use beans from the local Zagreb roastery Broom Roastery, and for espresso and milk-based drinks, they offer Brazil Fazendinha as the base coffee. It‘s a vibrant and chocolatey coffee, so drinkable it would delight even those who, for some reason, still resist specialty coffee. In addition, as standard, they offer a fruitier option prepared as V60 or batch brew, and during our visit, the batch brew turned out to be the best drink in the place. They still need to work a bit on their milk coffee.
The batch brew we tried at Workshop was extremely tasty, and they prepare it on the legendary Moccamaster machine, resulting in a balanced cup of coffee. We have to highlight this drink in particular, not only because it was excellent, but also because many local cafes still unjustifiably avoid it. Batch brew is a fantastic way for guests, especially tourists used to such offerings from European specialty cafes, to quickly and easily try top-quality filter coffee.
For cafes, the advantage is multiple: it ensures speed and consistency, since machines like the Moccamaster always deliver the same quality drink, reducing pressure on baristas during busy times. This frees up time for communication with guests and preparing more complex drinks. For the customer, it‘s an accessible and great first step into the world of specialty coffee—you get a complex and clean cup of coffee without waiting and at a lower price than hand-prepared filters.
But Workshop‘s offer doesn‘t stop at coffee. The drink menu is rounded out with homemade iced teas made from organic teas, natural juices, several craft beers and wines, and a few interesting cocktails. For the morning hours, there are also fresh croissants from Zagreb‘s artisan bakery Korica, which, however, usually sell out within the first hour of opening.
Although they have only recently opened, Workshop already feels surprisingly well-organized, and in the near future they are announcing the opening of a terrace in front of the café and the installation of a bench along the wall for extra space.
Therefore, Workshop is a great new spot in Zagreb that is definitely worth a visit. And while you may initially be drawn in by an interior you haven‘t had the chance to see in the capital before, what will keep you coming back is the friendly service and really, really good coffee.
We note that they have announced they are going on holiday until August 20, so if you‘re planning a visit, be sure to wait until then. Despite that, a warm recommendation for all lovers of good coffee and a pleasant atmosphere.
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