Urban Flavor Trail

Zagreb’s Ultimate Saturday Food Crawl You Can’t Miss

 Neja Markičević; Provided photo Ficlek; Vedran Peteh and Biljana Blivajs/Cropix
From market shopping to cozy brunches and standout lunches, discover where locals really eat and drink in Zagreb’s center.

Put on a thick jacket, pull a hat over your head, and spend Saturday in the city center. We‘re bringing you a small guide that will come in handy after you visit the most popular Zagreb market and start craving a cup of hot coffee, tea, breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Check out our recommendations below.

STEP ONE: VISIT THE DOLAC MARKET

When you find yourself in the city center, a visit to the Dolac market is a must. Stop by the lower part of the market where you’ll find ladies selling fresh cheese, eggs, some of the best pumpkin strudels in the city, buy some meat or fresh vegetables, and then head to the upper part, where you’ll find the fish market and stalls full of fresh autumn vegetables. Markets are beautiful at this time of year, and it would be a shame not to pick up some mushrooms, quinces, lemons and oranges, pumpkin, chestnuts, and pomegranates.

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Private archive
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Private archive

STEP TWO: COFFEE, TEA AND OTHER HOT DRINKS

After your shopping, it‘s time for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or a fresh juice if that‘s what you want. Near Dolac market, you can stop for a hot drink at Broom 44, Filteraj, and there‘s also Salo where, along with coffee and tea, you can order their creamy nettle drink inspired by matcha. We tried it and really liked the idea as well as the execution.

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Berislava Picek/Cropix
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Berislava Picek/Cropix
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At the Filteraj café in Zagreb, vegans can also enjoy coffee and other drinks, and you can buy fresh nut-based drinks to take home

Filteraj/Provided photo

You can also get excellent coffee near the market at Express Bar, which also offers the best hot chocolate in the city, so definitely consider that. Recently, we also had a really nice, creamy matcha there, and they also offer their homemade iced tea, which we also highly recommend.

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The hot chocolate at Express Bar is the best you can taste in Zagreb

Marko Miscevic/Cropix

If you want to check out what the newly opened Marelica Art Latte on Petrinjska street looks like and offers, maybe this weekend is the right time for that. Here, you can also stop for a cup of hot tea or another drink that warms you inside and out.

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Biljana Blivajs/Cropix

An interesting option is also Program Bar or Mr. Fogg on Martićeva, and there‘s also bistro Fetish where, along with a hot drink, you can enjoy gluten-free snacks.

STEP THREE: BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH

At the previously mentioned Broom 44 and Salo, along with a hot drink, you can also always enjoy breakfast if you manage to find a spot, as it gets quite crowded here on weekends and seats are in high demand. However, a good option can always be a light walk to Cato Taqueria on Vlaška street, where they have recently introduced a completely different brunch, which sounds so good we can‘t wait to try it, and nearby is also Eggspress, for those craving a good breakfast where eggs are the star.

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Provided photo
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Provided photo

If you’re in a hurry and want to have breakfast or brunch on the go, a good option might be the newly opened Brooklyn Bagels Co. at 12 Vlaška, where you can grab a tasty sandwich.

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Neja Markicevic/Cropix

Another always reliable option is Melt at the start of Radićeva street, and if you also want to pick up some bread and a nice pastry to take home, there are bakeries Kukuriku on Mesnička street, Bread Club on Vlaška street, and Korica on Martićeva street.

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Berislava Picek/Cropix

STEP FOUR: LUNCH

For lunch, you can stop by SOL tapas na hrvatski, located right on Ban Josip Jelačić Square or, if you’re looking for something more relaxed, just a few steps away at KAI Street Food, where you’ll probably eat one of the best sandwiches in town, their chicken sando.

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Facebook @soltapasnahrvatski
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Private archive

A good, more relaxed option for a homemade lunch is the tavern Ficlek on Pod zidom street and the tavern Purger on Petrinjska street, while for a slightly more complex lunch you can stop right next door to Ficlek, at the bistro Pod Zidom. You can enjoy a pleasant atmosphere and good food at Vinodol, as well as at Carpaccio on Teslina street. On the same stretch is Sopal, where we recently had a fantastic lunch.

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Private archive

If you’re in the mood for ramen, there’s Torikaya Ramen Bar at the start of Petrinjska, and next to it is RougeMarin City, where we recently ate some of the better and more affordable dishes in town. For a good burger, stop by We are 50 (they also offer some Asian specialties) on European Square, and if you’re a bigger fan of smash burgers, a great option is always Burgeraj on Vlaška. For a slightly different fish fast food, visit Fish House, located at 19 Masarykova street.

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Biljana Blivajs/Cropix

If you want something special and innovative, consider reserving a table at Mali bar on Vlaška street, where we’re never disappointed, and if you’re especially interested in Asian cuisine but don’t want strictly sushi or gyoza, you’ll find a wide and slightly different range of dishes at Kiyomi at 10 Gajeva street.

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Darko Kontin
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Darko Kontin

If, above all, you’re craving pizza, maybe a good idea is Duksa at the end of Tkalčićeva street, Karijola in the same courtyard as Mali bar, or pizzeria Park on Martićeva street, and if you’re really in the mood for delicious, hot štrukli, remember La Štruk. Just be careful, it’s especially crowded here on weekends.

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Private archive

SOMETHING SWEET TO END

A must-stop whenever we find ourselves in the city center is always Cooksić on Gajeva street and their irresistibly good cookies, and when it comes to sweets in the center, we also like to treat ourselves to Crna ovca ice cream on Martićeva street. Occasionally we like to drop by Amelie, where we always choose the Josephine cake with hazelnuts, coffee, and mascarpone cheese.

22. kolovoz 2025 22:37