41 Best Restaurants in Zagreb and Environs, Croatia

Climb the stone stairs onto the spacious terrace or dine inside the softly lit 13th-century manor, one of the most impressive examples of feudal architecture in Croatia. Kastel's offerings reflect its geographic location, representing both the Adriatic Sea and the continental plains with delicious detail.

Nestled in a verdant dale in Tuškanac Park, a 15-minute walk from the center, in a low-rise building that might be mistaken for a ranch-style house, this prestigious fish restaurant specializes in creative Mediterranean fare. The dining room is light and airy, with candlelit tables, a wooden floor, potted plants, and colorful abstract art. There's also an adjoining wine bar. In warm weather outdoor seating is available on a spacious leafy terrace, and a playground just outside invites children to scamper about while parents rest on benches. Reservations are recommended.

A creation of the brilliant minds at Pod Zidom, this restaurant between the Zagreb Cathedral and Dolac Market is the city's first to serve only authentic Zagreb fare prepared in traditional ways (think pasta with cabbage, Zagreb-style meat cuts, and soups just like Croatian grandmas make them). The interior design is modern but also features old-school touches like classic masonry heater tiles. If you grab a seat on the outdoor terrace, you'll be treated to views of the Zagreb Cathedral. Some meals change seasonally, but you won't go wrong with whatever you order. 

Visiting this rustic tavern is like stepping into a friend's home, although your friend's home is unlikely to have a stuffed fawn and a pair of kuna, the former national currency's namesake, on the wall. Local farmers supply all produce used here, and the menu features typical Zagorje dishes such as purica s mlincima (turkey with savory pastries). As a side note, the use of the kuna (Croatia's currency before it switched to the euro in 2023) dates back from when the fur of this large, weasel-like creature was in fact a currency. 

Located in a 13th-century palace that is a protected cultural landmark, this café will make you feel as if you were sitting in an art gallery or perhaps the living room of a wealthy art-collecting uncle. Just up the hill (first right) from the Stone Gate, it is a perfect place to take a load off after the steep climb into Gornji Grad before heading on to seeing the parliament, Museum of Broken Relationships, and St. Mark's Church. If you're lucky, the weather will be fine and you'll find a seat on the charming outside terrace, perched atop the passage leading down to the Stone Gate.

A 30-minute ride southwest of Samobor's center, this family-run restaurant and winery sitting among the picturesque foothills of the Žumberak Mountains joined Croatia's list of Michelin-starred establishments in 2023. Under chef Bernardo Korak's expert leadership, the elegant modern restaurant offers the best of the surrounding Plešivica region's cuisine in multicourse fixed-price menus with dishes that mix tradition and creativity. The region is known as the Croatian Champagne: find out for yourself with a vineyard tour or wine tasting at Korak, or with a phenomenal picnic package for two that includes fresh-baked bread, a selection of cheeses and cured meats, fresh fruit, and Korak wine.

With its unadorned log walls, wood-beam ceilings, white-curtained windows, lively Croatian folk music playing, and an open kitchen with an open hearth, this is exactly what a restaurant in a great national park should be. Fill up on hearty lička juha (a creamy lamb soup with vegetables), followed by boiled or roasted lamb with vegetables, or suckling pig. Meat and poultry are the focus here, but the desserts are decadent, too: finish off your meal with an apple or plum strudel. The place is buzzing with tourists, but it's one of the only decent restaurants for miles around.

Wedged between the cathedral and the Dolac Market, this jazzy good-value bistro offers a creative take on classic Croatian dishes, making the most of the fresh ingredients at its doorstep. Keeping it close to traditional values, the emphasis is on meat and fish dishes but varies according to what is in season and available. Everything is house-made here, from the bread to pickled goods. Wash it down with a bottle from the impressive array of Croatian wines (from all four wine regions) available, including vintages from the bistro's own wine label. You can sleep on-site at the ultra-exclusive Pod Zidom Rooms minihotel, with four rooms (all of which include designer decor and views of the Zagreb Cathedral inner courtyard) above the restaurant.

White walls and light wooden furniture set off cool decor like big glass jars of flour in this small airy space on the north end of Dolac Market. With a name meaning "fat" (pork lard, specifically), this café-bakery serves up delicious freshly baked pastries such as salenjaci (a type of Croatian sweet croissant) using traditional Croatian baking ingredients with a modern twist, as well as some sweet and salty light brunch options and acclaimed Cogito-brand coffee. Single portions are small and made to mix and match, so come early for the best choices: the no-reservations policy means first come, first served and goods can sell out quickly. The café is the creation of pastry master Petra Jelenić, chef Tvrtko Šakota, and Cogito Coffee founder Matija Powlison Belković.

Founded in 1977 by the Vincek family, this sweets shop regularly draws crowds lining up out the door and down Ilica Street. Dozens of ice cream flavors and sundaes are available, along with delicious cakes and desserts to be savored at the limited indoor tables in the slightly dark interior or, more often (tables fill up), taken out. Including Vis à Vis by Vincek, a spin-off offering the same quality but fully gluten-free, Vincek has eight locations in and around Zagreb. Those outside the city are less crowded and offer better sit-down experiences.

Both locals and tourists flock to this elegant spot a few blocks southwest of the main square when they hanker for excellent traditional meaty fare such as veal and lamb, pork with plum sauce, or, for starters (or dessert), melt-in-your-mouth štrukli. Enjoy all this in a spacious shaded courtyard or inside under brick-vaulted ceilings with low lighting that create the impression of a wine cellar even though you're not in a cellar at all.

Just inside the luxurious Esplanade Hotel, once a stop on the Orient Express, lies one of Zagreb’s most elegant dining destinations, known for its formal yet comfortable atmosphere. Order from the tasting menu, where a sommelier selects wines to perfectly complement each dish, or experience the best of Croatian and international cuisine à la carte, with choices from Istrian truffle pasta to American-style steak. All menu items can be made to accommodate any dietary restrictions.  Reserve a table on the Oleander Terrace for stunning views of the park and city.

For a cake and coffee experience that the French namesake of this cute little café would be proud of, pop into Amélie just down the hill from the Zagreb Cathedral. The wooden tables and cozy white interior give the place a charming, even slightly rustic feel, and the surprisingly varied selection of delectable cakes and pies will release all your caloric inhibitions. This gem among Zagreb watering holes offers sweets you won't find anywhere else, including an abundance of ice cream options.

Founded by Ricardo Luque, singer in Zagreb-based Latin-jazz group Cubismo, this is a great spot to grab a bite of authentic Venezuelan street food—just choose among filling options for these cornmeal favorites, such as chicken, beef, pork, and cheese, and various sauces. Named after the founder's birthplace, Maracay, the restaurant is a six-minute walk southwest of the main square and features a small but cheerful interior with colorful tiles and murals.

A five-minute walk from the main square, this lively restaurant is tucked into a pretty courtyard that's almost always full as local pizza lovers flock in for quality Neapolitan pies. The interior is stylish modern rustic, with wooden elements and furniture. Basta also offers tasty non-pizza options such as Croatian cheeseboards, Neapolitan sandwiches, and salads.

Carnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians seeking tasty modern fare that draws from a range of cuisines will all find something to delight at this stylishly decorated restaurant in a peaceful courtyard tucked away from the buzzing city center. Enjoy eating outside during the summer, and remember to leave room for something from the small-but-very-sweet dessert menu. The wine list includes vintages from a number of regions in Croatia. 

Just down the street from the Hotel Dubrovnik, Boban serves food not only at its street-level bar and dining room but also in its restaurant in the large vaulted cellar space below. Specializing in pasta dishes, it is extremely popular with locals, so be prepared to line up for a table or call ahead for a reservation. The owner, Zvonimir Boban, was captain of the Croatian national football team during the 1998 World Cup.

Though it's conveniently nestled behind the Zagreb Cathedral, you'll still be able to smell the aromas of fresh-baked bread and warm pastries at this bakery from down the street. Pop in to see what's on the menu for the day, and then grab a seat on the outdoor terrace—there are heaters during the winter—and people-watch.

A two-minute walk north of St. Mark's Church, you'll find a fairly rare sight: a rustic konoba in Zagreb. Didov San (meaning Grandpa's Dream) offers fare usually more typical of the coast, such as grilled squid and pašticada, a Dalmatian beef stew. Outdoor seating is available, service is friendly, and meat and seafood lovers alike are sure to find something on the extensive menu to suit their tastes.  

Under the expert guidance of chef Mario Mihelj, El Toro serves up delicious Latin American and Asian fusion fare. Choices from a variety of steak and roasted meats to seafood and veggie dishes are served in the restaurant's romantically low-lit interior, which blends matte black decor with wooden elements. The restaurant is a bit outside the city center, about a 20-minute walk from the main square.

At one of the city's few fast-food places, you can select from a range of decent salads and bowls, prepared right in front of you, as well as other light refreshing fare such as ciabatta sandwiches and vegetarian tortillas. Of course, this minichain (three locations in Zagreb) also serves the standbys of burgers and fries, in case you're hungering for more carbs and protein. Try one of their in-house jarred desserts, such as cheesecake.

Delicious fusion street food that draws on Asian and South American influences is the name of Kai's game. With a quaint but well-decorated interior space and a menu that is short and sweet, featuring five or six dishes at any given time, this is an intimate spot to enjoy creative takes on buns, noodles, sandwiches, and more.

Located in the heart of Međimurje County, in picturesque Lopatinec, 6 km (4 miles) from Čakovec, Međimurski dvori has been known across the region for top gastronomic offerings and friendly professional staff for years. In 2022 the owners swapped out their restaurant for a catering company, but each Sunday, they host a cheerful open-to-the-public Međimurje Meal (Međimurski Obed), a buffet-style lunch with long community tables, available by advance reservation. The menu includes delicacies like roast turkey and pork, homemade pasta, and regional desserts. Otherwise, the company offers first-class traditional cuisine for private groups (including tourists; eight people minimum) on their bucolic "Fairy-Tale Forest" estate. 

The masters behind the delicious dishes at Namaste are a group of chefs hailing from various regions of India. Their love for the food is reflected in an extensive varied menu with masala dosas and other vegan options, as well as meaty choices such as duck vindaloo. Several desserts are not to be missed, if you still have space after the hearty portions offered.

This restaurant with a rustic-style interior and a terrace is the love child of married dynamic duo Ana, from Slavonia, and Pasquale, from Italy. They use fresh ingredients from Italy and Croatia to make amazing pizza doughs and exciting topping combinations. This pizzeria is tucked away above the city hubbub, in the foothills of Mt. Medvednica.

If you are looking for a quick and inexpensive lunch on the go, consider Pingvin, the city's first sandwich bar and extra popular as a post-party late-night snack joint. This stand, just a few minutes' walk from Trg Bana Jelačića, offers simple fare like grilled chicken sandwiches.

Best known for excellent beers brewed on the premises, all three of the Pivnica Medvedgrad locations serve up roast meats, goulash, and beans and sausage, accompanied by a range of salads. The Ilica location and its cavernous beer hall—replete with long wooden tables, high leather-backed chairs, and wood-beamed ceilings—is about a 10-minute walk west from the main square. It’s very popular and gets busy, but there are usually enough tables to go around. Little Medo, on Tkalčićeva, has a smaller interior but a vast patio that expands across the street. Don't miss out on the craft beers on the menu—a classic is Grička Vještica, named for the legendary Zagreb Witch of Grič. Live music nights and events happen here often.

Small yet ever so cozy, its walls decorated with old clocks and paintings by noted Croatian artists, this lovely old villa a few minutes' walk from the main square is the best place in town to try the area's meaty fare. A wider selection of sausages may be available late in the year, after kolinje (the annual sausage-making period, usually in November), when the hogs are butchered and the sausages are smoked. Round off with a glass of bermet, served with lemon and ice.

A five-minute walk from the center of town, Angelus is best known for decent pizza but has a huge menu with plenty of pastas and other meatier fare, not to mention a half-dozen creative salads and lots of beer.

Guests looking to unplug in a rural setting away from city life can head 15 minutes northwest of Kumrovec or eight minutes southwest of Veliki Tabor to Sumak, where the loudest noises aren't caused by freeways or crowds of people - but by frogs. This serene restaurant-slash-mini-villa sits in a traditional house with dark wooden shutters and elements surrounded by well-landscaped gardens, including a fish pond covered by a small bridge, among which classic lunch, dinner, coffee, and drinks are served. The owners will happily point visitors to local attractions, depending on their interests.