Marija:
In the last year, the Zagreb bistro and small restaurant scene has been blooming. You will find many interesting places around the town, and you almost can't miss with any of them. But, my recommendation would be the newly opened Beštija (24), which features Croatian cuisine with a creative twist, for a very affordable price. Boban restaurant (14) is a higher-quality Italian restaurant, which offers great homemade pasta and creamy risottos.
If you're feeling hungry for pizza, I always recommend Karijola. It has two locations (1 and 2) and it's the perfect thin-crust pizza, the dough is almost crunchy after being baked in their wood fire oven :-). Try the one with baked garlic!
For the burger-lovers, the best burger join in town is Submarine Burgers, two of their locations being in the centre, one practically next to you (4 and 5). Juicy burgers made or organic ingredients, and don’t forget the fries – try the ones with the truffle dressing!
Croatians are always eating something on the go, on the street – so if you want to blend in, grab a sandwich in the oldest and most famous sandwich kiosque in Zagreb – Pingvin (7). 'Toplo-hladno' or 'biftek ficleki' are my recommendations. Healthier and vegetarian/vegan friendly options can be found in Green Point (8) and Juice Box (10).
Vegans and vegetarians, and healthy food seekers, will be well-fed in the Zrno bio bistro (30), which offers 100% organic vegan ingredients, grown on their own fields.
For the sushi-lovers, I recommend Ginger Sushi (26) – it’s fresh, tasty and inexpensive. I also love Umami (27), an Asian-fusion restaurant. Near the place where I live, a Chinese family opened a teahouse - Jing Yuan Teahouse (28) which is worth visiting. They have great dumplings! :-)
Ana:
First of all, the best burger is in Burgeraj (6), don’t listen to Marija. Yes, they are a bit smaller for their price, but they are just so full of flavour… Mmm… Try the onion jam one, or, if you like spicy food, the one with peppers! The place is decorated in a quirky manner, I love it!
My choice for pizza is Gourmetbar Basta (3), a true Neapolitan pizza, and they offer tasty salads as well. I enjoy the ambiance there.I don’t mind Ginger sushi, but it’s a bit boring for me. Try Evergreen Sushi and Salad Bar instead ;-) (29).
Out of the many bistros and hip restaurants, I would choose Pod zidom bistro and wine bar (23) – great food made of fresh ingredients from the Dolac market nearby. You really get value for money here, and I love the elegant interior and the romantic atmosphere – I would recommend it for dinner. Bagel and Lobster Barr (11) tells you what it is through its name, and they have bagels and lobsters available from breakfast until dinnertime. :-) Bistro Fotić (18), inspired by photography, always has good daily offers, and they have breakfast menu as well, in a space that combines shabby chic and art.
In the fine-dining section, visit Apetit Restaurant & Bar (12), they describe themselves as “Middle-European flavours and a touch of the Mediterranean”. I would also recommend Mali Bar (22), a small restaurant opened by the famous Croatian chef Ana Ugarković. There’s always something new and quite special on the menu, and the feeling of the place is quite domestic, not stiff or stuck up.
Marija and Zdravko:
There’s a special dish specific for this part of Croatia – it’s called štrukli, and it is a type of a filled pastry made of dough and fresh cottage cheese. You can eat it in many different ways or occasions – we like them sweet, as desert, but many people have them savoury, baked in the oven, dipped in cream, and some even pot it in soups! So, whether you’ll have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or desert, eat it sweet or savory, you can’t leave Zagreb without trying štrukli! There are two places we can recommend, one is newer and more “hip” – called simply La štruk (21). They have a vast variety of štrukli, with different toppings and additions. For old-school štrukli, we suggest Le bistro Esplanade (13) – the beautiful restaurant of the Esplanade Hotel (it’s a great place to have a fancy lunch/dinner as well, and this hotel is the most beautiful and elegant one in Zagreb!).
When we go out for a Sunday lunch, as a family, and we want to be sure we’ll get good food and a quality service, there are two places we choose. Restaurant Vinodol (15) is the more popular one among tourists, they serve traditional continental and Mediterranean cuisine and everything we tried so far was great. A good selection of Croatian wines will make your lunch or dinner even better. Try the veal, baked “under the bell”! Another restaurant serving traditional Croatian, continental food, is Kaptolska klet (16), situated on a great location exactly opposite of the Zagreb Cathedral. The famous Croatian chef Tomislav Špiček designed a menu which is traditional, but never boring!
For a taste of something completely different, go to Didov san – Grandpa’s dream (17). It’s a cozy restaurant that offers food from the Croatian region of Dalmatinska Zagora (Dalmatian Hinterland), and we’re sure that you will try some specialities there that you have never tried before, from special sausages and cheeses up to lamb, frogs and even eels!
And now a tip for the fish-lovers! If you don’t feel like giving crazy amounts of money for your meal, and fish is fairly expensive in Croatia, visit Ribice i tri točkice (25)! They only serve fresh fish, from our side of the Adriatic sea, and it’s always so good and tasty. We suggest trying grdobina with blitva (moonfish with swiss chard)! :-)
P.s. a recommendation for desert – go to Na cesti b 041 (18) – amaaaazing ice cream! Pistachio is top!