12 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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sitting five minutes south of the main square by foot, this airy modern restaurant sits prettily in the atrium of Zagreb's Youth Theater. Chef Filip Horvat, who trained in Michelin-starred establishments, serves up various European cuisines with healthy ingredients, from Mediterranean seafood dishes to Austrian meat plates to pastas, all with his own creative touches. 

Superb food and friendly professional staff are hallmarks of this quaint unpretentious restaurant. The menu changes frequently, depending on the seasons and what's fresh at the morning market, but you can expect a variety of Mediterranean main courses, as well as a selection of wines that includes all of Croatia's best varieties.