9 Best Restaurants in Zagreb, Zagreb and Environs

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. 

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.

Zagreb’s first Michelin-starred restaurant is completely deserving of that honor, serving up high-quality gastronomy with an extensive French, Italian, and Croatian wine list to match. And everything is offered in a charming location hidden among the narrow streets of the city center. The food is the star, of course, but a trip to Noel is an all-encompassing gastronomic experience that is the best of its type in the capital. Only a high-priced prix-fixe menu is offered, and it changes regularly, though often includes classics like a foie gras terrine or 

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.