“Food has power. It could inspire, astonish, shock, excite, delight, and impress. It had the power to please me.”
Anthony Bourdain
With all travel comes the opportunity to explore the culinary delights each destination has to offer. It is often the highlight of a trip. This, though, only happens if you leave your comfort zone and find a little bravery. To have an adventurous palate takes some guts, especially in certain cultures. It is about partaking in what is essential to the region you are visiting.
Many cultures and people speak through their food. It is a sense of pride and is often steeped in tradition. Food is intricately tied to a country’s history. If we listen, that food speaks to us, and we learn. As we travel, we are there not only to see the sights but, more importantly, to experience the culture and the people. Without a doubt, food plays a vital role in that connection. Without it, we miss a key element of who these people are, we miss part of their voice, their story, and their spirit. In many ways, Croatian cuisine embodied all of that, and it was something we had not anticipated.
In our trip planning, we had not heard much about Croatian food. We had incorrectly assumed it would be lots of meat and potatoes. It was not that we heard the food was terrible; we had not heard anything. In our ignorance, we did not research what to expect from the food. That was a mistake, as it exceeded our expectations.
There was a hint
There was a news story just before we left. Magic Johnson, the legendary basketball player, had just returned from Croatia. He was traveling on a yacht to various cities, a bit out of our league. Upon returning, he spoke of Croatian cuisine. “The food was fantastic, and the country was just beautiful.” He went on to share that it was some of the best meals he had ever had. I bet he has eaten at many notable places, given his wealth. This was intriguing, but it was dismissed as we assumed he was likely exaggerating. He wasn’t on any level; we could not agree with him more!
Croatian Cuisine, a Cultural Melting Pot
We were in awe from our first meal in Zagreb until our last dinner in Dubrovnik 14 days later. A diverse variety of foods and traditions from the many surrounding countries are infused into Croatia’s cuisine. Croatia has existed since ancient times; its roots also extend that far back. Historically, Croatia sat at a crossroads of many aggressors and along a major merchant route, which brought an influx of spices and exposure to diverse cultures. As a result, early Slavic influence is evident, along with distinct touches of Turkish, Hungarian, and Austrian traditions throughout the country. Meanwhile, the coastal regions reflect the profound impact of the Venetians, Romans, and Greeks. This layered heritage is unmistakable in every coastal city and small town.
With so many influences blended together, you will consistently discover something new. Whether exploring coastal towns or inland villages, Croatia’s flavors never disappoint, and there is always plenty to try. From casual bites to refined dining, you will have no trouble finding something that satisfies every craving, from simple snacks to decadent dinners. Additionally, with excellent wine regions and numerous homegrown breweries, exceptional beverages are always there to complement those meals. You will almost feel guilty eating and drinking so much until you remember how little you have spent. Don’t worry; it’s a vacation anyway. You can splurge in Croatia, and it will barely dent your wallet except in Dubrovnik.
Two Distinct Regions
Though some describe many subregions of cuisine, Croatian cuisine can be divided into two distinct zones: the north and the coast. The coast’s cuisine features a variety of seafood, fish, and mussels, complemented by fresh, seasonal vegetables. That said, a lot of meat, including beef, lamb, and pork, is found on the menu. The north region, predominantly the Istria region, has deep Italian roots.
Istria was part of Italy until after World War II, when, under the Allies’ Treaty of Peace with Italy, Istria and Dalmatia were ceded to the Nation of Yugoslavia. This caused a mass exodus in 1943, but the influence of Italians remains very strong. If you are near the coast in this region, you will find lots of pasta, meat, charcuterie, olive oil, truffles, and, of course, seafood.
When we speak of haute cuisine, we all know that it can come at a hefty price, and for the majority of us, budgeting is the name of the game while traveling. So, how do you get the whole culinary experience in Croatia if you have to watch every penny you spend? The answer is that you don’t. You will quickly learn that everything in Croatia is relatively inexpensive, especially food and drinks. Because of this, you will have no issues splurging at times to experience all the foods you wish to try. From traditional, exotic, or simple treats, you only have to worry about what to try first with the incredible choices you see on the menu.
*TIP*
Have each person in your party choose separate dishes so that you can try as many different options as possible.
Our Experience with Croatian Food
Throughout our years of travel, some of the most memorable interactions with locals have centered around food. It is always amazing how locals light up when you ask what they suggest. What is traditional? What is your favorite? A dower waiter, all of a sudden, becomes engaged. This was the case at our first meal in Croatia.
We had landed late in the morning in Zagreb, but it was too early to get a room, and except for some airplane food, we were pretty hungry. When we inquired about a place with traditional local food at the hotel, they did not hesitate and said Sofras. It turned out to be a quintessential Bosnian restaurant rich in atmosphere and tradition. While it wasn’t as distinctly Croatian as we had hoped, we couldn’t help but comment on that. In response, the staff explained that it’s a popular spot, well-loved by locals. They also pointed out that Bosnian influence is an important part of Croatian cuisine, especially in certain regions. Adding to the authenticity, the décor was traditional, and the servers were dressed in full regional attire. Right away, we got the sense that this wasn’t a place frequented by many tourists—and that made it even more special.
Breaking down barriers
Our server seemed less than friendly when we first sat down, but he warmed up after we started asking him for recommendations. We essentially let him choose for us, as we didn’t even know what some of the menu items’ English names meant. The menu was huge, too. He even picked out the beer. Our expectations were not high, but that was the beginning of a series of delectable experiences that lasted for the next 14 days.
Bosnian/Slavic cuisine is strongly influenced by the Ottomans, a presence that is particularly prominent in mainland Croatia. Certain core aspects are featured, including flavorful, colorful bell peppers, cabbage, grilled meat — especially lamb and beef — meat pies, flatbread called somun, beans, cucumbers, carrots, and onions. The flavors incorporate a generous amount of paprika and garlic. They have one of the most delicious creams called pavlaka and kajmak, which they pour over their meat pies.
Sofra’s
Our First Meal at Zagreb’s Sofra Restaurant
Tomato Salad with Cucumbers, Bell Peppers, Scallions, Feta Cheese
Meat Pie with Cream Sauce
Tangy Pepper Stuffed with Cabbage
Aged Ram Steak with Potato and Grilled Vegetables
Somun Bread
On our second night in Zagreb, we wanted something more reflective of mainland Croatian cuisine. As a result, we found ourselves in Vinodol, the central restaurant district of Zagreb. Based on a recommendation from our hotel, and after checking that the reviews supported it, we decided to give it a try. To our delight, the menu was extensive and diverse, yet representative of much of what we would see in the weeks ahead. For example, here are a few options from the menu.
Vinodol
Menu examples from Vinodol in Zagreb
Creamy Porcini Soup with a prosciutto-stuffed breadstick
Baked Octopus tentacles on creamy Polenta
Roasted red peppers and sliced garlic
Mocha Caramel creamy coffee and mascarpone cake
Slovenian Shepherd’s Stew with homemade egg dumplings
Veal Shank with baked potatoes and braised cabbage
Prosciutto and cheese-stuffed port tenderloin roll with gorgonzola cream, homemade croquettes, and pumpkin puree.
Monkfish brodetto with shrimps, mussels, and polenta.
Oven-baked seabream with vegetables and potatoes
Check out our article on Dining Abroad: A Cultural Quest to get the most out of your international dining experiences
Onto the Istria Pennisula
Istria brought us culinary delights we never imagined we would experience, and surprisingly, it all started with our very first meal. Specifically, it was lunch in the tiny medieval village of Boljun, at a little tavern called Boljunski Konoba, which immediately set the tone for this incredible region. Remarkably, our first exposure to truffles was here, and from that point on, we would repeat the experience at almost every meal during our time in this marvelous region.
Truffles from Croatia have gained enormous respect. They remained a well-kept secret for the most part until recently. With nearby nations such as Italy and France having such a reputation for truffles, Croatia stayed off the radar. Anthony Bourdain put Istria truffles on the map. Luckily, it is still a place where you can find these magnificent fungus tubers on a menu at meager prices.
Truffles, especially white ones, sell for thousands of dollars a kilo and have an extremely short shelf life. Few can afford them, so we had never tried a real truffle; we had only tried truffle-flavored oils. This was going to be a very rare and unique adventure.
Truffle Heaven
Motovun’s splendid medieval walled hill town sits proudly in the heart of truffle country. Here, trained pigs and dogs are used to hunt for truffles, those prized, hidden gems within the dense Motovun forest. This forest, nestled in the scenic Mirna River Valley just below the town, is one of the most famous truffle-hunting regions in Europe. The climb up the steep hill is hard work, but the rewards are more than worth the effort.
While there, we had a meal of a lifetime, a Konoba Mondo. Our decision was based solely on Google reviews when it was time for lunch. The village was tranquil, with maybe four other tourists visiting. The restaurant was quite large, with two levels and a spacious outdoor patio dining area; it was just us and two additional guests. We wondered if it was the right choice. However, we then saw a signed picture of Anthony Bourdain with the owner and some staff members. It seemed a good option at that point.
And it was! It’s the best choice ever
There are black and white truffles. Black truffles have a significantly longer season and a better shelf life, and are not as highly coveted, although they are still delicious. Black truffles are both cooked and used as a garnish. White truffles are a unique and rare treat, with a limited season and short shelf life. They are only used as a garnish. These rotten-looking fungi are incredibly pungent (which is how dogs and pigs find them), with a musky, earthy aroma and a slight garlic-like taste.
Motovun Wonder
Following the magical nature of our trip, we discovered that the White Truffle season had started that week. The restaurant offered a special menu featuring only white truffles for the occasion. Every course had white truffles freshly shaved onto the dish. Perhaps because it was so quiet, or because their shelf life was nearing an end, the white truffles continued to arrive. We were in awe. They were absolutely delicious!
Our meal, which lasted a couple of hours, included craft beers, two appetizers featuring white truffles, two main courses also featuring white truffles, two glasses of local wine, and a chocolate dessert topped with white truffles, all accompanied by an espresso. No, the coffee was not covered in truffles and was a complimentary offering from the house. It was heaven, the meal, the drinks, the ambiance, and the service. What would that cost in the States? Probably three or four hundred dollars or even more, based on the volume of truffles we received. Our total was around $130. It is one of the most highly sought-after and coveted food items globally, and we could fully experience and afford it, too! Not only did we experience them in many dishes, but we had them in abundance for a fraction of the price.
Konoba Mondo
Mondo Konoba White Truffle Menu Examples
Poached Eggs on Rucola with White Truffles
Soufflé of Egg and Parmesan Cheese with White Truffles
Homemade Cream of Potato Soup with White Truffle
Risotto with Eggplant, Olive Oil, and White Truffles
Risotto with Radicchio and White Truffles in Teran Wine
Creamy Polenta with White Truffles and Parmesan Cheese
Tagliatelle in White Truffle Sauce
Homemade Gnocchi with Shrimps and White Truffles
Homemade Fuzi all Istriana with White Truffles
Pate with White Truffles
Istrian Cod Pate with White Truffle
Istrian Prosciutto Rolls Stuffed with white Truffle Tapenade and Cottage Cheese with White Truffles
Tagliata with White Truffles
Beefsteak with White Truffles
Panna Cotta with White Truffles
Chocolate Flan with White Truffles
Truffles Joined Us for the Rest of our Journey
After we left Istria, truffles disappeared from the menus as we continued down the southern coast. In hindsight, those few days in Istria felt like a dream for any truffle lover. Each day brought a new indulgence: truffles on eggs at breakfast, folded into pasta at lunch, and generously shaved over dinner. Even now, their rich, earthy aroma instantly brings back some of our most unforgettable memories from that region.
However, the smell lingered with us in other ways as well. Why? Joelle had purchased several black truffle salts for gifts. One rolled out of the bag, and when Ryan closed the trunk, it sliced the salt container. That rental car smelled like truffles for nine more days until we returned the vehicle. It was much more potent than the real thing. It seemed imprinted in our nasal passages long after we returned to the States.
Croatian Cuisine from the Sea
We left Istria, heading down the coast. The food made a remarkable turn, and we were surprised and fascinated. This is where you will find Croatia’s large seafood selection. Seafood is typically a more expensive item when dining out. However, even the fanciest seafood feast can be found at reasonable prices.
Shrimp, mussels, and their much-loved squid dishes offer unique takes on traditional seafood meals. Black seafood risotto is very popular in this region and is blackened with squid ink. Fresh seafood is on every menu. You can find the best variety along the vast coastline in all famous cities on the water, so you don’t need to worry about missing your chance to try some. There will be plenty of local delights caught daily. Always ask, as the staff will tell you what is fresh and what is not.
No matter how simple or fancy the restaurant, the presentation was always beautiful. In fact, at times, it felt like a true work of art. Clearly, they take enormous pride in the presentation of each dish.
Our Big Splurge
We try to enjoy one higher-end meal during each trip, and Joelle is drawn to Michelin-starred restaurants. Neither of us has been to many over the years. We didn’t even look for any in Croatia, but one night in Zadar, we visited a lovely restaurant on the waterfront that the hotel had suggested. They had a fascinating seven-course dinner prepared by the Chef, which intrigued us.
We went for it with some lovely wine and had a fantastic meal, which was our chef’s masterpiece. The plating of each course was so spectacular that you felt bad eating it. The seven courses didn’t even include dessert, but in the end, they brought us both a beautiful one as a special treat at no cost. That was our one significant expense (it was less than a meal at Ruth Criss’s house, though), but since our overall food budget was dramatically lower than we expected, we still came way under budget. It was an exceptional example of the wonder of Croatian cuisine.
Restaurant Kornat
Restaurant Kornat Chef Tasting Menu
Tuna Rolls with Chickpea Cream
Prawn and Mozzarella Carpaccio with Bloody Mary sauce and spicy Ganache
Beef Carpaccio with Cannelloni Stuffed with Ricotta Cheese, Beef with Mint
Homemade Tortelli filled with Pecorino Romano Cream, Beef Tartar, and Fresh Tomato Sauce
Green Tagliatelle with Shrimp and Fresh Tomatoes
White Adriatic Fish Fillet with Vegetables Crust, Potato and Caper Cream, Tomato, and Anchovies Sauce
Beef Steak Medallion with Vegetables, Fresh Ricotta Cream, Green Olives, Capers, and Anchovies Cream
Hearty Croatian Cuisine
Some of the more popular dishes we found everywhere in our travels were risotto, gnocchi, beef, and lamb. Depending on where you go and what you get, risotto and lamb are the more pricey items on menus. Those dishes were abundant across Croatia and had much lower prices than we usually see. Ryan certainly made the most of that. The dishes throughout the region were rich, hearty, and served in fair to generous portions. For example, in Pula, we dined at a popular local restaurant tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood. Trust in our experience, we allowed our attentive server to choose our meal, which turned out to be a generous portion of meat. Even with our best efforts, there was still plenty left behind. One thing was certain, we never left a meal hungry.
This is a fun story: As we left that place and were the only non-Croats in there, our server stopped and offered each of us a complimentary Grappa shot. Three glasses of grappa appeared, and our fun, joyful server joined us with the word “Zivjeli,” meaning “cheers” in Croatian. These are moments that make the trip extra memorable.
Croatian Fast Food
In our travels, we noticed that there seemed to be only two kinds of “fast food” places in Croatia: pizza and sandwiches. You can’t turn a corner without seeing an Italian place or, at a minimum, having it on the menu at almost any place you eat. We didn’t give it much thought at first, but as we descended the Dalmatia coast, it was hard not to notice they were everywhere, and many locals seemed to partake.
At first, we thought, ‘Well, we can get pizza at home.’ It wasn’t until halfway through the trip in Trogir that we decided to try this traditional dish. Oh, my goodness, that was a treat. Ryan will say it was hands down the best pizza he has ever had, and he has been to Italy. The setting didn’t hurt, sitting on the water in an ancient medieval town, but it was the incredible pizza that made it truly memorable. Italy remains very prominent in Croatian cuisine, especially along the Dalmatian coast.
Want to learn more about magnificent Croatia? Check out our
Croatia Travel Guide
Recommendations
So, what should you eat or avoid during your visit to Croatia? Well, personally, like always, you should try everything. Be adventurous and get out of your comfort zone. We have tried so many new things and loved almost everything. Try the fancy, the unusual, the local favorite, and the budget-friendly options, including street food. Order different things and share them with your travel companions. If you don’t like something, you aren’t going to lose out on a lot of money.
Remember to look for the local treats and specialty dishes from each town you visit. Ask your hotel, the museum staff, or anyone if they aren’t busy. Strike up a conversation about where and what they recommend. If you see a line in a local bakery, pop in and see what they are buying.
Take advantage of the low prices and savor everything that Croatia’s diverse culinary palate has to offer. Wash everything down with the local drinks, which are also very reasonably priced. We are confident that you won’t be disappointed, and it won’t break your budget.
Want to learn more about Croatian cuisine? Watch Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations episode dedicated to Croatia. You will want to be on the next plane there! We watched it the night after our visit to Motovun. We recall his statement on how clueless he was about what Croatia had to offer and called himself a “f*$@ing idiot” for not knowing better. It can be found on HBOMAX.
Where to stay in Croatia
There are many great options throughout the country. Whether you are on a budget or seeking luxury, you will find it all. There are also many homes for rent. Do your research and seek out places where you can have a more authentic experience.
When planning a trip, it’s always wise to compare accommodation prices across different platforms. Expedia, based in the U.S., and Booking.com, based in Europe, don’t always feature the same properties, so checking both can give you the best range of options. We personally prefer Booking.com for its user-friendly interface and wide selection, but we always recommend double-checking the hotel or vacation rental’s official website too, sometimes you’ll find exclusive deals or perks when booking directly.
Click the link below to explore hotels and vacation homes in the area you are planning to visit. Who knows? It might be just the spark you need to start planning your next grand adventure.
Final Thoughts
Explore beyond your comfort zone; that phrase is particularly apt when it comes to the culinary offerings at a destination you are visiting. Ask for what they are best known for and what they are proud of. We often ask what is most popular with the locals. What is unique to this region? It is remarkable how they light up when you show interest in their culture. We have seen servers who are not engaged become excited. At times, even the chef comes out to see what we think.
Food is intricately tied to culture. Seek authenticity and traditional experiences; they will enhance every aspect of your travels. They will make for some of the most memorable moments, and your palate will surely thank you.
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Check out Dining Abroad: A Cultural Quest to learn more about making the most of your dining experiences when traveling abroad.
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