Croatian food: what to eat in Croatia and where each dish comes from
Croatian food is really three cuisines. The coast cooks fish, olive oil and Italian-style pasta and risotto, Istria adds truffles and cured ham, and the inland north leans on meat, dumplings and cheese pastries. The one thing to know: order what the region does, not the same grilled fish and pizza every night.
The short answer
- Order this first
- Black risotto on the coast, peka (meat and potatoes slow-cooked under an iron bell) on the islands, and strukli in Zagreb. Add a plate of local ham and cheese to start almost anywhere.
- When people eat
- Lunch is the main meal, usually from midday to mid afternoon. Dinner starts around seven or eight and runs late in summer. Breakfast is light, often just coffee and a pastry.
- Tipping
- Not required, but normal. Round up in a cafe and leave about 10 percent in a restaurant if service was good.
- Where to eat well
- Look for a short menu, a handwritten daily fish list, or a konoba, a small family tavern. The city food guides name places we checked.
What to eat in Croatia
- Black risottoRice cooked with cuttlefish and its ink, which turns it black. A staple of coastal menus, and best where the seafood is local.Dalmatia
- PekaLamb, veal or octopus slow-cooked with potatoes under an iron bell covered with embers. It is often ordered a few hours ahead, so ask when you book.Dalmatia and the islands
- PašticadaBeef marinated and stewed in a sweet and sour sauce, served with gnocchi. It is a Sunday and festival dish, and a few restaurants offer it daily.Dalmatia
- StrukliPastry filled with cottage cheese and cream, boiled or baked. It is a Zagreb classic, sold in restaurants and on cafe menus.Zagreb and Zagorje
- PršutAir-dried ham, sliced thin and served with cheese and olives. Dalmatian and Istrian versions differ, and a board of both makes a good starter.Dalmatia and Istria
- Paški sirA hard sheep's cheese from Pag, salty and herbal because the sheep graze on sea-sprayed plants. Buy it from the producer or a market.Pag island
- Fuži with trufflesHand-rolled pasta served with truffle or a rich game sauce. Truffle season runs through autumn, and it appears on menus across the peninsula.Istria
- BrodetA fish stew with tomato, onion and wine, usually served with polenta. Often cooked for two or more, so it is a dish to share.Dalmatia
- Grilled fishSea bass, bream or the catch of the day, sold by weight and grilled with olive oil. Check the weight and price before it is cooked.The coast and islands
- ĆevapiSmall grilled minced meat sausages, served with flatbread, onion and a pepper spread. A cheap, filling lunch more common inland than on the coast.Inland and Zagreb
How the food changes across Croatia
Dalmatia and the islands
Fish and seafood, olive oil, dried figs, stews and peka. Long Italian influence shows in risotto and pasta, and wine from the coast and Pelješac is the usual pairing.
Istria
Truffles, cured ham, olive oil and homemade pasta. Istrian cooking is close to north Italy, and the best meals are at family-run places in the hills.
Zagreb and the inland north
Meat, dumplings, cheese pastries and cream. It is closer to Austrian and Hungarian cooking, with hearty winter food and cafe cake.
Slavonia
The east cooks with paprika, freshwater fish and pork, and sausages such as kulen. Few visitors reach it, but it is the country's most distinct regional cooking.
What to drink in Croatia
- Coastal wineReds such as plavac mali from the Pelješac peninsula and whites such as posip from Korčula are the local choices. Ask for a glass of the house wine in a konoba.
- Istrian wineMalvazija, a dry white, is the main grape. Teran is the local red. Both go well with truffle dishes.
- RakijaA fruit brandy, often homemade, and offered as a welcome or after a meal. Travarica is the herb version. It is strong, so sip it.
- Croatian craft beerZagreb and the coast have a growing number of small breweries. Ožujsko and Karlovačko are the common lagers.
- CoffeeCoffee is slow and social, drunk for an hour on a cafe terrace. Order kava s mlijekom for coffee with milk or a macchiato.
Where to eat in Croatia, city by city
Dubrovnik
A walled old town on the water at the far south. Beautiful and very busy in summer, best for a short stay and an early start. It suits first-time visitors and anyone who wants the walls and the sea in one place.
Order Black risotto
Split
A working port city built around a Roman palace, with the best transport links on the coast. It is the practical base for island ferries and day trips, and it suits people who want a lively city rather than a quiet resort.
Order Pašticada
Zagreb
The inland capital, with cafe terraces, museums and a walkable upper and lower town. It is less crowded and cheaper than the coast, and it suits a city break outside beach season.
Order Štrukli
Hvar
An island with a small harbor town, lavender fields and quiet coves. It is lively in summer and mostly shut in winter, so it suits a beach and nightlife week rather than a short sightseeing trip.
Order Gregada
Zadar
A smaller coastal town with a Roman and medieval old town, a well-known sea organ and a short ride to national parks and islands. It suits people who want the coast with fewer crowds.
Order Pag cheese
How Croatia eats
- Meal timesLunch is the main meal, from about midday to three. Dinner is usually from seven or eight, and in summer on the coast it runs late.
- CoffeeCoffee is a long, sit-down habit, not a takeaway one. Cafes do not mind you staying for an hour with one cup.
- ReservationsBook dinner in summer, especially in Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar. Peka and brodet often need a few hours of notice, so ask when you book.
- TippingNot required, but round up or leave about 10 percent in a restaurant when service is good.
- Bread and cover chargesSome restaurants charge a small amount for bread and table items. Check the menu or ask if you do not want them.
Signs of a place to walk past
A menu with photographs, in six languages, on a stand outside on the main harbor front.
A tout outside who tries to pull you in off the street.
A menu that lists pizza, burgers, schnitzel and grilled fish with equal weight.
Fish listed with no weight or price, which is how bills end up larger than expected.
An empty room at the time locals eat, between one and three or after eight.
Food in Croatia: questions people ask
What food is Croatia known for?
Black risotto, peka, pašticada, strukli, cured ham, Pag cheese and grilled fish. Which you find depends on the region: the coast, Istria and Zagreb eat quite differently.
What is traditional Croatian food?
Slow-cooked meat such as peka and pašticada, stews such as brodet, cured ham and cheese, and dumplings and pastries inland. Olive oil, fish and truffles feature on the coast and in Istria.
What should I eat in Croatia as a vegetarian?
Strukli, cheese pastries, fresh vegetables with olive oil, truffle pasta in Istria and bean stews. Many menus are meat and fish heavy, so ask in advance and look for konobas that cook vegetables.
Is Croatian food expensive?
Local places are fairly priced, with a main course of fish or meat for much less than in a harbor front tourist restaurant. Fish by weight can add up, so check the price before it is cooked.
What is peka?
A meal of lamb, veal or octopus slow-cooked with potatoes under an iron bell covered with embers. It takes hours, so you usually order it ahead.
What do Croatians drink?
Wine at meals, coffee through the day, and rakija, a fruit brandy, as a welcome or after a meal. Plavac mali and posip are the main coastal wines.
Is it worth taking a food tour in Croatia?
A short walking tour on your first day in Split or Zagreb can show you markets and local dishes. A winery or truffle day trip is better for Istria or Pelješac.