Croatian cuisine is the unique representative of the harmony of interesting and tasty, often seemingly incompatible contradictions. The richness and generosity at Zagreb tables, full of tasty dishes and supporting drinks are recorded in many cookbooks. The first cookbook dates from the 19th century, written by Marija Kumičić. She based her cookbook on the middle class models of the time, Katarina Prato and Sint-Hylaire but did not forget domestic, national dishes.

Zagreb cuisine is the combination of rich heritage reflecting the troubled history. Citizens of Zagreb were always attentive to what they ate. In the medieval Gradec there were already 90 craftsmen related to food. It is worth mentioning that Zagreb citizens like home-cooked dishes, generating numerous traditional gastronomy events with presentations and ratings in the town and its vicinity. Surveys show that citizens of Zagreb are great admirers of Mediterranean cuisine, probably due to undoubtedly better food selection, than Dalmatians. Modern Zagreb cuisine and diet habits of its citizens are at the Croatian top from the  nutritionists  point of view.

Paprenjaci

TRADITIONAL CAKES
The tradition of Zagreb coffee houses and cakeshops is long and rich, thus it is worth trying Zagreb strudels stuffed with cottage cheese, apples or cherries, then kremšnite and various cakes.
Paprenjak (spiced biscuits), depicted in August Šenoa's novels who was the descendent of one of the first Zagreb pattiseurs, has become a popular Zagreb souvenir. This goes for licitar as well, most frequently heart-shaped, that many find tasty especially accompanied with medica and gvirc, beverages sold at church feasts made of brewed honey. A nice tasty souvenir from Zagreb could be also bermet from Samobor and Samobor muštrada (mustard), Zagreb cake or yeast cakes stuffed with nuts, poppy, carrot, cottage cheese or jam.

Stuffed veal breast

MEAT DISHES
Zagreb has its own steak - Zagreb steak: its veal stuffed with cheese and ham and then put in breadcrumbs and fried as the Viennese steak. If an opportunity arise do not miss traditional Zagreb gablec (midmorning meal) - wine goulash or tripes, stewed season vegetables made of leek, sweet or sauerkraut with beans accompanied by minced meat or sausages, sarma or stuffed paprika - then beef soup or chicken soup with noodles, krpice sa zeljem (square pasta with roasted cabbage), blood sausages and bratwurst sausages with potatoes and sauerkraut, cooked smoked pork shank with sour cabbage, cooked hen or beef with horseradish sauce, and cooked ham with freshly grated horseradish...

Purica s mlincima

PURICA S MLINCIMA (TURKEY WITH KIND OF PASTA)
Purica s mlincima is an excellent combination of the wilderness of the New World, that gave us that poultry and Old World where various breads without yeast are baked for centuries. Zagreb is very fond of roasted poultry, especially turkey for special holidays. Though mlinci go well with roasted suckling pig as well, as they were once served, and turkey was served with potatoes as other poultry, stuffed with mixture of rolls and giblets, minced veal, mushrooms or cut vegetables, the combination of turkey and mlinci with various salads is irreplacable.

Stewed meat

KOTLOVINA (STEWED MEAT)
Kotlovina is indigenous specialty of Zagreb and northwest Croatia. Pork chops and sausages are fried in a very big metal dish and then are stewed in their own juice, wine and spices. Sometimes they are given to some smoked meat and more frequently some vegetables to give to special taste - onions, potatoes, tomatoes, paprika ... The most important thing in preparing kotlovina is that it should be done outdoors. It was only recently that it moved to the restaurant kitchens from the fairgrounds and roads in front of the inns where it was made and invited the guests.

PISANICE (BEEF FILLET STEAK)
At the times, there was no celebration without roasted beef fillet steak. Since it has been awarded, the Stubica fillet steak has become more popular. While beef is usually stuffed with root vegetables and bacon, that pork fillet, and more and more frequently according to nutritionist trends turkey breast, is stuffed with dried plums and soaked in plum brandy. That favourite modern specialty dates from the mobility tables in Zagorje castles.

Strukli

STRUKLI
Štrukli have become the most famous Croatian specialty in the last twenty years, due to presentation of Croatian cuisine and cooks in the leading world hotel chains. They are also called zagorski strukli, but they are popular throughout Croatia. Although thin pulled dough, undoubtedly taken from Turks during invasions towards Vienna, is stuffed with various stuffings (pumpkin, poppy seeds, apples ...), the favourites are stuffed with cottage cheese. They can be boiled or baked, added to soup or served as dessert, salty or sweet and they are mostly accepted as small dish, or warm starter, boiled and baked in cream.