Štrukli, turkey and mlinci: Zagreb on a plate

About Štrukli, turkey and mlinci: Zagreb on a plate

By the ULTIMATE Zagreb Editorial Team

Zagreb’s cooking belongs to Central Europe and to the green hills of Zagorje: rich, generous and made for cold evenings, with dishes you will not find on the coast.

Štrukli

Štrukli are the dish everyone in Zagreb grew up with: thin pastry wrapped around fresh cheese, then boiled or baked with cream until golden. They come from Zagorje, the hills north of the city, and you will find them as a starter, a main course or even a dessert.

Turkey with mlinci

Purica s mlincima is the great feast dish of Zagorje: roast turkey served with mlinci, thin baked flatbreads broken up and soaked in the roasting juices. It is on many traditional menus and especially popular in winter.

In Zagreb, the coast’s grilled fish gives way to the comfort food of the hills.

The Zagreb schnitzel

The zagrebački odrezak is a veal or pork schnitzel stuffed with ham and cheese, breaded and fried, a cousin of the cordon bleu, served with potatoes or salad. It is a staple of traditional restaurants.

Fresh cheese and cream

Sir i vrhnje, fresh cheese with sour cream, is a Zagreb classic from Dolac market, eaten with bread and peppers. Paprika-spiced sausages, bean stews and sauerkraut complete the hearty picture.

Something sweet

For dessert, try kremšnita, the vanilla cream cake made famous by the town of Samobor, or a slice of cake in one of the city’s many slastičarnice.

Our advice: try štrukli at a traditional restaurant near Dolac, order turkey with mlinci when it is cold, and leave room for kremšnita. For a lighter, modern take on Croatian produce, book one of the city’s Bib Gourmand bistros.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Štrukli, turkey and mlinci: Zagreb on a plate before you go.