5 Cute Coffee Spots in Town to Hide Away From Winter Cold
As January rolls in and all the Advent excitement passes, it´s hard to feel that same joyful holiday spirit. For many of us who are summer lovers, January is the most depressing month of the year. The streets get empty, and temperatures get even lower, so the time that you can spend outside is limited. What helps me the most to pass the time as quickly as possible during these cold winter months is to spend as much free time with my friends visiting different cafes and cute spots in town. So here is the list of my favourite places in Zagreb to grab a cup of coffee or a piece of delicious cake.
Finjak
This cute cafe is every Instagram blogger's dream, so it´s not surprising that it was called the most Instagramable cafe in town. Even though it is quite small, its decor makes up for its size. I love its retro furniture, golden accents on big mirrors and vases and lots of fresh flowers. It all makes you feel like you´ve just entered into princess quarters. My favourite is a huge chandelier in the centre of the cafe which gives the whole room a special feeling of cosiness while slowly sipping your cup of coffee or hot chocolate. All the details are carefully picked, and you can really feel the vision of old world charm that owners wanted to create in that space. An interesting fact is that cafe actually consists of two separate rooms connected with a beautifully decorated outdoor terrace which is also amazing to sit on during the warmer months.
Image credit: Darija Ilić
Choco Cafe
If you are a chocolate lover like me, this place is a must visit for you! You can find Choco Cafe in a few locations in town but my favourite one is the one next to Maksimir Park. The main attraction of this spot are its amazing pancakes or crepes with hundreds of different fillings and toppings. From classics like Nutella to different ice cream fillings or chocolate bar toppings like Kinder Bueno or Raffaello, the possibilities are really endless, and you can create your own combination as you wish. The interior here is also very cute. I love brick wallpapers, comfy chairs and cardboard models of chocolate bars and cookies that hang from the ceiling. They give me a feeling of ''Hansel and Gretel'' story that we all know from our childhood.
Image credit: Darija Ilić
Potter Cafe
Potter Cafe is definitely one of my favourite cafes that has recently opened in Zagreb. It´s an amazing spot for going on an iced coffee date with your best friend or boyfriend. As it is very close to one of the biggest universities in Zagreb, Faculty of Economy, it is always filled with students that go there to relax between lectures, so atmosphere there is always lively. The decor of the cafe is not completely connected to Harry Potter story as you may think. There are some details, but the owners primarily wanted to create that warm fairytale feeling that we associate with Harry Potter books. Even though there is a beautifully decorated indoor part, I personally love its outdoor terrace which is heated during the winter months. Its glass walls give you a feeling of an open space and it is exceptionally cosy while sitting there, drinking a cup of tea and watching snowflakes falling all around you.
Magnolia sweets
This is the spot where I often end up when I´m in the centre of town looking for a nice quiet place to hide away from the cold outside. This beautiful cafe reminds me of Parisien cafes where you can sit for hours, drink a cup of coffee and enjoy a nice chat with your friend. There are two floors, the first floor and then the upper one overlooking the whole cafe. That is where I love to usually sit. It is also a great spot to sit for some quick work on a computer if you don´t want to be stuck inside your house or an office. In addition to your tea or coffee, you can also eat one of the custom-made cakes that they offer. I can´t really pick my favourite one because every single one I tried was absolutely delicious.
Image credit: Darija Ilić
Kim´s Coffee
I like to call this cafe a little taste of Starbucks in Zagreb. You may wonder why this is so. Because it gives me that living room feeling that you see in American tv shows like ''Friends'' or ''How I met your mother'' where people chill, work and hang out in their favourite local cafe. As it is located in Petrova Street close to where I live, I really like to go there for a morning coffee with a friend or even alone. It is a perfect neighbourhood cafe to sit in, relax or do some emails while sipping a cup of coffee. Even though this cafe is little further from the city centre, many people come here from other parts of town just for its relaxing atmosphere and cute decor.
Header image credit: TZGZ, R. Martin
Author: Darija Ilić