Gastro

Christmas Market Eating Spree

It's that time of the year, when the population of Zagreb seems to double and you have to elbow your way through downtown streets and squares. Yet, you do it merrily, because Christmas Market is no time to for stress and fuss.

Zagreb Christmas Market is back again, as colourful and eventful as always, and it seems there is more great food and drinks than ever luring you from all those stalls. It's virtually impossible to visit and taste everything there is, so like every year, let's take a moment to make a to-do list for browsing, eating and drinking your way through Zagreb Christmas Market.

“Modern version of pasta with cabbage, created by Gourmet Experience Croatia for Advent on Zrinjevac.” Image credit: Sandra Rončević

Food stalls on the central square, Ban Jelačić Square and around it, in Gajeva and Bogovićeva Street, offer more traditional and mainstream kind of food, like the inevitable sausages, fritters and mulled wine. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you want less generic food, something more special and creative, Fuliranje (Fooling Around) programme on Strossmayer Square is the place to be. And Baš Naš Advent at Klovićevi Dvori is not far behind when it comes to the coolness factor. But let's start with something in between modern and traditional – Advent on Zrinjevac. Zrinjevac Park becomes a magical place when it gets dark and all the lights are up, turning the old plane trees into the most beautiful holiday street lamps. Zrinjevac food stalls are focused on local and traditional recipes, familiar but with a twist. The gastronomic part of the event is called “Apetitlih” for a reason – it's the old Zagreb expression for something delicious and visually alluring, whetting your appetite. Remind yourself of or rediscover favourite local specialties like krpice sa zeljem (pasta with cabbage), roast duck with mlinci, ajngemahtec chicken and vegetable soup, ričet (beans, barley and dried meat stew), štrukli, zlevanka, semolina dumplings stuffed with prunes and many others.

“Be it daytime or night time, Fuliranje is always bursting with people and good vibes.” Image credit: Fuliranje FB

Strossmayer Square is always the most exciting place for foodies, where food stalls compete who will have the most creative and attractive dishes, taking the art of street food to a new level. Here you will mostly find international cuisine and fusion, but there are also some interesting combinations of local ingredients and global influences. I'd like to mention a Zagrebian version of poke called poke buncek, with our favourite winter piece of meat – smoked ham hock. One of the most exciting Asian bistros in the city, SOI fusion bar, was also inspired by local tradition when they decided to fill gyoza with blood sausages and spicy lentil dahl with homemade sausages. Market, the establishment that brought us the hit of the last Advent, sarma in a bun, went step further and put the sarma in tacos. Chef Marko Palfi from The Garden Bar & Kitchen designed a buncek burger, as well as some other street versions of traditional winter dishes, which pair nicely with their vanilla & chocolate porter. Classy patisserie Le kolač is here with modernized desserts like baby kuglof (Bundt cake) or gingerbread fritters, washed down with warm winter cocktails. Pastry expert Ivana Čuljak offers lovely tarts at A most unusual Bazaar by Botanica stall, with irresistible combinations like raspberry, rose and pumpkin seeds.

“Tacos meets traditional winter food like buncek or sauerkraut, made by Market.” Image credit: Fuliranje FB

Klovićevi Dvori event is definitely one of the best locations of the Christmas Market, with unbeatable view over the city. Romantic sunsets in the Upper Town, plenty of photo opportunities, a real ice skating rink and lots of good food. Don’t miss Reshetka by Đurina Hiža stall, with their already famous wild game sausage, Stari moj Zagreb-themed burger and a new entry – štrukli with cottage cheese and bacon. RougeMarin restaurant, here under the name GrinčMarin, has six different sausages in butternut pumpkin buns, a killer sandwich called Masni, made with pulled pork or lamb, and their reinterpretation of the old-fashioned Čupavac (coconut and cocoa dessert). I’ll stop now, but know that I’ve just scratched the surface, and it’s up to you to go out, mingle and enjoy the foodiest time of the year.

“An updated čupavac cake, to sweeten things up.” Image credit: RougeMarin FB

Header image credit: Taste of Croatia

Author: Taste of Croatia, Morana Zibar