Sandwich with a Slice of Nostalgia: Legendary Late Night Eateries

The answer was a hot sandwich. Street food options were not as plentiful as today and there were very few places meeting the required criteria open after midnight, not counting McDonalds. In downtown Zagreb, nighthawks of all kinds would regularly queue up in front of two legendary joints – Pingvin and Bonita. Their hot sandwiches hold a special place in the hearts of many Zagrebians over 30, and still have a loyal audience.

“Legendary Pingvin fast food kiosk, standing in the same place since 1987.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

Pingvin is definitely a cult place, known to everyone in the city. As you can see in the logo, it was established back in 1987, so it's a real veteran of Zagreb's nightlife and food scene. Basically it's a kiosk in Teslina Street, in front of ZKM theatre, with huge glass windows. You can see what goes on inside, the whole process of preparing your order. Sandwiches of all kinds are Pingvin's trademark, even though the menu has widened gradually and also features salads, burgers, desserts. Sandwiches range from simple ones like ham and cheese toast to more elaborate little masterpieces like my favourite, biftek ficlek (grilled beefsteak strips in sauce). To be honest, Pingvin does not deliver gourmet treats that will blow your taste buds away, but it stands for excellent value-for-money street food. And the process goes like this... You line up to have your order taken, than pay and wait for your food. This can take a while if there's a crowd, but the atmosphere is usually very casual and friendly, almost like an after party to end the night. The most exciting part is when the staff calls out your order and you get to choose the condiments. Standing in front of those stainless steel containers full of chopped vegetables and sauces, you feel like creating the best dish in the world. You eat your warm piece of happiness either at one of the several high tables (now they have a whole terrace across the street!) or on the go – and the night is officially over.

“My favourite sandwich from Pingvin, biftek ficlek: grilled chunks of beefsteak, onion and button mushrooms.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

Bonita is another legendary late night eatery, now a fast food/café on the bustling Cvjetni trg. Originally it was a miniature stand in Stara Vlaška Street, just around the corner from the main square. There was just a little window where you would place your order and the menu was very basic, a dozen or so different sandwiches. They were pre-made, but could be toasted or warmed on the spot. I remember the old Bonita was one of the first mainstream places selling vegetarian sandwiches, with tofu or seitan. For Zagreb in the 1990s that was a bold move. Somewhere in the early 2000s, the second Bonita opened, on today's location. They also had sandwiches and toasts, but soon they made another revolutionary move – selling crepes! Freshly made in front of you, filled with Nutella, walnuts or jam, it was the perfect dessert for a handful of kunas. After a while, the original, smaller Bonita closed down, and the one on Cvjetni is still there, bigger than before, with quite a spacious terrace, serving drinks and fast food from early morning. In spite of the influx of pancake bars all over the city, Bonita's modest yet tasty crepes still represent excellent value, while their ham and cheese somun (kind of pita bread) with a lot of mayo around midnight on Saturday catapults you back to carefree student days.

“Bonita, once just a small kiosk, now one of the hotspots of Cvjetni Square.” Image credit: Bonita FB

Today, you can end your night on the town treating yourself with anything from a crappy burek or kebab to an expensive artisan burger, but if you want an authentic local experience, have a taste of history at one of Zagreb's legendary fast food joints, survivors of times not so long gone.

“Bonita’s famous pancakes, as good as ever.” Image credit: Bonita FB

Header image credit: Taste of Croatia

Author: Taste of Croatia, Morana Zibar