Fine Dining - Pampering Your Taste Buds

In terms of culinary expectations, these restaurants certainly offer the highest level of creativity, bringing exciting new sensations to your taste buds. Naturally, Zagreb has its own share of fine dining places. Of course, not too many, because we’re no New York or London. Nevertheless, after several years of the economic crisis and its dire consequences, this small scene has been recovering in 2016, and things are once again quite vibrant.

“A plate at Zinfandel’s, feast for all your senses.” Image credit: Zinfandel’s

Ask your local foodies and restaurant critics and most probably these three names will pop out: Dubravkin put, Noel and Zinfandel. Dubravkin put is Zagreb’s institution with a long tradition, mostly known as a top-notch seafood restaurant. Over the years, it has changed owners and managers, and the last big renovation took place in 2010. After trying hard to establish itself at the peak of Zagreb’s dining scene, it is finally thriving. The credit goes to Priska Thuring, young but experienced and talented Swiss-Canadian cheff who took over the kitchen a couple of years ago. She revitalized the place, and together with an ambitious and enthusiastic team behind her, Dubravkin put is now a high-class restaurant offering exciting dishes with local ingredients and international flair.

“The interior at Dubravkin put restaurant.” Image credit: Dubravkin put

Zinfandel’s is the top-of-the-line, fine dining restaurant in the Esplanade, the most exclusive hotel in the city. Apart from a very luxurious setting and great service, Zinfandel’s is known for classic and reliable haute cuisine. After several foreign chefs, young Croat Ana Grgić became executive chef four years ago. It took some time to shake things up and find the right direction, but at the moment, Zinfandel’s seasonal menus are innovative, exciting and well-executed.

“Executive chef Ana Grgić in Zinfandel’s kitchen.” Image credit: Zinfandel’s

Noel is a new entry on the list, it opened a few months ago and there has been a lot of hype around it. No wonder, because it’s the project of a very ambitious duo who had previously established themselves in the well-known Bistro Apetit: chef Goran Kočiš and sommelier/manager Ivan Jug. Expectations were great, the bar was set high and even though it’s maybe too early to tell, Noel is still the hottest place in the city, pushing the limits of modern gastronomy in Zagreb. Along with Dubravkin put, it’s also one of the restaurants where the wine selection and its pairing with food are really on the highest level.

“Chef Goran Kočiš and some live action from Noel.” Image credit: Noel

Just a friendly disclaimer: Zagreb does have many great eateries in many different genres, but the local audience has always been quite traditional and conservative, so haute cusine department is really the thinest slice of the cake on the restaurant scene. However, several places that do not fall into the category of fine dining have emerged lately, meeting high professional standards and rising above the average with their creative and technically very pleasing dishes. One of them is a little gem called Ab ovo in Maksimir, and what’s amazing is that their chef is only 22. Probably the best value-for-money bistro in Zagreb. Also a relatively new place, Louie in Nova ves is expanding and becoming a seriously fancy eatery.  Agava restaurant, although it seems like a place aimed at well-off tourists concerning its location in Tkalčićeva Street, has a very knowledgeable and passionate chef Belizar Miloš. His fusion of Mediterranean and continental dishes is becoming a bit bolder and more interesting lately. Moreover, the charismatic Andrej Barbieri, one of the best Croatian chefs and until recently the trademark of Bevanda restaurant in Opatija, is about to open his first restaurant in Zagreb very soon, so the race is about to become even more tight.

“Ab ovo’s fettuccine in tomato, squid and baby spinach sauce with goat's milk cheese.” Image credit: Ab ovo FB

You really don’t have to be a snob to afford yourself a bit of fine dining experience every once in a while. Apart from broadening your culinary horizons, consider it an investment in your well-being, giving yourself a high five and some well-deserved pampering. Maybe we don’t have Michelin stars yet, but Zagreb is definitely an exciting place for haute cuisine moments in a restaurant-goer’s life.

Header image credit: Dubravkin put FB