English
French
Croatian Food & Wine We Love
Croatia is known for its beautiful beaches, ancient historic forts, and high-energy activities, but did you know Croatia also is known for its tasty food and magnificent wine? Although Croatia is a small country, its food and wine vary depending on the region! These are some of our favorites in each region.
Central and South Dalmatia
The sun-drenched slopes of the Peljesac peninsula produce the robust Dingač wine that made Croatian wine famous. This peninsula’s slopes are so steep that the wine is harvested by riding donkeys! Hvar and Vis are famous for red Plavač wine, and Korčula is famous for white Posip and Grk wines.
With its warm Mediterranean climate, the coastal region also has an array of fresh produce and seafood, with delicious tomatoes, peppers, olives, shellfish, and barbecued fish, among so many other tasty treats. We recommend heading over to the island of Brač, where lamb is a delicacy. Because of the lack of vegetation, the native lambs graze on wild rosemary and other herbs, making for a flavorful meat with minimal extra seasoning.
Istria
Moving up the coast to Istria, you’ll notice a large amount of Venetian and Italian influences. Moscato, Terbbiano, and Verduzzo wine are the most popular here, and the grapes are grown in red clay soil, so you’ll notice very earthy or floral notes in the wine, depending on the strains.
Foodwise, Istria is renowned for its truffles, with the world’s largest recorded truffle (weighing 1.31kg) was found near Buje in 1999. Local specialties often include truffle oil or truffle cheese – don’t be surprised to find pasta, steak, or fish with a healthy dose of truffle! We’ve dedicated a whole post to Istrian truffles if you’re as much of a truffle fiend as we are.
Croatia’s first-ever Michelin star restaurant, Monte, is based in Rovinj, and the region’s restaurant scene is getting more popular every day.
Inland Croatia
Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, is often overlooked for the country’s sunny coast, but the inland has a can’t-miss food and wine culture of its own. Zagreb offers more Eastern European-influenced food, and many restaurants serve goulash (a thick stew with meat, potatoes, and vegetables), štrukli (a puff pastry filled with cottage cheese and sour cream), and knedli (sweet potato dumplings). Inland cuisine features more beef and pork compared to the seaside regions’ seafood, but it’s worth tasting it all!
Zagreb isn’t as famous for its wine, but Kraljevina, sometimes called Imbrina, is an indigenous white wine variety that you’ll find in the area. The grape for Kraljevina is only grown in this region of Croatia, and it produces very dry and acidic wine (similar to Chardonnay).
Food and wine are one of our favorite parts of traveling, and Croatia is no exception! Contact one of our travel specialists now to get a taste of Croatia.
