7 Best Restaurants in Gornji grad (Upper Town), Zagreb and Environs

Nestled in a verdant dale in Tuškanac Park, a 15-minute walk from the center, in a low-rise building that might be mistaken for a ranch-style house, this prestigious fish restaurant specializes in creative Mediterranean fare. The dining room is light and airy, with candlelit tables, a wooden floor, potted plants, and colorful abstract art. There's also an adjoining wine bar. In warm weather outdoor seating is available on a spacious leafy terrace, and a playground just outside invites children to scamper about while parents rest on benches. Reservations are recommended.

Located in a 13th-century palace that is a protected cultural landmark, this café will make you feel as if you were sitting in an art gallery or perhaps the living room of a wealthy art-collecting uncle. Just up the hill (first right) from the Stone Gate, it is a perfect place to take a load off after the steep climb into Gornji Grad before heading on to seeing the parliament, Museum of Broken Relationships, and St. Mark's Church. If you're lucky, the weather will be fine and you'll find a seat on the charming outside terrace, perched atop the passage leading down to the Stone Gate.

White walls and light wooden furniture set off cool decor like big glass jars of flour in this small airy space on the north end of Dolac Market. With a name meaning "fat" (pork lard, specifically), this café-bakery serves up delicious freshly baked pastries such as salenjaci (a type of Croatian sweet croissant) using traditional Croatian baking ingredients with a modern twist, as well as some sweet and salty light brunch options and acclaimed Cogito-brand coffee. Single portions are small and made to mix and match, so come early for the best choices: the no-reservations policy means first come, first served and goods can sell out quickly. The café is the creation of pastry master Petra Jelenić, chef Tvrtko Šakota, and Cogito Coffee founder Matija Powlison Belković.

A two-minute walk north of St. Mark's Church, you'll find a fairly rare sight: a rustic konoba in Zagreb. Didov San (meaning Grandpa's Dream) offers fare usually more typical of the coast, such as grilled squid and pašticada, a Dalmatian beef stew. Outdoor seating is available, service is friendly, and meat and seafood lovers alike are sure to find something on the extensive menu to suit their tastes.  

This restaurant with a rustic-style interior and a terrace is the love child of married dynamic duo Ana, from Slavonia, and Pasquale, from Italy. They use fresh ingredients from Italy and Croatia to make amazing pizza doughs and exciting topping combinations. This pizzeria is tucked away above the city hubbub, in the foothills of Mt. Medvednica.

If you are looking for a quick and inexpensive lunch on the go, consider Pingvin, the city's first sandwich bar and extra popular as a post-party late-night snack joint. This stand, just a few minutes' walk from Trg Bana Jelačića, offers simple fare like grilled chicken sandwiches.

Superb food and friendly professional staff are hallmarks of this quaint unpretentious restaurant. The menu changes frequently, depending on the seasons and what's fresh at the morning market, but you can expect a variety of Mediterranean main courses, as well as a selection of wines that includes all of Croatia's best varieties.