Vegan Guide to Zagreb: 11+ Plant-Based Options in the Capital
Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and a decently vegan friendly city. It is especially vegan-friendly compared to the rest of the country. In Zagreb, you will not only find some delicious vegan meals but also beautiful architecture, unique history, and even the solar system!
We have explored much of Croatia and found that Zagreb was the easiest city for plant-based eaters to find a good meal and a delicious cappuccino. To help our vegan friends, we have put together this guide for Zagreb.
Heading to other regions of Croatia? Check out our Vegan Guide to the entire Istria region or the guide to Zadar
Our Top 3 Places to Eat Vegan in Zagreb:
1. Melt
2. Submarine Burger
3. Vegan KO
Vegan Breakfast and Brunch in Zagreb
Whether you are staying at a luxury hotel or a budget hostel, you’ll want to be fueled up for a wonderful day exploring the city. If the breakfast included in your accommodation is a bit disappointing or you don’t have one, check out one of these places for a vegan meal to start your day in Zagreb:
Melt
Melt is a cute restaurant, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a treat later on in the day. Not only is the interior instagram picture perfect, but the meals are delicious! There are many vegan breakfast options on the menu including smoothies, acai bowl (pictured below), and toast with various toppings.
We ate here a couple times during our short stay because we enjoyed it so much! It’s located on a must see street of Zagreb, not too far from the main square.
Bio & Bio
This health food store, found all over Croatia, offers a quick breakfast to start your day. The cafe inside this Bio & Bio offers coffee, smoothies, and some baked goods, such as muffins and cakes.
Vegan Lunch + Dinner in Zagreb
In between your tour and visiting the Museum of Broken Relationships or after a day of sightseeing, grab a yummy vegan meal at one of the many places we’ve listed below.
Restaurant VegeHop
A small vegan restaurant something else. There are so many options here that we asked the waitress for her recommendation and it didn’t disappoint. We ordered the daily menu that included enough food for both of us! We had a soup, salad, and various veggie dishes. The carrot ginger soup was so nice on the cold day we had during our visit.
Spend some time at the Art Park of Zagreb before or after your meal here since it is only a short walk away!
Vegan KO
Don’t miss this place! Vegan KO has some amazing wraps with seitan meats of different flavors. We tried the mixed kebab wrap and the garlic sauce with our fries, YUM! Vegan KO is currently a to-go only stop about 5 minutes from the main square of Zagreb. The menu is not 100% in English but the staff is super helpful. Check out this awesome mural outside!
Green Point
This small vegetarian restaurant offers vegan options like tofu or hemp burgers and shakes. Because their ingredients are mostly fresh, they may run out of things as the day goes on so keep this in mind!
Namaste Bistro
At first, we weren’t sure how we felt about getting Indian food during our trip to Croatia…but most of our meals here weren’t “traditional” Croatian dishes anyways. We enjoyed our meal at Namaste with vegan options obviously marked on the menu!
Food Harmony
Located near the train station, Food Harmony offers some options for vegan/vegetarians. This restaurant is to-go only so make sure to keep this on mind if you head here for lunch. Luckily, there are plenty of parks nearby to enjoy your lunch at picnic-style.
Submarine Burger
Okay, we normally avoid places that only offer a veggie burger but DO NOT skip out on the delicious burgers Submarine Burger offers. Not only do they have 4 different full sized vegan burgers, but they also have delicious sliders!
Food Expert
Looking for a healthy option in Zagreb? This vegetarian cafe has many vegan options and friendly staff to help with translations. The food is very tasty and affordable!
Oaza Joyful Kitchen
Located right on Radićeva Street, Oaza Joyful Kitchen offers wraps, burgers, smoothies, and more. Another great part of Oaza is that the utensils and napkins you receive are recyclable or biodegradable. We love that they take this next step for the environment!
Vegan Friendly Coffee + Desserts in Zagreb
One of our favorite things to do in Zagreb, especially on a rainy day, is to go cafe hopping. Sipping cappuccinos in the cutest cafes is a great way to warm up from the cold, or even just to explore different parts of the city. Many cafes in Zagreb offer at least one non-dairy option, however, not all of them do.
We have found that in Croatia, it is sometimes hard to find a cafe with nondairy milk. To help you out while visiting the capital, check out this list of places to grab a cup of coffee and even a dessert.
TIPS for Cafes in Croatia
Going to a cafe in Croatia can be a “slower” experience. Meaning it is very different than the fast pace grab-and-go scene of the US, and you may be waiting a bit to be served (10+ minutes). This is normal, so sit down, peruse the menu, and enjoy the vibe of one of the many cafes we listed below.
Also, know that almost every “cafe” is also a bar, many are called “_____ cafe bar” because they serve coffee, teas, and all the drinks you could be looking for. Don’t be surprised to be sipping a cappuccino while someone nearby is sipping a beer or glass of wine!
Bonaničar Cafe Bar
While enjoying your walk around the Golden Horseshoe of Zagreb, make sure to stop by and check out this adorable cafe! Filled with greenery and plants, this cafe is a must stop if you’re looking for a unique vibe.
The Cookie Factory
The Cookie Factory is not only a cafe but also a sweet stop for a cookie (get it? sweet stop). Most cookies are not vegan but the one they do have is delicious! Plus, the interior is super cute!
When visiting The Cookie Factory, you may see the planet of Mars, sitting on the building. Zagreb actually holds the entire solar system, well, a scaled replica. You can find all 8 planets and the sun around the city! Click here for more information.
Mr. Fogg Cafe Bar
A cafe with a steampunk vibe. Stop by to grab a cappuccino with non-dairy milk or something stronger. Depending on the time of day, the cafe bar can get pretty smoky.
Melt
We mentioned this place above but figured we’d add it to this list too since they have a full cafe menu and we enjoyed it so much. On top of the brunch options we mentioned before, Melt also has desserts and vegan gelato options!
Quahwa Cafe Bar
If you are a coffee connoisseur, this is the place for you! With a variety of coffee beans from different regions of the Americas and knowledgeable staff, Quahwa is a great cafe to stop by for a warm cup of joe. This cafe is close by the Golden Horseshoe and the Museum of Hangovers!
Cafe Bar Jupi
Cafe Bar Jupi is a cozy and charming cafe on one of the most beautiful streets in the city, Tkalčića Street. The staff is friendly and serve delicious cocktails in case you want something stronger than coffee (with oat milk!).
Health Foods + Vegan Products
Outside of traditional supermarkets, Bio & Bio is a great health food store found all over Croatia. In Zagreb, there is a Bio & Bio in the main region tourists visit in the city, not too far from the main square. This Bio & Bio also offers coffee and cakes at the cafe inside, open during regular store hours.
Are European cities really complete without a market? Head over to Zagreb’s Market to get fresh fruits and veggies, as well as, beautiful fresh flowers and eucalyptus.
Need Souvenirs?
At the market are plenty of vendors with Zagreb and Croatian souvenirs. We were advised not to barter for lower prices on the souvenirs since they are cheaper here than almost everywhere else, add most vendors will give you a good deal anyways! We bought a beautiful cloth from one vendor with hand stitched flowers for a great deal!