Bistroteka

Good morning my dear readers! I’m back to Helsinki and I’m already missing South Croatia’s warm weather and sunshine. It’s been really cold in Finland, -25°C to be more precise! I’m pretty much “surviving” my daily life by using the car and/ or by walking under the city through the underground tunnels. That’s the only way to stay warm-ish!

Looking back at my trip to Croatia, one of the highlights was def. my visit to Zagreb just a week before the Christmas. I’m very glad to present you a “must visit” gastro spot in the city and that is Bistroteka!

Bistroteka opened it’s doors for all the hungry foodies about a year ago. I have happened to be in Zagreb back then and that was the first time I have just “bumped” into a restaurant and decided to go in and test it out without previously researching/ reading reviews about it.

It happened to be a very pleasant surprise!! Interior was very industrial chic, the atmosphere was very warm and inviting and the food did not disappoint, in fact, it was that simple but so good that I had to write about this place and share a little story about how it came together.

Bistroteka is a breakfast-lunch-dinner spot, meaning that any time of the day, you’ll walk into a freshly prepared meal with products that are in season, local and bought every morning from the famous Farmer’s Market Dolac which is only 5 minutes walk from the restaurant. Tatjana, the main owner of this wonderful place, told us that the idea of Bistroteka has been on her mind for quite a long time. She used to ran a restaurant on the seaside, in the south of Croatia before but to make her life much easier by living in the capital city and being able to work throughout the whole year ( which is pretty much impossible in the south during the Fall/ Winter ), she had an idea of opening a Bistroteka in the heart of the capital city.

It took her almost two years to find a perfect spot, renovate and decorate it just the way she wanted. Zagreb is more and more becoming a European gastro destination and this lovely restaurant deserves to be put on your map if you happen to be visiting or plan to visit Zagreb.

Even though Tatjana has travelled the world and has dined at some of the best restaurants, she isn’t the main in charge when it comes to the culinary masterpieces that come out of the kitchen. The main chef has a big say in what goes on the daily changing menu and how the dishes are plated. Tanja has full trust in him but as a great and caring owner she does pre-talk everything with the rest of her team before any bigger decisions are made. For example, just when we were visiting, she was testing a possible new, refined version of their very popular carrot cake. 🙂

-chickpea, pumpkin, couscous and cabbage salad

-zuchinni patties with cannellini beans and watercress

-turkey with roasted carrots and broccoli

– chicken wings in sesame panko crust with marmalade and mustard dip

Bistroteka isn’t just a place to grab a morning smoothie, something warm and comforting from the daily changing menu but it’s also a place to just have a coffee, tea, some cake or even a glass of wine without feeling the pressure to order something to eat.

Come in at any time of the day and you’ll find the coolest and very stylish bunch of people, attentive and quick service and very delicious, mainly traditional dishes but with a modern, Bistroteka twist. 🙂

*This post has been made in collaboration with Bistroteka. All of the opinions are my own.

*Thank you Mrs. Tatjana for the warm welcome and for making this collaboration possible.

*Photography by: Natali K.photography