Coffee to Croatians is important. No, seriously, really important.
Coffee in Croatia is more than just a quick caffeine fix; it’s a vital part of the daily culture and social scene. Understanding this can transform your experience in Croatian cafes, turning a simple drink order into an opportunity to engage with locals and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere.
In this guide, we’ll delve into the nuances of Croatian coffee culture and offer practical advice for both coffee lovers and tea drinkers to navigate the café scene like a local. Here is your guide to coffee in Croatia (plus tips for tea lovers too).
Coffee to Croatians is essential. Whether it be an espresso from a coffee bar or Croatian coffee cooked on the stovetop at home, an excellent, strong coffee is critical to a Croatian’s existence. You have no idea how big a cup of joe can be until you’re in Croatia. As one of my favorite expat bloggers, Zablogreb says,
Croatians love coffee, but more than that, coffee in Croatia is where everything gets done. It’s where friends meet, where deals are made, how favors are asked, how people are hired, fired, introduced, married, divorced, everything. Everything involves coffee.
A while back, I wrote about some basic Croatian phrases that will help you while on holiday. I also wrote a very popular piece about swearing like a Croatian, but this coffee ordering guide is by far more important… trust me!
Given that coffee has such a significant role in Croatian culture, I feel it is my duty to help you – the traveler – find your way through the coffee-ordering scene.
Skip Ahead To My Advice Here!
Coffee In Croatia: What Type Of Coffee Should You Order?
First things first, you should know that the Croatian word for coffee is kava. Sometimes, it is heard as kavu or kave due to the sophisticated use of cases and plurals in the Croatian language.
Before you get to ordering a coffee, I suggest you follow your nose, determine where the best coffee aroma comes from, and check out how busy the coffee bar is. If the coffee aroma tickles your sense of smell and the coffee bar has several patrons, you’re in the right place for excellent Croatian coffee.
The next step is to work out the type of coffee you want:
| Your Preference | Drink Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| You like lots of milk | Bijela kava | A simple white coffee (kind of like a latte) made with an espresso shot and lots of warm milk. This is the biggest coffee you can order in Croatia. |
| You like milk, but not a full glass | Veliki Macchiato | A shot of espresso with about 1/4 cup of warm foamy milk. |
| You like a small, strong coffee with a dash of milk | Macchiato | A shot of espresso with the tiniest splash of warm, foamy milk. |
| You like low-fat milk | N/A | Too bad milk is milk, and there are no skinny, low-fat, two percent, or added calcium options—just regular whole-fat milk. Never fear; you are on holiday, and a little extra fat won’t kill you. |
| You prefer a small, strong coffee | Espresso | Just a shot of coffee to get your coffee fix. |
| You hate coffee | Tea or other drinks | Perhaps you’d like to order a cup of tea. There are all kinds of herb and regular teas on offer. Other options include juice, water, soft drinks, and also a drink called cedevita, a Croatian drink in powder form you add water to, available in various flavors. |
| You prefer tea | Čaj | Ask for Čaj. Not to be confused with a chai latte. |
| You need caffeine-free coffee | Bez kofeina kava | Really? Why do you bother? Your chances of finding this outside of big touristy areas like Dubrovnik are low. If you do, I’ll make a list for those who like to pretend to drink coffee. |
| Instant coffee | Nescafe | Weirdly, some Croatians prefer a cup of instant coffee (someone, please explain to me why!). If this is you, just order a Nescafe. |
| You love lots of whipped cream, syrup, sprinkles, and other additives | Kava sa slagom | But if you want those giant creamy drinks with syrup and sprinkles, you’re out of luck in Croatia. You will find kava sa slagom, a white coffee with a glob of cream on top. |
| You like filtered coffee | N/A | In this case, enjoy your last cup before you travel to Croatia and be prepared for some new coffee adventures. |
| Free refills | N/A | These do not exist in Croatia. However, coffee is affordable, ranging from 1.5 euros in small villages to 3.5 euros in touristy areas, so you can treat yourself to another cup if you wish. |
Brands We Use And Trust
Who Is Paying For This Coffee
If you are invited to a coffee bar by a Croatian, you are forbidden to pay. Try to offer, but your hand will be slapped back.
Buy Croatian Coffee
Are you returning from a trip (or miss home) and want some Croatian coffee? Here are our top picks for Croatian coffee + coffee pots.
Croatian Coffee Chronicles: Sip, Savor, and Smile
- Let’s talk H2O. In Croatia, the tap water is as safe as a goalie’s hands in a penalty shootout. And guess what? It’s free! Forget about splurging on the bottled stuff unless you’re collecting fancy labels. A glass of the tap will do just fine, and your wallet will thank you
- Sweet tooth? Sugar packets, locally known as šećer, are a mainstay on Croatian café tables. They’re not trying to sugar-coat anything; it’s just plain old white sugar, no frills attached. So go ahead, tear open a packet or two, and sweeten your brew to taste
- Café culture here is not a grab ‘n’ go business. It’s more of a sit-back-and-let-the-world-drift-by kind of vibe. Croatians cherish their coffee time, so much so that ‘to-go’ cups are as rare as finding a unicorn at the beach. If you’re in a hurry and ask for a “za van” (that’s a ‘takeaway’), prepare for some raised eyebrows or a quest for a paper cup that might just not exist
Best Cafes In Zagreb
Here is a list of the recommended cafés in Zagreb, along with the reasons I recommended them:
- Botaničar: Recommended for its bohemian atmosphere, greenery, and cocktails
- Caffé Bar Finjak: Instagrammable décor and comfortable courtyard seating
- Divas Café Bar: Offers an elegant, artistic setting and good coffee
- Café u Dvoristu: Stands out for its arty vibe, Cogito Coffee, and secluded courtyard seating
- Booksa: A literary club and café with a laid-back atmosphere and regular community events
- Monocycle Specialty Coffee: A popular choice for coffee enthusiasts interested in manual brews and African and South American roasts
- Velvet: An upscale café known for its cakes, vintage decor, and quiet courtyard
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Best Cafes In Split
Here are my recommended cafes in Split:
- B7: Best cakes and coffee combo + Riva views
- D16: A cool cafe with two branches in Split, serving coffee made with high-quality arabica beans
- Kava2: A favorite coffee shop in Split, known for its peanut cream croissants and aesthetic, offering various coffee blends
- The Daltonist: A cafe/bar with a chill vibe, offering specialty coffee, brunch options, and pop-up events
- 4coffee Soul Food: A small coffee window with quality coffee and baked goods
- KaKantun: A hidden gem in Split’s Old Town, serving excellent coffee, including cold brew and matcha options, as well as being a gin bar
- Restoran Vidilica: Offers scenic views of Split
- Jadran Beach Bar: Provides scenic views of Split
- ZONA: Offers nice views
- Kavana Procaffe: Known for its cakes and provides nice views
So, what coffee in Croatia will you order?
- Best Restaurants In Croatia
- Easter In Croatia – Traditions & What To Eat
- You Can’t Do, Say Or Eat That In Croatia
- Top Wines & Wineries In Croatia
- Check Out These Bars In Dubrovnik
- Best Places To Eat & Get Coffee In Split
- Our Favorite Travel Coffee Makers
- Is Croatia Safe To Travel? Helpful Safety Tips
You left out the part where if you are invited for coffee, you are forbidden to pay.
Ohhhh yes… I am going to add that now. See I am so Croat now I forgot :P Thanks John.
depends on region or town ur in it.
And coming from America, one has to bring a stash of Starbucks instant coffee Via packets when feeling homesick.. ; )
Why? I’m Canadian, coffee in Croatia is much better than either Starbucks or Tim Horton’s. I don’t even like espresso much, but find the coffee in Croatia excellent.
I agree.. but some cafe’s aren’t open early.. it’s that easy going feeling when they decide they will open when they feel like it..”Malo po malo” ; )
^^^ yeah Chip what Brenda said. What is in that stuff that is so addictive?
What is early? I’ve had coffee at 7am, no problem in many places in Croatia.
@ Chasing the donkey, very high levels of caffeine and great marketing.
^^^ yeah Chasing the donkey what Brenda Kusan said! ; )
We have stores here too, where you can buy coffee and make it yourself :P
just an FYI – every bar in Dubrovnik has decaf coffee, and yes you are so right about the take-away! I carried my own cup to work and waiters looked at me like I was an idiot until they got used too it. Filter coffee – yes, none of that here maybe just on buffet breakfasts in hotels. And Nescafe? yes, people order that but usually vanilla or chocolate tasting one – i order it when ‘Im hungry since one cup of vanilla nes has calories like a whole meal ( around 500 LOL) :)
Okay that is true very touristy areas have it, I’ll make a little amendment. Thanks Vesna.
Really it has that many calories? I know a Croat who orders just regular nescafe as he says its better than espresso… I think he needs his tastebuds checked :P
Like decaf coffee, every coffee bar in Croatia also serves coffee with whipped cream, (kava sa šlagom) and nescafe isn’t tehnically instant coffee (it’s more like a flavoured cappucino)
A little cream on top of a coffee is not what I mean. I am talking about these babies and drinks like it from Starbucks and similar chains. And nescafe is instant. You rip open the packet, add hot water and have an… instant coffee. Also, I think maybe a little of my tounge-in-cheek-humour may be lost in translation if you are not used to my writing:D
Would have loved this post 6 months ago before I went to Cro hahaha
I must be honest, here in Melbourne we are VERY spoilt for coffee choice and quality, so we found the coffee in Cro really disappointing
Ohhhhh no! Yes, Melbourne does have damn good coffee!
I’m pretty sure my body 50% coffee at this point. That sounds great!
Wherever I went, I always got a generous portion of šlag in my bila kava.
Okay sure there is kava sa slagom, but its not like this. I added kava sa slagom as an option but its hardly the same.
You forgot about Cappuccino (kapućino).
It is espresso with lots of milk foam.
If it is a good one jour shugar should stay on top of the foam few seconds before it sinks in ;)
Ahhh yeahhh damn, how did I miss that? I’ll add it soon. Hvala Šime
I know you can’t find froo-froo drinks over there. Or those odd coffee’s.
Thanks for the tips (and humor) about coffee in Croatia. I love trying coffee everywhere I travel.
Thank you for writing this, there is nothing worse than going to a place where you don’t speak the local language and can’t even order a simple cup of coffee.
Having a cup of coffee in Europe is a culture, indeed. You can’t just sip it on your way to the subway station from a styrofoam cup, like here, in the States. Unfortunately I am not a coffee drinker, although I adore the taste and the smell. I am an insomniac…
My dinner tonight was coffee and ice cream…I miss my veliki macchiato
Thats my poison of choice too!
So interesting! I’m one of those usually searching caffeine free coffee, because I love the taste (and smell!) of coffee but cannot sleep after that… If I go to Croatia I guess I will just drink it in the morning or order tea :)
By the way, the cup of coffee art is so cuuute!
This is a great guide! I love visiting places with a relaxed coffee culture.
Oh how I love a good cup of coffee, and we sure did try our fare share while in Croatia. I wish I’d had this list then…but there will be another trip so I’ll be ready!
REAL coffee, this is such a great guide! I love the culture based around cafes in various parts of the world! :)
Instant coffee is insanely popular in Korea too! I really don’t get it! It’s like coffee flavored (and crazy sweet) water !
So is Thai coffee! You can get these packets that have coffee, creamer and sugar. All you do is add hot water. Way too sweet for me! Plus, there is no telling what chemicals are in the creamer. When you go to the market there are hundreds of brands and flavors to choose from.
Coffee – an important daily ritual :)
One of our guides in Croatia told us she felt guilty if she didn’t stop at least once a day to drink a coffee somewhere. How amazing is that? We looove coffee and it was one of the thing we enjoyed the most while visiting the country.
And you’re right: don’t try to pay for the coffee if you’re invited by a Croatian!
What a helpful post! The cedevita drink sounds interesting
Veliki Macchiato please. Croatia sounds like my kind of place. But the question is, is it *good* coffee?
Yes Mama it is. Of course you come across a bad one here and there, but overall – YUM!
May be I’ll just stick to water – although the Nescafe sounds good,
One of my abiding memories of last year’s wonderful visit was my first morning in a bar on the waterfront at Šibenik , sipping macchiatos and eating warm ‘fritules’ – and it (the trip) just kept getting better from that moment onwards!! ;)
Živjeli.
Ahhh yes, that certainly sounds like a super start to a super trip!
I think the ability to acquire coffee is a travel essential – I mean, how can I expected to do anything else if I don’t have caffeine?
So filter coffee is what we think of as coffee in the US, right?
Cool post! I’m always up for coffee, wherever I go. I hope that I can one day go to Croatia to put this post to good use :)
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to coffee so great guide. Really useful for traveling through the country.
There is one more quite usual kind of coffee, mostly in continental Croatia – longer or extended coffee (produžena kava). It’s actually espresso but with more water, as the amount of macchiato, for example (also, in continental part we usually don’t call it macchiato but coffee with milk).
Btw, great article! :)
Ahhh cool, I never knew that. Thanks Nandino.
its just more coffie not more water in it,even tho,every coffie comes from water :)
Okay, here’s my opinion. The coffee part is fine. Usually fairly good, I guess it depends on who is extracting it and if they know what they’re doing. The bit I cannot stand is that they all seem to use long life milk (trajna). Ugh! The taste is so pronounced. I am a flat white kind of girl so I tried getting the veliki makiato but the UHT taste was too much.
Seriously it’s one of the things I love about living in Sydney. You can go almost anywhere and get a decent coffee!
Yeah now you mention it they all do – I wonder why? I can’t tell the taste difference though.
And make sure when you go for a coffee that you stay at least 2h cause drinking coffee is a ritual in Croatia ( called KAFENISANJE or ISPIJANJE KAVE)
And there’s also a tipe of VELIKI MACCHIATO called HLADNI – it’s a latte (1/4 cup of COLD milk)… That’s my favorite one cause i cant stand the warm milk in a coffee :)
EWwwwwwww I hate cold milk coffees. Hot all the way – thanks for the tip Manuela.
Veliki ,doesnt need to be with cold milk,you can also drink it with warm milf,like most of plp.
“Too bad, milk is milk, and there are no skinny, low-fat, two prevent** or added calcium options. ”
Percent**?
Great article, I look forward to trying this sometime.
Thanks for the correction Caro – I type too fast and don’t edit enough :) I hope you get to come and try it all for yourself soon.
(Sigh) the reason some of us ‘bother’ with decaf is because we like a)the taste of coffee b) the social aspect c) having a cafe stop on our travels and d) caffeine in regular shots, sends us hey-wire. Yes, I also wish it wasn’t so, by it is… So I deal with it by drinking decaf – but there’s ALWAYS people who a)make assumptions b) make negative comments or c) have the worst decaf on the planet. In Italy, no one bats an eyelid at decaf requests, and they taste superb..
I did a coffee detox for two months ( almost died, not sure why I did it). But with the trip to Croatia looming I decided to start it again as I could not imagine sitting on Riva and enjoying the view I the morning without a cup of coffee.
GASP>>> I WOULD DIE!!
Idemo na kavu? DA!!!
We go straight to the Cafe for coffee in the morning, this is after coffee at home. Then we head to the fresh market, bakery and grocery. Then back to the cafe to have another coffee and home to cook lunch. After lunch, a nap then coffee with a little something bought at the bakery when we bought fresh bread in the morning. Afterwards, on to the beach till 8pm. Then dinner and back to the cafes and bars for some fun. I love my summers in Hrvatska!
This is all so very true. Suits me perfectly
I learnt very quickly to ask for my coffee hot !
Oh yes! Toplo!
I can’t drink cold coffee but that’s how it’s served ! Toplo indeed !
Lots of coffee….I like Bijelu Kavu….better for my stomach
Coffee is almost always very small though, maybe 3 sips. Don’t know where or how to get a decent mug full.
I landed last night after two weeks there (I was there ~6 weeks a couple of years ago) and my first sip of coffee here in Texas this morning made me burst into tears. I missed “my” coffee — but just tasting it broke my heart and made me want to zip my still-packed suitcase up again and head straight back to the airport. I’m a mess today and coffee is to blame. Tonight it’ll be the grocery store, or the fact it’s 100ºF+ outside and I can’t walk without dying of heat stroke, or or or… I’m permanently split in two, you see. But I agree that mastering coffee-ordering is a necessary skill. It helps tremendously.
I actually have been having very little problems with finding decaf coffee in Croatia…in Zadar, Split & Dubrovnik about 1 out of 3 cafes had it. I really enjoy your blog, but find it a bit rude to insult people who drink decaf and say they pretend to like coffee. I would say the reverse actually. Many people that drink coffee aren’t aficionados or don’t appreciate it, they just want the caffeine boost. I am unfortunately unlucky enough to love coffee but have a heart condition that makes me extremely sensitive to caffeine. Because I am a coffee lover, I have had to make the switch to decaf, even though its never as good as all the regular beans and brewing styles. What I would do to be able to drink a nice cold brew! But unless I want to give myself a borderline heart attack, I can’t enjoy regular coffee. You don’t know everyone’s situation or reasons for decaf. Also, pregnant women can’t have caffeine. So maybe before you insult people you should consider that you may not understand the reasons for certain things. I have very much enjoyed reading your blog until coming across this post and your comments about decaf drinkers. Thanks for the other tips on local coffee.
Ohh dear decaf drinker – you sound stressed, my guess is you need a caffeine boost to cheer you up. My blog should not get you so damn riled up. Relax dude – remember that heart condition of yours.
Not every one who drinks decaffeinated coffee or tea does so by choice!!! Caffeine can be a stimulus for certain cardiac arrhythmias. Don’t be too harsh with your criticism!
*rolls eyes*
I am looking for a good ground decaffeinated coffee in Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia. Any suggestions? I can’t seem to find any kind of decaf in Montenegro.
I love coffee and can’t wait to visit Croatia year end!
Thank you for the tips :)
The people who pretend to drink coffee are the ones going to Starbucks ordering a monstrosity of chocolate, ridiculous flavors, sauces, etc. many Caffeine free drinkers are those who love coffee but may have medical issues that prevent them from drinking fully caffeinated coffee.