Mala riba

Located on Zagreb’s Jarun Lake, Mala Riba (Small Fish in English) is the Zagreb outpost of the well-known Kvarner restaurant of the same name. Though it has only been open for about a month, it’s already luring food lovers eager to enjoy fresh seafood and soak up the laid-back atmosphere by the so-called Zagreb Sea.

The restaurant is owned by a family that has been running the restaurant of the same name in Matulji on the Adriatic coast for many years, and that also has their own fleet of fishing boats, which certainly guarantees the regularity and freshness of the catch.

Mala Riba is located at a beautiful spot near the Jarun rowing path, in the place of a former very popular Leut tavern, in a wooden house with a terrace from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Jarun islets.

Mala Riba takes seafood seriously, and its bright, airy space — decorated in white tones, wooden furnishings, and plenty of nautical details — radiates charm and warmth. With such a cheerful atmosphere, we're confident this delightful restaurant will thrive in Zagreb's competitive dining scene.

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What is served

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The concept is simple: from the sea, fresh and delicious.

Under the guidance of renowned chef Zdravko Tomšić, the kitchen embraces a philosophy of simple, authentic dining. The menu begins with timeless classics like prosciutto and cheese, alongside a selection of mixed cold seafood appetizers.

Hot starters offer an array of tempting dishes, including fish soup, octopus or cuttlefish ragout, risottos with shrimp, prawns, or cuttlefish, as well as a variety of pastas and traditional tripe. Main courses offer a variety of fish by the kilo, grilled or baked, divided into three quality (and price) categories. There is also brudet, fish steaks, žgvacet, squid, as well as breaded hake, grilled shrimp or shrimp in buzara sauce. There are several side dishes that go great with seafood, such as chard with potatoes, grilled polenta and potato salad, and several salad options. For dessert, they offer a refreshing lemon sorbet, the praised Opatija brand Valle Losca ice cream, as well as various daily cakes. The wine list is not yet complete and the current, rather modest offer is still being developed, while the relatively generic offer of beer and spirits stands out with the Istrian craft beer San Servolo and the fine Istrian pelinkovac Epulon.

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What our chefs had

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After having a carafe of refreshing house sparkling wine, we started fresh and minimalist with a trio of cold appetizers, including sea bass carpaccio (which pairs up perfectly with a pinch of salt and a drop of fine oil offered at every table), then delicious white fish pâté and wonderful red mullet in sour marinade. We continued with pasta with black summer truffles, cooked perfectly al dente, with a beautiful balanced flavour which we would really like to try in a more decadent version, with more truffles, certainly of an Istrian white type.

There was no need to deliberate over the main course — their fritto misto is an absolute must. For good measure, we also ordered a rich octopus ragout with polenta, beautifully balanced and full of umami, with just the right touch of tomato.

The fritto misto was outstanding: incredibly fresh and made of scaldfish, shrimp, red mullet, and hake. Every bite was a joy.

To end on a sweet note, we opted for profiteroles filled with silky pastry cream and coated in white chocolate.

We lingered a while longer, soaking in the view of the lake, and enjoying the aromas, and the gentle hum around us.

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