Marelica Art Latte

Superfood brunch right in the heart of the city

For the past few months, this brightly decorated bistro located in the very city centre, on the corner of the iconic century-old Stojsavljević building at 47 Petrinjska Street, has often been talked about in food articles. The large windows reveal its captivating ambiance, dominated by a palette of pastel colours and walls painted with motifs of birds-of-paradise and lush vegetation, while the retro floor with black and white squares and details of apricots on branches add up to this warm feeling that takes you somewhere to the dear past. The tables are decorated with brightly coloured flowers, fashion magazines and books about coffee and cities around the world... This refined and laid-back atmosphere does not come as a surprise, considering that the owner is a once very successful photo model Adnan Taletović, whose life path, and the fact that he worked for renowned fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld was closely linked to the world of aesthetics. The bistro can accommodate about 45 people, and it is often full during the city's busy hours. Customer service is pleasant and prompt, considering that all the tables are near the long central bar.

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What is served

Marelica is a brunch bistro, cafe bar and tea house, all in one. The breakfast is served from 9 am, followed by brunch and lunch offer, depending on when you stop by, and the menu is inspired by healthy choices - so ‘superfood’ fans will definitely feel at home here. From their large selection, we have to mention the super popular avocado toast, poached eggs or mixed salad with smoked salmon or chicken, quesadillas in chicken or vegetarian versions; there is also granola, oatmeal, fruit plates, chia pudding… everything can be additionally ‘enhanced’ with a spoonful of one of the extras such as acai berries, ashwagandha, ginseng, turmeric, etc.

At 4 p.m. it’s time for tea. You can order and enjoy a selection of soft salmon, chicken, or avocado tramezzini, mini tarts in various flavours, organic teas or coffee, or sparkling Mimosas and Bellinis, if you want to break the tension a little :)

There is also a rich selection of desserts dominated by chocolate, both dark and white, in various forms such as Ferrero cake, pistachio and white chocolate cake, or chocolate truffles with amaretto, but also classics such as cheesecake or chestnut cake. The drink selection is equally dynamic and includes a large selection of coffee, which they are very proud of, as well as fine Japanese and Chinese teas, green, white, matcha teas and various blends, as well as natural juices and smoothies. A concise but varied selection of Croatian and international wines is also available, several of which are poured open, including good-quality champagne, as well as a list of cocktails, with or without alcohol.

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What our chefs had

We arrived early, in the mood for breakfast, so we couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to try their acclaimed Eggs Benedict. We opted for the smoked salmon version and it was a winning choice: we got a perfectly seasoned fresh leafy salad served on warm bread topped with slices of brightly coloured salmon and a perfectly poached egg that we immediately cut into to take a good video of the warm yolk stream.

The vegetarian quesadilla also caught our attention – the portion was generous, comprising a large crispy folded tortilla, richly filled with a creamy filling of roasted pumpkin, celery, onion and carrot, with a yogurt and mascarpone sauce, and a side of lamb’s lettuce.

The perfect ending to our meal was, of course, a soft apricot tart topped with a thick apricot sauce.

By the recommendation of the friendly staff, we also had a detox juice, made of celery, apple, lemon and spirulina, and it was the right call!

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