Zrno
Pioneer
As one of the longest-running bistros in Zagreb, this cozy restaurant is also one of the pioneers of ecological, organic and vegan cuisine in the city. Zrno is a sort of a sequel to the owner’s first restaurant, Nova, which nearly thirty years ago was shaking the prejudices of Zagreb's gourmands with their macrobiotic dishes, and where one of Zagreb's most famous chefs, Tvrtko Šakota, once worked.
Located in the city centre, in one of the romantic courtyards of the old Medulićeva Street, Zrno is an absolute internet star among younger and more environmentally conscious visitors to the city, as well as vegans and vegetarians, and has long held high positions on some of the renowned tourist and restaurant review sites. This is the result of their long-lasting high-quality standards that come from the fact that Zrno opened its doors only as an extension of the original guiding idea. That is, the Zrno team has been running a farm of organic products for thirty years, after which the opening of a bistro, where they would feed people with their food and promote eco values, was a natural course of things.
The restaurant can accommodate a significant number of people: about forty on a pleasant terrace with a pergola wrapped in vines, and about fifty people inside. The decoration is simple and unpretentious, the pleasant music is a finely chosen mix of soul and soft rock, and the service is cheerful and relaxed.
What is served
Everything in Zrno is prepared fresh and mostly from ingredients from their own farm. They are proud of their fruits, vegetables, grains such as rye and spelt, seitan and tofu as vegan protein sources, etc.
Along with classic local titles such as vegetable soup, homemade ajvar and homemade pickled vegetables, a large part of the menu is inspired by Asian cuisine, which traditionally combines many delicious vegan dishes. It includes miso soup, tahini, hummus, falafel, tofu dishes, udon noodles and wok vegetables, but also famous Western dishes such as Caesar salad, cordon bleu, brownies and crostata.
It is also important to note that they make six types of their own bread with homegrown yeast. Drinks include many hot beverages, both classic and with various flavours such as pumpkin spice or matcha latte, several high-quality teas, a selection of smoothies and shakes, and a selection of freshly squeezed juices, lemonade, kombucha drink, coconut water or biodynamically certified juices. For wine lovers there are also several organic Croatian wines, as well as a small selection of Croatian craft beers and ciders.
What our chefs had
We started our meal with their famous trio of spreads - home-made ajvar with a wonderful deep flavour, slightly spicy and beautifully balanced, excellent sesame-sprinkled hummus, and a creamy tofu spread that, with its umami and acidity, reminded us of the Greek taramasalata. This was followed by a delicious cloudy miso sesame soup, full of carrot sweetness and with layered flavours of dashi, miso and tofu. The small plate of mixed homemade pickled vegetables was excellent, comprising beets, cucumbers and chicory - which was a true surprise!
The main course was the dish of the day, an excellent seitan cordon bleu, stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and smoked tofu, with boiled vegetables, topped with bbq sauce with mustard and turmeric sauce. For a sweet finish, we chose a brownie with coffee, vanilla, barley malt and ice cream. We accompanied everything with excellent homemade lemonade with barley malt and ginger and ended with certified biodynamic Guatemalan coffee with oat milk.
