Must Try

Croatian cuisine is defined by region, with culinary surprises down each road, through every channel, and around all ancient villages.

Inspired by age-old customs, local ingredients, and thousands of grandmothers’ tales, Croatian food feeds the soul. While it doesn’t pack the punch of other international cuisines, it is perfumed by garlic cloves, enriched by the pureness of olive oil, and thrives off simplicity. Few ingredients transform into wholesome fare that mirrors the authenticity and antiquity of the destination, allowing your palate to sing praise as each bite nourishes your heart. From the heavier eats of the east to the delicate and decadent dishes of Dalmatia, Croatian cuisine is best enjoyed ubiquitously, but these are some of our must-try meals.

Octopus salad

A refreshing summertime seafood treat, tender octopus tentacles are mixed with boiled potatoes, crunchy red onion, fresh cherry tomatoes, and capers, then dressed in a generous amount of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon for an explosion of tang and texture. And the best part? You’ll be hard-pressed to find two octopus salads the same.

Gregada

Considered one of the oldest ways to prepare fish in Dalmatia, gregada is an unassuming fish stew and a favourite of Dalmatian fishermen - and it is not hard to see why. Gregada is an uncomplicated dish that calls for the ingredients every islander has on hand - fresh white fish, potatoes, garlic, onion, white wine, and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and bay leaves, and you’ve got yourself a cherished Hvar summer lunch. Black risotto: This cuttlefish creation is hard to miss on your Dalmatian sailing holiday. Blackened thanks to this sea creature’s ink, this aromatic and silky risotto is given an extra kick thanks to prosek, a sweet wine from Dalmatia using sun-dried grapes. We believe this rich dish can be devoured for lunch or dinner, so long as you don’t mind a tinted tongue.

Pasticada

The king of Dalmatian cuisine is a vinegary, slow-cooked meat dish named pasticada. One of the true culinary connoisseurs of the region, pasticada is a generational gem - and your grandmother’s grandmother surely made it the best. Marinated in herbs and vinegar before it is browned and stewed for hours in dried prunes, cloves, nutmeg, and prosek, this full-bodied dish is best served with perfectly plump pillows of homemade gnocchi.

Peka

Because you haven’t really experienced Croatia’s coast until you’ve pre-ordered a peka. Prepared using a cast-iron ‘bell,’ anything from lamb and veal to chicken and octopus can be cooked thanks to this rustic roasting method, which results in flavourful, mouth-watering meat, potatoes, and veggies where all of your senses can appreciate the hours of preparation. Stuffed peppers: You know it’s summertime when the smell of stuffed peppers fills the air. This fragrant minced-meat-and-rice-filled pepper dish drowns in an intoxicatingly tasty tomato base, simmering until the texture of the pepper softens just enough for you to smother it over a bed of piping hot mashed potatoes. The ultimate summer comfort food.

Fuzi with truffles

If your sailing holiday begins in Croatia’s northern region of Istria, there is one dish you absolutely cannot miss - traditional Istrian fuzi pasta with truffles. Not only is Istria Croatia’s truffle region, but it is the foodie capital of the country, and this unique-shaped pasta dish is Istria’s culinary queen thanks to these locally sourced edible fungi.

Brujet

Whether you call it brujet, brudet, or brodet, there is no doubt this seafood speciality is a coastal classic. A fish stew that uses a variety of seafood, so long as it is freshly caught that day, gains its intense flavour thanks to the fruits of the sea, then enhanced by tomatoes, onions, and, of course, garlic and olive oil. Commonly doused over polenta to ensure no sip of sauce is left behind, this rustic stew is a hit all along Croatia’s coastline.

Buzara

The best way to enjoy Adriatic scampi or mussels is by basking in the beauty of buzara sauce. Whether you choose a tomato-based buzara or white wine and parsley, this speciality allows your seafood to swim. Best accompanied by crusty bread, buzara is not one for those looking to keep their hands clean.

Grilled fish

No meal on Croatia’s coast is complete without perhaps the simplest of them all. Thanks to the Adriatic Sea abounding in fish, you get to enjoy the freshest catch prepared in a way that allows you to experience it in its purest form, only complemented by what coastal Croats know how to do best - dress it in garlic and olive oil. Make sure you have bread by your side to soak up all the best bits of this garlic-infused grilled olive oil, and you’ve got yourself one of Croatia’s most-cherished meals.

Sailing and Gastronomy, a Perfect Pair Sailing Croatia’s coast really is the best way to not only experience Croatia but also to go on a Gastronomy Odyssey.

At Yachting in Croatia, we are particularly passionate about food and sailing which is why we even have sailing tours and itineraries dedicated to doing exactly this. Visit our website and let’s start planning your perfect gastronomy sailing tour today.