Gluten-Free in Zagreb: Practical Tips for Eating Well

Gluten-free eating in Zagreb is doable, but it works best with a strategy. The city is great for markets and simple meals — and those are your safest anchors.

• “Bez glutena” = gluten-free.
• “Imam celijakiju” = I have celiac disease.
• “Može li bez kruha / bez brašna?” = Can it be without bread / without flour?
• “Molim bez kontaminacije” = Please avoid cross-contamination (useful, but not always guaranteed).

• Market fruit + simple snacks (Dolac and neighborhood markets).
• Egg-based breakfasts and salads (confirm sauces and bread).
• Grilled meat/fish with vegetables (confirm flour in sauces and frying surfaces).
• Dessert stops that clearly label gluten-free options (ask and verify).

Menus and practices change, so treat these as starting points and confirm your needs at the venue. Ask direct questions about ingredients and kitchen handling.

1. Morning: market browse → fruit/snack pickup → coffee sit.
2. Lunch: a simple grilled plate or salad-based meal (confirm ingredients).
3. Afternoon: parks loop → second coffee or a dessert stop (verify GF options).
4. Evening: one ‘safe’ dinner choice; keep it simple and repeat what worked.

• Eat a little earlier than peak dinner time so staff have more bandwidth for questions.
• Use markets and supermarkets as backup so you’re never ‘forced’ into a risky choice hungry.
• Save a couple of reliable spots in maps and repeat them — repetition is underrated on a short trip.