April 22, 2022 - Aa breakdown of the Split fast food scene with go-to tips for the best grilled chicken, ćevapi, burek, and sandwiches in the city.

Split like any city in Croatia has a lot of fast food places that serve street food and are adored by both the locals and the foreigners. But still, I have this thesis that Splićani have a unique relationship with their fast foods.

People from Split aka Splićani adore food but are always in a hurry since they try to fit 15 hours in a 12-hour day. So it is not a coincidence that this form of food preparation is very common in our everyday life.  There is a rumour that once you cross the Sveti Rok tunnel, you cannot order a boiled egg as a topping in most fast food places. I cannot imagine a world without boiled eggs as a topping. 

I will try to divide the Split fast food scene into the following categories: best grilled chicken, best čevapi, best burek, and best sandwich since these are the most preferred meals.

Best grilled chicken

This meal is extremely popular in Split, and it is usually less frequent in other parts of the country. You get a flatbread or tortilla with grilled chicken fillet in it and you choose the toppings (vegetables, sauces, etc.). This quick and tasty meal is best at Kaleta, Šešula, Ježurko and Bili Pivac. Kaleta is plain and simple but certainly one of the most popular ones, because of their freshly baked flatbreads and perfectly seasoned chicken.  Šešula offers some innovative combinations such as chicken and shrimps, chicken with prosciutto and Parmigiano, and chicken with asparagus and bacon, all served inside a flatbread. Ježurko is famed for its "čarobna" (translates into magical) which is deep-fried chicken breast filled with cheese and ham served in a bread bun. And last but not least is Bili Pivac, which is not technically in Split but on the outskirts of it, in the suburb of Strožanac. Bili Pivac offers 8 different chicken dishes called “Travel around the world in 8 chicken sandwiches” which include Italiano, Americano, Curry, Mexican fire, Dalmatinac, Gyros, Slavonac, and Gorgonzola. The fact that Splićani travel outside of the city just to eat their chicken speaks volumes about them.

Best ćevapi

Ćevapi is a traditional grilled meat dish that originates from Bosnia and Herzegovina but is widely represented across the Balkan region. Ćevap is grilled minced meat rolled like a small sausage and it is served inside a flatbread with toppings which include “ajvar” (roasted pepper and eggplant spread),  “kajmak” (clotted cream-like product), and onions. It is worth mentioning that Ćevapi are usually served in sit-down restaurants, but in Split, they are often eaten on the go.

The best čevapi in Split are the following Gyros, Densi, Ba!će, Lozo, and Kantun Paulina. Everyone in Split has their favourite place to eat čevapi and each one has its own style so I would simply recommend trying them all.

Best burek

Burek is a traditional dish originating from Turkey, but again very popular in Croatia. It is a savory pastry filled with cheese, meat, and other combinations. We can distinguish between two types of burek, the traditional one baked in a round baking tin and cut into triangles and the other one which is rolled in a spiral and more commonly called pita. The triangle one can be found in every bakery as part of their usual offering but there is also ST-Burek which is specialized in burek. On the other hand, Burek Pita Jelo and Moja jedina Pita are specialized in making spiral burek and they offer a larger variety of fillings besides the regular meat and cheese, such as pumpkin, leeks, spinach, and other combinations.

Best sandwich

I don't know if this is a thing in other parts of Croatia or in other parts of the world, but Splićani have a love for sandwiches. Every fast food in Split has a sandwich as part of its offer and it is usually the most modest meal but at the same time one of the most popular, especially among the younger generation. In Split, a sandwich is called "topli" which translates to warm, but it is actually a toasted sandwich with ham, cheese, and toppings. I would recommend Loza, Medeni, Popaj, and Sedmica for this type of fast food.

The absolute king of un-toasted freshly made sandwiches is Rizzo sandwich bar. Rizzo deserves a special sub-category among sandwiches since it is praised for its freshly baked bread and aa delicious variety of ingredients.

Needless to say, the Split fast food scene is very specific since every food facility that offers the aforementioned meals is considered fast food and there is simply a bunch of those. Fast foods are changing as time goes by, but these meals are sure to stay for a long time while offering fast, simple, and on-the-go meals for locals as well as tourists. 

Locations:

Pizzeria Kaleta Ul. Zrinsko Frankopanska 9

Bili Pivac (Jurasova ul. 970, 21312 Podstrana)

Fast Food Šešula (Paraćeva 19)

Fast Food Ježurko (Ul. Domovinskog rata 66)

Gyros travnički ćevap (Ul. Domovinskog rata 57)

Fast Food Den-si (https://goo.gl/maps/sawiVR3oFNb4hAjk6)

Ba!će (Križeva ulica 1)

Fast Food Lozo (Vukovarska ul. 48)

Kantun Paulina (Matošića ul. 1)

ST-Burek (Domaldova ul. 13) 

Burek Pita Jelo (Put Plokita 87)

Moja jedina Pita  (Ul. Tolstojeva 32)

Fast Food Medeni (multiple locations)

Fast Food Popaj (multiple locations)

Fast Food Best - Sedmica (Domovinskog rata 22)

Rizzo sandwich bar  (multiple locations)

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

July 13, 2020 - In their first venture to the Croatian coast, Rešetka's summer menu brings fine-dining quality to seaside streets in 2020

Sometimes you just want a burger, a sandwich, or something you can just eat from your hands. But, just because you haven't got the time or can't be bothered with the faff of fine dining, that doesn't mean you're volunteering for a drastic drop in quality.

That's where Rešetka comes in. Street food providers renowned for sourcing and selling only quality meats, the grill specialists have been a highlight of Zagreb Burger Fest and several pop-ups in recent times. This summer, the experience that has won over the Croatian capital's burger connoisseurs can be found instead along the coast.

Rešetka owner Nikola Božić has embarked on the summer venture with chef Katarina Vrenc. You'll be able to find their new concept 'Fine Street Food by Reshetka & Katarina Vrenc' at several pop-up locations along the Adriatic this summer. They'll be visiting Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia, including the islands of Cres and Pag.


Rešetka and Đurina Hiža are renowned for using only high quality, locally sourced produce within their dishes including, this year, beef from a hybrid of Japan's famed wagyu and Holstein, sourced from the first range herd of its kind in Croatia © Rešetka

With a commitment to cooking only with high quality, locally sourced produce and ingredients, the team is known to use premium meats and seafood for their dishes. This year they will offer beef from a hybrid of Japan's famed wagyu and Holstein, sourced from the first range herd of its kind in Croatia. Within a summer menu that combines the best of continental and coastal Croatian ingredients, you'll also find superior snacks such as rich pork belly paired with octopus.

Nikola Božić is also the proprietor of Đurina Hiža near Varaždinske Toplice. As recently covered in TCN, thanks to some quick and positive thinking, though the restaurant closed for a while in the Coronavirus lockdown, Nikola was able to adapt his business in order to remain successful during the period; relying on high quality, locally sourced ingredients, he became a bridge between the small producers he'd spent time finding, and those shopping online from their homes. Their 'Deda Goes Around the World' service delivered meats and other produce throughout Croatia during the restaurant's temporary closure.

If you're planning to visit Dubrovnik, Biograd, Pula, Premantura or Split this summer and can't face another pizza slice, kebab or burger of questionable origin, be sure to look out for the Rešetka logo. Fine Street Food by Reshetka & Katarina Vrenc will visit Plavica Bar on island Cres on 7 & 8 August and the Michelin-starred Boškinac on Pag in the middle of September. Further inland, they'll also be available at the High Grounds Festival in Varaždinske Toplice on 31 July, 1 & 2 August. Grab yourself a handful of delicious food and pick a spot to watch the stunning Croatian sunset, the Adriatic coast and its breathtaking backdrop has long been lacking exactly this standard of street food to accompany.


© Rešetka

This week has entered the last week of Gourmet Split 2016 at Kino Bačvice, making it your last chance to check out what the party organizers have prepared for street food, live music, and affordable drinks. This second edition has really taken off to be a hit, with the new location proving to be a guaranteed success.

Due to the extremely odd and windy weather conditions we experienced in Split yesterday, The Gourmet Street Food Festival that was set to take place yesterday has been moved to today.