September 6, 2021 - Many things about the Croatian capital impressed Veronica Mulhall, the first Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador, including the food. Veronica shares her favourite finds from the vibrant Zagreb brunch scene.

Sometimes you need an excuse to hit the snooze button. It is my opinion that there is no better reason than brunch. In Zagreb, coffee culture is king, but these days the hipster newcomer concept of brunch, breakfast + lunch, is only a step behind for socializing, working, or simply easing into the day.

As a digital nomad, I have decided brunch is no longer reserved for the weekend, and Zagreb supplies my favorite meal in tall supply.

Whether you are looking for the perfect omelet or a healthy smoothie bowl, with downtown Zagreb’s rapidly expanding restaurant scene, the perfect brunch may very well be around the corner. Not in any ranking, here are my current top five:



(Photo courtesy of Melt Instagram)

1. Melt - Gelato & Brunch Bar

https://meltzagreb.com/
Radićeva ul. 3A, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Everything Instagram-able can be found here. While you could write a novel on their smoothie bowls, you would be limiting yourself to not try some of their more savory dishes, such as Ricotta & Roasted Tomato Toast. The solution: come with a friend and share. All pair excellently with their extensive coffee selection.


(Photo courtesy of Brunch. Google photos)

2. Brunch.

https://www.brunch.hr/
Teslina 12 and Petrova ul. 167, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

It is all in the name and there is nothing that is up for debate with Brunch. The outdoor seating at both locations has enough room to come with friends. It has a no-nonsense menu with a nice mix choices. Their breakfast burrito and power wrap are personal favorites. If you are feeling more decadent they have dishes such as crunchy chicken waffles and a pull duck burger to choose from.

(Photo courtesy of Otto & Frank Instagram)

3. Otto & Frank

https://www.otto-frank.com/
Ul. Ivana Tkalčića 20, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

If people-watching is your thing, then look no further than Otto & Frank on Ul. Ivana Tkalčića in the center of the action. This small and comfortable bar and bistro lives up to their claim of using fresh ingredients to create home meals with a modern twist. If you are new to town, the Zagrebački Doručak, or Zagreb breakfast, with crispy poached eggs is a meal you cannot miss. Breakfast is offered all day.

(Photo courtesy of EGGSPRESS Facebook)

4. EGGSPRESS

http://www.facebook.com/EggspressZg
Vlaška ul. 81a, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

A small stroll from the center, but as the name hints, it has the all-you-ever-need menu for great eggs every way you want it and even some ways you didn’t know you wanted, but you do. From killer omelets to poached eggs with homemade hollandaise sauce, this small spot is a top Zagreb contender for a perfect brunch. The downside? It does get crowded, but it is with the wait. As one reviewer stated, “eggcedes all eggspectations!”


(Photo courtesy of The Canopy Central Bistro and Bar, Canopy By Hilton Google photos)

5. The Canopy Central Bistro and Bar, Canopy By Hilton

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/zagzcpy-canopy-zagreb-city-centre
Ul. Kneza Branimira 29, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

If you are looking for a classy neighborhood vibe and want all the advantages of perfect internet and endless plug-in locations post food, Canopy By Hilton’s The Canopy Central Bistro and Bar is a great spot. They have an entire section on their menu dedicated to specialty coffee with items such as cold brew and hazelnut macchiatos, you can choose to come for the breakfast buffet with smoked salmon, bagels, or indulge their lunch menu with Caprese salad and beef tartare.

(Photo courtesy of Kai Street Food Instagram)

Bonus: Kai Street Food

https://m.facebook.com/kaistreetfoodbar/
Jurišićeva ul. 2A, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

While not technically a brunch place as it is only opening at noon, Kai Street Food is the best new fusion food spot in town opening only this year by a few friends, one who happens to be a chef, all with a passion for out of this world food. While the menu changes, if you get in soon the Katsu Sando is a chicken sandwich that is good enough to have been served at the last supper, and if you need an egg on that to call it brunch, negotiate.

Veronica Mulhall is a strategic marketer on a mission to connect people. When Veronica is not traveling and leading marketing and communications projects, she is a salsa dancing foodie on the hunt for the world’s undiscovered cultural adventures.

Veronica was the first Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassdor in July 2021. You can connect with her via www.veronicamulhall.com 

August 29, 2021 - There were plenty of pleasant Zagreb surprises for Veronica Mulhall during the stay in the Croatian capital as the first Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador in July. Her top 7. 

Before becoming a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador, I had researched to get a good idea of what my time in Croatia’s capital would be like, and yet when I arrived in Zagreb were still so many things that surprised me during my stay.

Zagreb is the type of city where it is helpful to have someone on the ground to give you the insider details you might not find on Google. I took the time to consolidate the top seven things for you that make Zagreb even more of a desirable place for a digital nomad to call home.

1. Dogs (and Cats) Rule Zagreb
People in Zagreb love their pets. I mean LOVE their pets. You can find countless cafes and bars that are dog-friendly and dogs are allowed at events, concerts, and festivals. There are even shops with dog-specific skincare products and doggie-vino. If you have ever thought, I want to travel but I can’t think to leave my fur-baby, worry no more, Zagreb is waiting for you.

2. Fantastic Wine Found
Whether you are going to a local bar, a friend’s wine cellar, or a wine vineyard within city limits, Zagreb surely delivers on high-quality wine offered at multiple price points in and around the city. Don’t bother with imported. The local wines have dramatically gone up in quality with this generation of Croatian winemakers and even the most discerning wine connoisseur will find bottles that make their pallet happy.

3. Everyone Speaks English
Croatia has been expanding its tourism advertising to Western countries over the last few years and Zagreb is well-prepared for English-speaking visitors. Not only do many people speak English fluently, but also many of the restaurant menus, movie theaters, and museums have English translations as well. 

4. Booming Art Scene
Zagreb dates back almost 1000 years and its art scene isn’t far behind. Even now, it seems to be going through its own mini-renaissance of street art, theater, music, art festivals, pop-ups and I even found salsa dance socials. Don’t miss the museums. Zagreb is known for its museums, including the Museum of Broken Relationships, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, and the Croatian Museum of Naive Art.

5. Stunning Architecture
While Zagreb is still restoring and rebuilding post the 2020 earthquake, many stunning buildings remain. By simply exploring the city center, you can find architecture from multiple periods of the city’s history including Neo-Baroque, Art Nouveau, modernist minimalism, brutalism, and more. 

6. Modern Fashion Meets 80s Throwbacks
While you don’t need to travel with a suitcase of formal attire, Zagreb locals know how to get dressed up for a night on the town. Don’t be surprised to see women wearing runway fashion down the street and, surprise, the 80s are in. Often people will mix and match with new styles and 80s vintage - bright colors, puff sleeves, you will see it all.

7. Parks and Green Spaces
Walk in any direction around Zagreb and you will hit a park in a matter of blocks. Walk north and you will find endless trails into the mountains. Streets are lined with old-growth trees and people’s patio gardens overflow off balconies. All the green almost makes you forget you are in a city; it is perfect.

If this all hasn’t already made you wonder why you are waiting to book your ticket and work as a digital nomad in Zagreb, the city is widely known for hospitality, spotless internet, and budget-friendly living. Looking forward to seeing you in the Zagreb digital nomad community sometime soon!

Veronica Mulhall is a strategic marketer on a mission to connect people. When Veronica is not traveling and leading marketing and communications projects, she is a salsa dancing foodie on the hunt for the world’s undiscovered cultural adventures.

Veronica was the Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador July 2021. You can connect with her via her website www.veronicamulhall.com

For more news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

August 3, 2021 - Veronica Mulhall's tenure as the Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador has come to an end. She caught up with TCN before her next challenge - climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. 

Tourism in Croatia is changing, albeit slowly. 

The shift to remote work is a small but rapidly growing factor in the lives of people these days. The freedom to travel the world as long as it fits in with the remote office timetable is a trend which is growing quickly. And one which Croatia is perfectly poised to take advantage of. 

The global PR generated from the Croatian digital nomad permit may not have been translated into approved permits just yet, but it has done an even more important job (at least in my opinion) of promoting Croatia as an exciting nomad destination. Nomads are by definition nomadic, and while many will in time take advantage of the 1-year permit, a far greater number will come and sample Croatia for 1-3 months. And the more information and feedback they have about the wonders of Croatia, the more likely they are to try. 

All this brings a new tourism niche which has never really existed in Croatia before - the workation (or should that be worcation?), an extended period of time in a destination where people can explore living in the destination rather than just visiting it. Rather than the 1-2 week traditonal vacation, how about a 30-day stay, combining work and play over a month?  Croatia has never marketed itself this way before, but it seems that there is a growing appetite for this type of stay if questions on nomad forums and social media are anything to go by. From my observations, the most common time period people are interested in nomading in Croatia initially is a month. 

And while there are currently lots of information options to discover a destination in 24, 36 and 72 hours, the concept of 30 days is relatively hard to find. As we learned from the Dubrovnik Digital Nomad-in-Residence programme, while many tourists think two days is enough the city, Beyond the Walls: 4 Weeks in Dubrovnik Not Enough, Say DNIR Digital Nomads.

The more the focus moves to longer stays, the more people will discover the charms of not just visiting a destination, but living in it.  The Dubrovnik nomads were really surprised at the wealth of options beyond the walls, and the more digital nomads I meet in Zagreb, the more I realise that the Croatian capital is an undiscovered jewel on the nomad trail. Having been involved in the organisation of last October's first digital nomad conference in Croatia, the DNIR programme, and now Zagreb Digital Nomad Week & Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador project, the feedback from our longer-staying  guests is all indicating that a huge change is coming. And a change for the better. The visa push might not have generated thousands of permits just yet (and I personally think that the process should be made simpler), but it has definitely contributed greatly to this growing interest of Croatia as a top nomad destination.

The Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador project followed on from Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, a chance for us to learn about Zagreb as a 30-day destination through the experiences of international nomads who were guests of the city for a one-month period. 

The first ambassador, Veronica Mulhall - together with her partner Julian - not only fell in love with the city and are now considering buying property here, but they will also be back for Advent. Veronica had a very active time here (and we will publish her Google Map of her Zagreb discoveries shortly), and she will be sending us a few pieces on her observations and experiences. But for now, here she is with her exit interview at Art Park Ribnjak, where she painted a mural as a momento of her time here. 

Veronica's partner Julian was also working remotely while here, and he was also kind enough to talk about his experiences, which you can see in the video below. In her short time here, she managed to discover parts of the city and things to do that I had no clue about. 

Veronica's last night included a handover to this month's ambassador, South African Rudi Witkowsky, who arrived on Sunday with his partner, Victoria. 

You can meet Rudi here, and if you are interested in connecting with him during his time in Zagreb, you can contact him via Instagram. 

Are you interested in becoming a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador? Find out how here.

For more information and features on digital noamds in Croatia, check out the dedicated TCN section. 

July 5, 2021 - Zagreb has its first digital nomad ambassador. A first interview with Veronica Mulhall, who will be resident in the Croatian capital for the month of July. 

After an inspiring 7 days during Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021, the second component of the project kicked off on July 1 with the arrival of the first winner of the Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project. Following on from the week, 6 digital nomads will be spending a calendar month in the capital until the end of the year and working with Zagreb Tourist Board in developing its digital nomad tourism strategy. 

The first winner, Veronica Mulhall from the USA, accompanied by her partner Julian, arrived on July 1, to take up residence at Doma Zagreb Aparthotel, as previously reported by TCN. Veronica was kind enough to find time for this email interview as she begins her month in Zagreb. 

1. First of all, congratulations on becoming the first Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador. Tell us a little about yourself so we can get to know you a little.

I am a strategic communicator on a mission to connect people. 

Personally, I am drawn to experiencing new things, taking adventures, and I have found a passion for travel because every time I go somewhere I learn something new about the place and about myself. 

I have visited over seventy countries and counting, always wanting to learn more about food system growth, art sector enhancement, and heritage site preservation. And, with all the travel, I ground myself in my yoga practice, creating my own art, and exploring the place and nature. 

As a marketing professional, I lead projects and programs for startups, social enterprises, NGOs, and development organizations in emerging markets. I currently work for a pan-African social enterprise within the African Leadership Group, guided by the mission to transform Africa by developing 3M ethical and entrepreneurial leaders by 2035.

2. How did you hear about the competition, and why did you decide to apply?

When I arrived in Croatia, I was searching online for coworking and found the competition on the Saltwater Nomads's website. When I noticed the location was Zagreb, I reflected on my own travel plans in Croatia. Originally, I was going to stay by the coast, like many tourists and digital nomads. Wondering if I was missing something by overlooking the capital, I was compelled to learn more about Zagreb.  

I was shocked at how I was drawn to the city. It felt so creative. The downtown appeared walkable and full of outdoor restaurants. There were many parks and green spaces. A few hours of researching later, I realized a had to take the chance and apply to the competition.  

3. Your reaction to being selected?

It was a combination of excitement, surprise, and gratitude. With all competitions, you never think you will be selected. I was overjoyed when I saw the email that I was selected for this amazing opportunity.

4. How well do you know Croatia and Zagreb in particular?

This trip is my first time in Croatia. As Croatia has become a popular destination, friends told me to visit, but recommendations were focused only on Croatia's (beautiful) coastline. I enjoy cities with history and charm, so when learned more about Zagreb, it immediately caught my attention. 

5. What excites you most about the month ahead?

There are so many things - the food, the museums, the history, the art, the parks - the list goes on. But, if I have to pick the one thing that excites me the most, it would be getting to know the people that call Zagreb home. 

(Doma Zagreb Aparthotel - 4-star luxury in central Zagreb)

6. Are there any particular activities in Zagreb that you would like to get involved in?

I'm currently in a Master's program for working professionals studying Art and Cultural Management. With this in mind, I see why Zegrab is getting more and more attention as a tourist destination and I am interested in learning more about the city's art and cultural planning and sustainable tourism efforts. Hopefully, I will be able to attend some of the events while I am here.

7. What are your expectations from the month, and what are you looking to get out of it?

Open to trying new things, I am looking to get out of my comfort zone. 

I want to get an insider look at some of the many hidden gems that make Zagreb special. So, I will need some local assistance. Readers: Do you have a favorite cafe? Can I come with you to a dance class? What about an outdoor concert? Know where to find the best gelato? Can you point me to a relaxing city park? 

Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or DM me on Instagram @veronicamulhall.

8. You obviously lead a nomadic life and are well-traveled. What makes Croatia an interesting digital nomad destination for you?

Croatia has the key elements many digital nomads look for when picking a destination: great places to work, affordable and diverse restaurants, rich history and culture, and outstanding nature. Even in the short time that I have been within the country, it is clear, from the thousands of islands to the waterfalls at Plitvice Lakes, the walls of Dubrovnik to the capital of Zagreb, the hype is well deserved.

Would you like to be a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador? Applications are open until November, with the last ambassador taking up residence on December 1. Find out more here.

For more on Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 & Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project, visit the Saltwater Nomads website.

For the latest news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

July 1, 2021 - The second component of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 & Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project begins today - welcome to our first ambassador, Veronica Mulhall. 

After an intense and stimulating 7 days of the inaugural Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, which covered 7 themes in 7 locations in 7 days, attention turns to the second part of the programme, as the Croatian capital prepares to welcome its first-ever digital nomad ambassador.

The Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project will run for an initial period of six months, from July 1 - December 31, 2021, with each calendar month hosting a new ambassador. Each ambassador will have a programme for the month, and the city will benefit from their insights and suggestions over the 6-month period, as the project explores digital nomad life in the city through the seasons. The project is a collaboration between Saltwater Nomads, Total Croatia News, and Zagreb Tourist Board, with accommodation support from Doma Zagreb Aparthotel. 

At the finale of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week (you can read some key takeaways here), the first ambassador was announced - Veronica Mulhall from the USA, but living in Africa. You can see Veronica's application video below.

Veronica was already in Croatia when she applied for the ambassadorship, having flown in from Senegal. She is Marketing Director for the African Leadership Group, and her goal is to visit every country in the world. She has a particular interest in national parks, cultural centres, and UNESCO World Heritage. As such, Veronica is clearly in the right country, as Croatia has no less than 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as countless intangible UNESCO heritage (you can find the full list here). 

Her undergraduate degree is in adventure education, and she has a certificate in community development focused on sustainable tourism. The deep-rooted passion to applying to be a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador is to show others that these lesser-known cities and destinations have so much to offer the world, so much rich history and culture.

Veronica will be arriving with her partner Julian, who is from Zimbabwe and the UK, and is traveling here from Ghana. They are an inter-racial couple who have already travelled in the region - Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia - as well as Africa, the US and Europe. Veronica has over 8 years of international living experience, while Julian has been a nomad for a year - his arrival will give Zagreb an additional DN perspective. 

Veronica is a fully remote worker and is an outdoor enthusiast and a huge foodie, so it sounds like she has found the right city to spend a month in.

(Doma Zagreb Aparthotel - 4-star luxury in central Zagreb)

The couple arrive tonight from the coast, and they will be hosted by project partner, Doma Zagreb Aparthotel, in the centre of the city.

TCN will be publishing an interview with Veronica shortly, and there will be more details of the programme and opportunities to connect published early next week. 

(The Doma Zagreb Aparthotel is located in central Zagreb, with offroad parking, just a few minutes walk from the main square)

Are you interested in being a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador? Learn more about the project - rolling applications are ongoing until November.

For the latest news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, visit the dedicated TCN section. 

You can follow Veronica Mulhall on Instagram or visit her website here.