Specialty coffee in Croatia

Specialty coffee in Croatia began in Zagreb with Cogito Coffee, founded around 2010, in a country where coffee is a long, sit-down social ritual. Croatians traditionally drink coffee slowly and in company rather than to go, and when Cogito opened it was one of only two places in Zagreb serving quality coffee. Founded by Matija Belković, Hannah Powlison Belković and barista Matija Hrkać, it roasts its own coffee and has expanded to Zadar and Dubrovnik. In Split, Stow Coffee Roasters runs a specialty coffee shop.

Zagreb holds the largest group of cafés, and Split is the second centre, with two roasters. Along the coast, specialty coffee follows the tourist towns: Rovinj, Trogir, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Makarska, Rijeka and Zadar each have a café or two, and smaller places such as Bol, Lovran and Omiš appear too.

Roasters that shape Croatian specialty coffee include Cogito Coffee, Stow Coffee Roasters Split and kava². Expect espresso-based drinks as the everyday order, filter at the specialty bars and terraces made for long stays.