10th Burger Festival Zagreb Opens!

September the 5th, 2025 – The 10th Burger Festival Zagreb has officially opened, inviting all lovers of this classic food to come and enjoy in the capital.

It’s hard to imagine a better return to the city than the aroma of freshly grilled burgers at Dr. Franjo Tuđman Square, where the 10th anniversary of the Zagreb Burger Festival kicked off on Thursday, September the 4th. Until September 14, this is a true paradise for foodies, with the enthusiasm of organisers and vendors quickly spreading to visitors eager for new experiences, socialising, and, of course, extraordinary flavours.

On the first day, we decided to sample something from each of the 16 stalls, starting with Mason Burgers & Stuff by Ivan Zidar. This pioneer of the Croatian burger scene once again proved he doesn’t follow trends—he sets them. The Mason 5th, Zidar’s latest creation, named after the fifth taste, umami, is set to represent Croatia at a European competition in Barcelona in November. It’s a true sensation, with juicy beef harmonised by koji barley, brown butter sauce, and shiitake mushrooms. Mason’s menu also includes the award-winning Špaleta and Smokey Dolac burgers, alongside the Dry Aged and Butter Burger, which wowed crowds at last year’s Fooling Around event.

Next up was Bold, which succeeds in its mission to create memorable burgers. This year, they showcased boldness with the Balkan Boy burger, featuring ajvar and black pig bacon, the Death by Cheese with triple cheese for creamy, robust flavours, and the Truffle Aioli, delighting truffle and caramelised onion lovers. Zadar’s experts, Picnic Mingle & Fun, returned with beloved classics. We joyfully savored the iconic Blackie burger, which never fails to impress, along with Snow, Smokey Cheez B, and a shrimp burger. Institut za burgere by Mate Janković has perfected its smash burgers, proudly offering combinations with 100% local meat, warmly received by the crowd from day one. We thoroughly enjoyed the Cheesy Chilli and Bacon Cheese smashes.

A special highlight at the opening was a new name on the burger scene: UFO Burger, adding a playful “out-of-this-galaxy” vibe. Shaped like mini spaceships, these burgers proved their unique form hides sensational flavours, as we discovered with Lude gljive from Jupiter. A fun gastronomic discovery for kids and adults alike, we couldn’t resist the juicy Avocado Avatar from Neptun. Also on offer were Chilli Chicken from Venera and Špek-ter from Mars.

Street Food Diverso from Dubrovnik impressed with five signature burgers, from classic to smash varieties, boasting fresh meat and creative names. The Lito ide mala smash elicited sighs of satisfaction with its perfectly caramelised edges and expertly blended flavours of onion, pancetta, spicy Diverso sauce, pickles, and cheddar cheese. Bonaca became a favourite among fans of mild, light flavours, while Borba lavova, Livada, and Igra mladog tigra also won over the crowd.

Chef’s Burger by Ivan Pažanin sticks to a Mediterranean flair, with fresh ingredients and perfect flavour balance confirming the Split chef’s reputation. The Creamy Pomodoro masterfully evokes summer, while Crispy Kapula and Origigi Cheesy are classics we’ll gladly return to.

Proving that his obsession with smash burgers since 2019 and hundreds of hours of refinement have paid off, 27-year-old Ivo Despot at The Spot offers five meticulously crafted smash burgers: Baby, Classic, Oklahoma, Hot Spot, and Special. We were particularly thrilled by the Classic and Hot Spot, featuring 100% ground beef, burger buns, cheese slices, iceberg lettuce, jalapeño peppers, red onion, ketchup, mustard, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, and sriracha.

A touch of wilderness from Čazma came courtesy of Grof Lovski. From their rich game meat offerings, we relished the Smash Burger, a masterful blend of game meat in a soft brioche bun with aromatic yellow sauce, melted cheese, pancetta, fresh Chinese cabbage, pickled, and fried onions. We couldn’t resist the Šiš Burger, a game meat şiş kebab in a crispy, elongated flatbread slathered with kajmak—simple, no fuss, meat-focused. The Lovski Burger with wild boar meat, homemade caramelised onions, arugula, melted cheese, and crispy pancetta in a brioche bun was another highlight.

Making their debut at the Burger Festival, Jellyfish in Space won us over with their Classic Pulled Pork burger. They also offer an excellent BBQ Burger, while their Truffle and Spicy Jalapeño Pulled Pork provide a spicy, aromatic kick just when you crave indulgence.

Noel Street Food* by Ivan Temšić brings a Michelin touch with the Noel Signature burger (brie, aged beef, apricot ketchup, candied walnuts, and arugula in a potato dough brioche bun). The NFC – Noel Fried Chicken captivates fans of fried marinated chicken thigh with homemade sweet chilli, lemon mayo, and baby spinach. We were also thrilled by the Smash 2.0, a double explosion of juicy beef with aged cheddar, caramelised onions, homemade pickles, Noel* sauce, and a fried egg.

Chubby Chuck’s has become a hit among smash burger enthusiasts with customisable burgers in four sizes and brioche buns specially made on Cres. For their festival debut, they created a sensation with the Truffle Bacon Smash, in collaboration with Istria’s Karlić truffles, while their Fries with Benefits and infectious atmosphere amplify their creative flair.

Milkshake Factory is a haven for those craving indulgent milkshakes. We tried the Choco Monster, packed with chocolate, peanut butter, Oreo crumble, and a chocolate-glazed doughnut—a sure hit with the festival’s youngest visitors. At Gdje je Jura by Juraj Klepić, we refreshed with an excellent fruit salad and sampled the Green Cheesecake, learning from the young pastry chef that a new dessert collection will soon be unveiled.

The Staropramen bar ensured a steady flow of refreshing drinks, while Ginglebells capped off our tasting with a splendid Berry Sour cocktail, perfectly rounding out the experience.

This is just the beginning, as days filled with events await: ZABA kicked off the festival with a lively concert by Kuzma & Shaka Zulu, followed by the Dino Dvornik Tribute Band on September 11. Top DJs perform daily, with two sets on weekends starting at 1:00 PM. Expect a Food Quiz by Metro on September 10, outdoor cinema by Staropramen on September the 5th and 10th featuring Green Book and Mean Girls, and Wine & Paint workshops on September the 7th, 8th, and 14th. On Friday, September 12, from 4:00 PM, enjoy a fun Metro table football and table tennis tournament, followed by a fashion flea market at 5:00 PM with influencers Pamela Badžek (August XVI) and Dora Martinović (Dorica 505).

For kids, the Zagi Kids Zone offers trampolines, board games, painting, and collage workshops. A highlight will be the Trnje Firefighters’ visit on September the 6th at 13:00, featuring a fire truck, demonstrations, and activities for all ages. Daily Happy Hour from 18:00 to 19:00 offers a 10% discount for ZABA Mastercard users. Visitors can vote for their favourite stall via QR codes on receipts, contributing to the festival’s history. Just before the winner’s announcement on September the 14th, spice lovers can join the legendary Volim ljuto Spicy Challenge at 16:00.

The 10th Zagreb Burger Festival transcends food, offering a unique experience of connection, new memories, and celebrating innovation. It’s a festival of aromas, flavours, great vibes, and fantastic fun. Tuđman Square is once again the epicentre of gastronomic joy that simply must be experienced.

For daily updates, surprises, and registrations for workshops, tournaments, quizzes, and the Spicy Challenge, follow Burger Festival Zagreb on Facebook and Instagram.