August the 28th, 2025 – The 10th Burger Festival Zagreb is rapidly approaching. Here’s what we can expect from this extremely popular event in the Croatian capital this year.
From September the 4th to 14th, Dr. Franjo Tuđman Square in the heart of Zagreb will be transformed into the stage of the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb. There could be no better reason to fill our return from a summer break with joy and hopefully – an appetite.
Even an entire decade after its launch, this festival is still synonymous with high quality, raising the bar of creativity and gastronomic excellence with each and every new edition. It has established itself as the most successful and most visited street food event in the entire region, with more than 150,000 visitors over the course of ten days. To ensure that it keeps up appearances for its tenth anniversary, there will be 16 huts on Dr. Franjo Tuđman Square, 14 of which will present around 50 different burgers.
From proven veterans of the burger scene to the premiere appearances of new grill masters from all over Croatia: from Dubrovnik, Split, Šibenik and Zadar, to Istria to Čazma and Zagreb, this will be a truly respectable festival spiced up with a rich accompanying programme.
Visitors can expect activities for kids, free concerts, workshops, a quiz, a cinema under the stars, as well as many more surprises. This year, the audience will be able to vote for their favourite burger, and the winner will be announced on Sunday, September the 14th.
zaba happy hour
All ZABA Mastercard card users will especially enjoy the great food offer and all kinds of accompanying activities as part of the Burger Festival Zagreb. That’s because ZABA will have a Happy Hour every day from 18:00 to 19:00, where there will be a 10% discount on all purchases made with ZABA Mastercard cards. This will transform the Burger Festival Zagreb into a perfect opportunity for a night out while also making savings.
To make sure that a visit to the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb remains a delicious memory that lasts the entire year, we’ve got a great line up: Mason, Picnic Mingle & Fun, Institut za burgere by Mate Janković, UFO Space Burgers, Bold., Diverso, Chef’s Burger by Ivan Pažanin, The Spot, Grof Lovski, Jellyfish in Space, Noel Street Food, Chubby Chuk’s, Buns&Shake, Gdje je Jura by Juraj Klepić, Ginglebells and Centralni bar.
Mate Janković and Ivan Pažanin
Two-time winner of the Burger Festival Zagreb, chef Mate Janković, will bring his amazing smash burgers made from 100% local meat, while his Split colleague, chef Ivan Pažanin, will stick to the tried and tested classics that include perfectly fresh and local ingredients coupled with a Mediterranean flair. Both also have some surprises up their sleeves…
picnic mingle & fun
Two-time runner-up of the festival, the innovative chefs from Zadar at Picnic Mingle & Fun, will also arrive with their hits and something new to show off.
ivan zidar and his mason burgers
One of the pioneers of the burger scene, Ivan Zidar, will arrive at the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb with his Mason burgers. Also a two-time winner of the BFZ and two years in a row on the list of the 50 best burgers in Europe, the audience will be offered classics: the winning Špaleta Burger and Smokey Dolac Burger, then the Dry Age Burger, recognised as a symbol of maturity and depth of flavour, and the Butter Burger, whose success at Advent in Zagreb 2024 confirmed that the audience knows precisely how to recognise superb simplicity.
However, the real emphasis here is on the new burger, the basis of which is a sauce of barley in brown butter, with the addition of shiitake mushrooms and carefully selected ingredients. It is dominated by umami: a complex, deep and rounded flavour. This burger is also Mason’s candidate for the European competition in Barcelona, where only one burger can be presented that represents the brand, philosophy and the best that the Croatian burger scene can offer the rest of Europe.
grof lovski
A touch of something a little wild is also being brought this year by last year’s debutant Grof Lovski, the first 100% Croatian brand specialising in game meat. At the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb, the star of its offer will be the Smash burger with game meat. Many will gladly treat their palates to his Šiš burger, and for the biggest foodies out there, there’s the Hunting burger made with wild boar meat.
bold
Last year’s debutants are set to bring three bold creations to the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb, and how could these burgers be anything but bold, when boldness is their name? Bold creates all kinds of memorable burgers, without compromising on quality and taste. These burgers are for those who want an experience, a bit of character and taste that lasts.
“Each and every Bold burger tells a story. Balkan Boy combines tradition and local flavours like ajvar, smoked cheese and homemade black pig bacon. Death by Cheese challenges cheese lovers with a combination of three types of cheese and a sophisticated sauce, while the Truffle Aioli Burger brings a luxurious harmony of truffles, caramelised onions and mushrooms,” revealed Augustin Miletić.
The 10th Burger Festival Zagreb also brings six premiere appearances…
noel* street food
Noel* Street Food is a playful spin-off of Zagreb’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, under the baton of chef Ivan Temšić. For the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb, it will present three unique creations in a brioche bun made from potato dough, each of which clearly demonstrates the exceptional creativity of the young chef. The Noel Signature burger is made with aged 100% beef, brie cheese, apricot ketchup, candied walnuts and arugula. The NFC, or Noel Fried Chicken, contains breaded marinated pork shoulder, homemade sweet chilli, lemon mayo and baby spinach. And the Smash 2.0 comes with two 100% beef patties, aged cheddar cheese, fried egg, caramelised onions, NOEL* sauce and homemade pickles.
jellyfish in space
Zagreb’s popular Jellyfish in Space is set to bring its imagination and great knowledge to the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb for the first time. “We spend our time exploring and travelling the world, and turning those experiences into interesting fusions of Latin America and Asia, because these are the two concepts that have always attracted us the most. Inspiration often comes from local ingredients that we put through this fusion game. Quality ingredients, creative preparation, hygiene and education are what we pay the most attention to in our work.” The 10th Burger Festival Zagreb will feature four burgers and several kinds of cocktails: the Truffle burger, BBQ burger, Classic Pulled Pork burger and Spicy Jalapeño Pulled Pork burger, accompanied by the Jelly Lagoon, Lavender Delight and Celtic Mariachi cocktails.
diverso
From the extreme south comes the best burger bar in Dubrovnik, Diverso, with six creations, four of which are smash and two classic burgers. In addition to the quality guaranteed by the freshest 100% beef, local ingredients and creative sauces, visitors will also be won over by the original names of the burgers: Lito ide mala, Borba lavova, Bonaca, Livada, Igra mladog tigra and Diverso.
the spot
The colours of Šibenik will be defended by The Spot. When it’s pronounced out loud, it is immediately clear to all Šibenik residents that this refers to the talented 27-year-old Ivan Despot. His obsession with smash burgers began back in 2019 in Šibenik, with the “Hot Spot” burger shop and later the “The Spot” restaurant. “Today, after hundreds of hours of refinement, the perfect smash burger is coming to Zagreb. There’s no large production, just two best friends and five perfect smash burgers on offer,” says Ivan. At the festival they will offer: Baby Smash, Classic Smash, Oklahoma Smash, Hot-Spot Smash and Special Smash.
ufo space burgers
A new, mysterious name will also appear at this year’s festival – UFO Space Burgers. It’s a concept that hides meat, cheese and toppings in a round, pressed bun that looks like a flying saucer. The inside remains incredibly juicy, and on the outside, a perfectly crispy explosion of flavour awaits you. Ready to discover new burger planets?
chubby chuk’s
Chubby Chuk’s from Vrbani, Zagreb, is also making its debut at the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb, having gained an army of fans in just a few months of opening for its juicy smash burgers with a caramelised crust in a delicious brioche bun made especially on Cres. They are already known for their personalised smash burgers in four sizes (S, M, L and XL) where guests can assemble their burger to their own taste. “We’re premiering our new concept – themed burgers. The first in the series is the Truffle Bacon Smash, created in collaboration with Istria’s Karlić Tartufi. In this way, we’ll combine our recognisable philosophy with high quality local ingredients and offer visitors a completely new experience,” said Ivor Poljak. Their offer will also include the Jalapeño smash and Chuk’s Classic, as well as their classic and intriguing Fries with Benefits.
buns & shake shop
The combination of American and local flair is brought by the Buns & Shake shop, which will offer a kebab burger and various milkshakes.
gdje je jura
Lovers of sweets will be delighted by the news that Gdje je Jura by Juraj Klepić is also coming to the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb, which is diligently preparing new sensational desserts.
central bar
Thirst will be effectively quenched at the Central Bar with perfectly chilled Staropramen beer, top-quality wines, premium spirits, fine brandies and a wide selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
ginglebells
For the perfect mood and party there is the legendary Ginglebells with its unsurpassed classic and signature cocktails without which we can’t even imagine a serious street food festival.
an amazing entertainment programme
For the 10th Burger Festival Zagreb, ZABA will also bring an excellent musical programme: Kuzma and Shaka Zulu will perform at the opening on September the 4th, while the Dino Dvornik Tribute Band will follow on Thursday, September the 11th. Daily live performances by the best DJs, a cinema under the stars, the ZAGI children’s zone, paint & wine and the Metro quiz, are just part of the programme. More details are set to follow next week. Until then, follow Burger Festival Zagreb on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates.
Location: Trg dr. Franje Tuđmana/Dr. Franjo Tudjman Square, Zagreb
Duration: September 4th – 14th, 2025
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 12:00 – 00:00 / Sat-Sun: 11:00 – 00:00
Entrance: Free
