Dubrovnik, Varazdin the Winners at Zagreb Burger Festival 2021

Now in its sixth year, the Zagreb Burger Festival 2021 sported a new location and several new participants, in addition to old friends, as the Croatian capital showcased the diversity and excellence of the Croatian burger scene. What was once a fairly standard product has expanded considerably in recent years, with all kinds of innovation to the traditional burger concept.

This year’s event was a considerable sales success for the participants, some of whom reported record sales over the 10 days, as the event took place in a new and very relaxed location in Franje Tudjman Park, a short walk west of the centre.

In addition to the excellent burgers and live music, one of the most eagerly-awaited moments of the festival is the award ceremony for the best burger. This has become a prestigious award over the years, as more attention is paid to quality burgers. The Zagreb Burger Festival is the leading burger festival in the region, but there are several others which have debuted since its inception.

This year’s winner travelled the furthest to be in Zagreb. Marko Bautovic of Guloso in Dubrovnik, was a first-time participant, and he walked away with the Zagreb Burger Festival 2021 gold.

Silver went to the impressive Reshetka International from Varazdin, one of the stars in recent years. The 2021 silver medal hangs next to bronze (2018), silver (2020), and gold (2019). It has been an award-winning year for the Reshetka burgers, which also took silver at the recent Belgrade Burger Festival, followed by gold in Siroki Brijeg in Hercegovina.

There was also a local presence on the podium, as The Burger Bar in Zagreb took the bronze.

The new location at Franje Tudjman Square worked well, with plenty of space in the park for the kids to run around, as well as various play facilties, while the adults chatted with friends over a beer and burger. A great event, and one which is a strong addition to Zagreb’s growing culinary reputation and calendar.