Adriatic cuisine largely mirrors Mediterranean cuisine, but it has distinctly pronounced climatic and historical characteristics of individual regions. In Istria and Dalmatia, Italian cuisine is quite popular, and fish and seafood are the mainstays. In Zagreb and Slavonia, locals prefer meat dishes, often borrowed from Austrian, Hungarian, and Turkish cuisines.
English-Croatian Fish Dictionary
The choice of sea fish in Croatia is quite extensive, and each has a peculiar name. Usually, it is divided into blue (plave ribe) and white (bijele ribe), and various seafood is also widely represented. We will list the most popular species.
Blue Fish
Tuna [tuna] — Adriatic tuna
Srdela [srdela] — sardines
Inćuni [intschuni] — anchovies
Skuša [skuscha] — mackerel
Šarun [scharun] — royal mackerel
Palamida [palamida] — bonito, mackerel family
Papalina [папалина] — European sprat
White Fish
Škarpina [schkarpina] — scorpion fish
Oslić [oslitsch] — hake
Grdobina [grdobina] — hake
Brancin [brantschin] — sea bass
Orada [orada] — dorado
Zubatac [zubatats] — sea pike
List [list] — brill
Ugor [ugor] — eel
Kovač, sampjer [kovatsch] — saint pierre fish
Bakalar [bakalar] — cod (imported from the North Sea)
Seafood
Kamenice, ostrige [kamenitze] — oysters
Dagnje [dagnje] — mussels
Dondole [dondole] — vongole clams
Hobotnica [chobotnitza] — octopus
Lignje [ligni] — squid
Sipa [sipa] — cuttlefish (known for its black ink)
Scampi [skampi] — langoustines
Kozice [kositze] — small shrimp
Specialties of Croatian Cuisine
Each region has its own special dishes. We have prepared a shortlist to show you the diversity of the Adriatic cuisine, although, we admit, it was quite a difficult choice.
Paški sir / Paški cheese
Hard sheep cheese with olive oil from the island of Pag.
Kulen / Kulen
Spicy sausage made from minced pork with various spices.
Bakalar / Bakalar
Appetizer of dried cod in a special sauce.
Čevapi / Čevapi
Finger-shaped sausages made from minced meat, grilled over hot coals, and served with a special vegetable sauce, ajvar.
Lamb under "the bell" / Peka
Lamb with potatoes baked on coals in a deep dish with a bell-shaped lid. Octopus, lamb, or beef can be prepared this way.
Black cuttlefish risotto / Crn rižot od sipe
Risotto with pieces of cuttlefish and cuttlefish ink added.
Pašticada / Pašticada
Beef marinated in a special sauce of red wine and spices and stewed over low heat the next day.
Brodet / Brodet
Several types of fish or seafood are layered in a pot and stewed with spices and a mixture of red wine, olive oil, and tomato paste.
Octopus salad / Salata od hobotnice
Salad with octopus tentacles, potatoes, onions, garlic, and capers.
Štrukli / Štrukle od sira
Thin dough filled with a large amount of salted cottage cheese.
