Page 239 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

WHERE T O EA T AND DRINK  237

Mineral Water, Soft Drinks and Wines
Fruit Juices
Croatia is a land of vineyards, with vines growing
All bars and cafés in Croatia will offer on the slopes of rolling hills inland and in
a wide range of fruit juices, pockets of stony soil on the coast and
as well as the usual islands. Production varies in quantity
internationally known and quality but standards are improving
brands of soft drinks and there are some very decent wines
and fizzy drinks like around. From the Kvarner area come
cola. Tap water the white wine Žlahtina (from Vrbnik
is safe to drink on Krk), red Cabernet (from Poreč)
everywhere in Croatia and Teran (from Buzet), a light red.
and bottled mineral Dalmatia is known for
waters (mineralna Pošip and Grk from
voda) are also widely Orange juice Korčula (both white
available. The most wines), Dingač
common brands of mineral water Zlahtina (one of the best
in Croatia are Studena, Jamnica Croatian reds)
Mineral and Jana, but there are also many and Postup from the
water imported brands available as well. Pelješac peninsula. Plavac
Ask for gazirana (carbonated) voda (red) comes from Brač
for sparkling water, or negazirana for still. and Malmsey from
Dubrovnik. Finally, from
Slavonia come Kutjevačka
Graševina, Kutjevo
Chardonnay and Riesling, Dingač Postup
and Krauthaker Graševina.

Where to Drink
There are various types of establishments which
serve drinks and it is useful to know a few of the
basic categories. A kavana or kafić is equivalent
to a café, and serves both alcoholic and non-
alcoholic drinks, while a pivnica serves mainly
beer. Irish pubs can also be found, selling
Guinness and other Irish beers. Wine is generally
Poolside dining area and bar at the promenade in Hvar drunk in a konoba in coastal towns. In the larger
towns you can have a snack with your drink in one
Drinking Customs in Croatia of the bife, the Croatian equivalent of a snack bar.
However, there are not really rigid distinctions
Pubs, bars and cafés are not only places to
stop at various times of the day for refreshment, between the types of drinks served in one or
but also places to meet friends and socialize. other of these places. Cafés open early and close
For visitors this can also be a good way of meeting late – usually around 11pm or later in the summer.
and getting to know local people. Drinks of various kinds (though rarely alcoholic)
One tradition found in Croatia is that of are also served in pastry shops – slastičarnica. The
mixing wine with other drinks such as mineral close links that Croatia’s gastronomic tradition has
water or even cola. A bevanda is red or white with Austria, and in particular with Vienna, has
wine with plain water, while gemišt is white wine influenced the production of delicious cakes and
mixed with sparkling mineral water. One of the pastries as well as excellent sladoled (ice cream).
most popular summer drinks is red wine and Pastry shops close earlier than cafés in general.
fizzy cola, a drink called bambus.
Croatians like a drink or two, as is demonstrated
by the custom in the Slavonian region of wine
drinking with friends. This traditional ritual
should only be undertaken by people with a
very strong head for alcohol. It begins with the
first phase, which is before any wine is consumed,
known as the Dočekuša. This is then followed
by the Razgovoruša, during which you chat
while sipping at least seven glasses of wine.
The final phase is called the Putnička, reserved
for the leave-taking, when yet more glasses are
emptied before people say their final farewells.
Snack bar with outdoor tables in Fažana, a coastal resort

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