Introducing La Štruk: a restaurant that only needs 1 dish

Small Beginnings:‍

In recent years several new restaurants have been opened all over the city of Zagreb. Some present a more traditional look at Croatian cuisine while some mix modern and international cuisine. One restaurant stands out in the sea of others, La Štruk. A beacon of authentic and traditional Croatian cuisine. La Štruk celebrated its 10th year anniversary this year, proving just how successful it has been through the years. In just a decade La Štruk has become an iconic landmark location in the city of Zagreb, a restaurant that specializes in only 1 dish, the ever delicious and authentic “štrukli”. But what is now an essential part of Zagrebs dining culture and every visitor's must-see location, was once a small project that many traditional restaurant owners thought would fail.

Ten years ago two brothers, Igor and Sven Maldinović, joined with their friend Alen Markulin and decided to open a small restaurant. A quaint restaurant located on Skalinska 5 was going against the grain from the very beginning. Many thought that “štrukle” , a dough-filled pastry that takes 40 minutes to bake, was a poor idea for a restaurant. This traditional Zagreb dish, prepared using a mixture of cottage cheese, eggs, sour cream, and salt, was rarely served in restaurants so making once entire business solely focused on that dish was very risky. 

Still, despite all the skepticism, La Štruk was a success story from the very beginning. In just a few years La Štruk became a culinary gem of Zagreb that is the only establishment in the city squarely focused on representing and uplifting the dish called štrukli.

‍1 dish is all you need:

While La Štruk specializes in just one dish, their menu is far from being limited. After being baked in the oven, other flavors and ingredients can be added, creating countless alternatives available. Just some of the ingredients are truffles, paprika, red peppers, honey, apples and cinnamon. Here, even the largest appetites will be satiated by the huge portions so always come with an empty stomach. La Štruk draws its guests right away with its unending charm and atmosphere. The quaint restaurant has a beautiful rustic feel, from the traditional ovens to traditionally made chairs and tables. Also, just like the meal of štrukli, the restaurant is built in layers. Guests can enjoy their meal outside right in front of the restaurant, soaking up the fresh air and bustling atmosphere of the city. They also have the lovely main seating area that is usually packed every single day. Additionally the restaurant has a hidden treasure that has to be experienced at least once. A spacious and charming courtyard lit with a myriad of lovely lights truly rounds out the experience.

The moment they enter, La Štruk welcomes its guests with a lovely lyric drawing on its wall, a musical score snippet from a Croatian folk song. The lyrics “My mother cooked štrukli, but she didn’t tell me about it…” is just one of the countless examples of just how deeply rooted štrukli are in Croatian culture and cuisine. La Štruk from its inception has been a champion of authentic experiences and we hope that in the coming years this restaurant remains a beacon of Croatian cuisine that the city of Zagreb deserves.

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