Bekal

The story

Bekal Zagreb: Fire-Cooked Contemporary Croatian Tasting Menu in Trešnjevka

Bekal, a contemporary Croatian restaurant at Kostelska Ulica 11 in Zagreb, earned a 13.5 from Gault&Millau in 2026. The kitchen works in the Trešnjevka district, away from the city's classic fine-dining streets, and it serves one seasonal menu built around fire.

Cooking over fire

Nearly every dish is cooked over wood and coal. The kitchen adds fermentation and smoking to old techniques, and the menu changes with the season and with what small producers can supply. When an ingredient is out of reach, the team dries, pickles, ferments, or preserves it so the flavour lasts. The meal runs to six courses, priced at 60 € per person.

Chef Marko Turkovic

Chef Marko Turkovic grew up on the island of Korčula, where home cooking shapes daily life. He later worked in restaurants across Europe, from small trattorias to Michelin-starred kitchens. At Bekal he cooks dishes that are complex and new, yet still anchored in Croatian tradition. The Michelin Guide lists the restaurant as Recommended for 2026.

Standout dishes

The lamb is the dish most often singled out. Bekal marinates it in whey before baking, which leaves the meat soft and deeply flavoured. Beef tartare, where lightly smoked meat leads, appears regularly. A kebab reinterpretation brings street food into the dining room through refined textures. The wine list leans toward biodynamic and natural bottles, chosen to pair with the fire-driven cooking.

The room

The space is simple and intimate, with a view of the kitchen and a restrained wooden interior. A bold fire mural on one wall sets a punk-inspired tone, with relaxed music and a casual pace. The focus stays on the plate.