Zagreb Burger Festival

The square lies between the Mimara Museum and the Western Station, a 15-minute walk west of Ban Jelačić Square. Among the exhibitors are Farabuto from Labin, Strikoman's from Vodice, Bold, Smashville, Grof Lovski, the chefs Mate Janković and Ivan Pažanin and last year's winner Chubby Chuck's; each stand sets its own prices.

How a visit works

You walk onto the square from any side, choose a stand and pay there. The queues at the best-known names are longest on weekend evenings between 19:00 and 21:00. To try several burgers without a long wait, come at noon on a weekday or in the late afternoon and share portions. Beside the burgers there are mini doughnuts in Oreo, Raffaello and Dubai-chocolate versions, cocktails and wine. The masterclasses and the two contests are announced on the festival's social channels, so check them the day before. Until 20 September the Palačinka fest runs in another part of town, so dessert is covered.

Getting there

Zagreb Airport (Franjo Tuđman) lies about 15 km south-east of the centre. An airport bus runs to the main bus station, and from there a tram takes you into the centre. Trains from Ljubljana, Vienna, Budapest and the coast arrive at the Main Station on the southern edge of the Lower Town. From there the square is a 20-minute walk west past the Botanical Garden, or a short tram ride. Suburban trains from the west stop at the Western Station itself. If you drive, leave the car at your hotel: the streets around the square are in paid parking zones and fill up in the evening.

Where to stay

The square sits on the western edge of the Lower Town, so a room anywhere between Britanac, the Croatian National Theatre and the Main Station puts you within a 20-minute walk. The streets around Ilica west of Frankopanska are quieter at night than Tkalčićeva and the Upper Town, and the trams run late. Mid-September is a busy month: the PIF puppet festival runs from 11 to 17 September and the city hosts conferences, so book early. The Esplanade beside the Main Station is the classic address if you arrive by train.

Around the square

You can fill the hours between burgers without leaving the neighbourhood. The Mimara Museum stands on the square itself, in an 1895 school building. It closed after the 2020 earthquake for restoration, so check before you count on it. Across the road the Botanical Garden is free and open until October, a good place to sit for half an hour. The yellow Croatian National Theatre, 5 minutes east, faces the Museum of Arts and Crafts, with Meštrović's Well of Life in front. On Sunday morning walk up to Britanac for the antiques fair, then come back down for lunch.

Where else to eat

If the queues are too long, or you want something other than a burger, the Lower Town has options within a 10-minute walk. Submarine Burger in the centre is the reference for craft burgers in Zagreb the rest of the year, with house buns and thick milkshakes. The Medvedgrad brewpub on Savska, south of the square, pours its own Zlatni medvjed lager on a large terrace. For a morning before the stands open, Dolac market above Ban Jelačić Square trades until the early afternoon, and Amfora by the fish hall fries small fish. Cogito on Varšavska roasts its own coffee.

Practical notes

Croatia uses the euro. Card payment is common at festival stands, but carry some cash for the doughnut and drink counters. Mid-September in Zagreb usually brings warm afternoons and cool evenings, and rain is possible: the 2026 edition was moved by 2 days because of the forecast, so pack a light jacket and check the weather on the day. The square is paved and open, with little shade at noon, so a hat helps at lunchtime. Children are welcome and the daytime hours are calm, while the DJs and concerts start in the evening.