THE EARTHQUAKE and the coronavirus pandemic led to a strong diversification of the Zagreb bars and restaurants.
Some bars have been working quite successfully, but a lot of well-known restaurants and bars did not open at all after the lockdown, or they opened, and soon afterwards closed their doors. Some of them are still working, but it is not certain how long they will be able to continue to do so due to a difficult financial situation. Some are considering selling their businesses.
Portal Plavakamenica.hr compiled a list of well-known Zagreb bars that did not survive the lockdown and the earthquake that happened in Zagreb in the middle of the epidemic.
1) Palace Hotel, Strossmayer Square
Zagreb's oldest hotel with a very popular café was badly damaged in the earthquake. Messages warning that plaster is falling off the building are still hanging on the façade. The Palace's café used to have the largest selection of malt whiskey ever seen in Croatia.
2) Plavi 9, Zvonimirova
The coziest diner in the city moved into the space of the restaurant Pod mirnim krovom in Fijanova ulica. Both restaurants are owned by the same company. Plavi 9 changed their address after more than half a century because of the earthquake.
3) Dezman Mini Bar, Dezmanov prolaz
It used to be one of the best bars in Zagreb, but it hasn't opened after the lockdown. It is unknown whether it will open at all.
4) RougeMarin City, Petrinjska
RougeMarin Doma, a store specializing in products for cooking at home, will soon open where the RougeMarin Restaurant is. The top of Petrinjska is currently a large construction site and is by no means a pleasant spot for a restaurant.
5) Fun Bobby, Froudeova
The small street food restaurant Fun Bobby in Siget has also closed down. People were delighted with their combinations of American and Asian cuisine at last year's Christmas Market.
6) Heritage, Petrinjska
The owners of this small but quality Croatian tapas bar say they will open as soon as the damage from the earthquake is repaired. The problem is that no one knows when this will happen. The parliament has yet to pass a special law on repairing the damage caused by the earthquake in Zagreb, and without it, most of the buildings in the city center cannot start with repairs.
7) La Cubanita, Vlaska
La Cubanita is also closed indefinitely. The space of this small Latin bar and café with a cheerful atmosphere, located near the intersection of Vlaska and Draskoviceva, is already being repurposed for something else.
8) Hanami, Nova Ves
Hanami is a sushi restaurant that was converted into an Asian street-food bar during the lockdown.
9) Bagel & Lobster Bar, Jurisiceva
The Bagel & Lobster Bar has closed indefinitely. However, Asian street food restaurant Kai has already opened in the small backyard at the top of Jurisiceva. Before the Bagel & Lobster Bar, the best Zagreb taqueria occupied that space.
10) Bread Pitt, Gunduliceva
Bread Pitt is also permanently closed. This trendy bakery that offered sandwiches and salads was on the verge of bankruptcy even before the epidemic. The lockdown only sped up the process.
11) Glow Bar, Preradoviceva- Flower Square
The Glow Bar had a fantastic location, with a terrace at the top of the Flower Square. This is roughly the fifth failed business at that location. The space has not yet been rented to anyone else.