Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

Those are the words The Lovin' Spoonful used to describe a similar feeling we currently have. Luckily for us, there are some places in Zagreb with shades in the city. Terraces, patios, and gardens of Zagreb bars can also offer much more than just shades. They can provide a cool sanctuary where you can hide from all the rush normal for a capital. These are some of my favorite places for drinking a cold drink out of the way of all the noise. 

Photo Credit:La Štruk

La Štruk - When you're hot and hungry

Some people simply cannot eat while the temperatures are high, others, on the other hand, don't have that problem. If you're one of those people, La Štruk is a perfect spot for you. It's located in the strict center of Zagreb, just a few minutes walk from the main square, in Skalinska street. Their terrace now exists for the third year in a row, and it's a real revelation. La Štruk is a really brave restaurant, basing their offer on one dish (made in a lot of different ways, of course). Štrukle is a traditional Croatian national dish made either with cooking or baking and La Štruk, of course, offers both. Besides this phenomenal dish, La Štruk offers a really peaceful, hidden terrace which is a real rarity in a much-packed town center. Really try it out, you won't regret it. 

Photo Credit: La Štruk

Vintage Industrial Bar - The urban garden

Photo Credit: Matija Tripunović/Vintage Industrial bar

The favorite place for the lovers of urban and alternative music, which I already wrote about in my blog about urban places for a night out, opened its terrace at the start of the summer and it's a perfect place to enjoy in the combination of summer heat and cool vibes of rock music. Located at Savska Street 160, Vintage Industrial represents a perfect intersection between a terrace and a garden. Besides being one of the biggest gardens (or terraces) in Zagreb, it is also really neatly arranged. A lot of really creative elements make it an even more comfortable place to get away and enjoy yourself. 

Photo Credit: Matija Tripunović/Vintage Industrial bar

Swanky Monkey Garden - the place to be

When I first came to Swankey, a few months ago, I was immediately amazed how cool it looked and sorry for not going there sooner. While not so peaceful as the others, Swankey represents a place of a real cultural mixture. Young people from all over the world like to spend their time there. The hidden terrace of Swankey Monkey spreads a unique feeling different to anything else you might experience in Zagreb. It's really hard to describe it. Let's just say that, for me, it was a similar feeling I got when I visited some other cities in Europe like London or Paris. All in all, Swankey is a really modern spot in Zagreb that doesn't always guarantee you peace and quiet and is also often full so that you have to wait a bit to get a table, but hey, that's just a confirmation of how cool it is. 

Photo Credit: Miriam/Swankey Monkey bar

A lot more places to try out

Photo Credit: Miriam/Swankey Monkeybar

Of course that these three spots aren't the only places that match the description of this topic but they're probably my favorite ones. Some others definitely worth mentioning and trying out are for instance Craft Room which besides having a hidden terrace has also over a hundred domestic and imported craft beers in its offer. Besides beers, Craft room also prepares food after 5 p.m. making it an ideal after-work destination. 
Besides Craft Room, another place with a hidden terrace that comes to my mind, and it's also a place I already wrote about in my blog about Zagreb jazz scene and a place I am absolutely in love with, is Bacchus jazz bar with an absolutely perfect hidden terrace which sends you into a place that gets you a feeling like you've crossed into a totally new dimension or like you've teleported yourself about 300 kilometers south, to Dalmatia. When I first came here, I couldn't be more overwhelmed with that impression, and I'm sure you would feel the same, just like with any other place listed in this blog. 

Photo Credit: Miriam/Swankey Monkeybar

Header Image Credit: La Štruk

Author: Tibor Trupec