Less of a bar, more of an indoor market stall, Marinada is a novel concept and a breath of fresh sea air in central Zagreb, where its range of fast food options tend towards pizza, burgers and burek. Their food is fast, yes, but it's pretty healthy too, dedicated to grilled fish and seafood.
The sardines and anchovies are sailed over from the island of Ugljan, smoked seafood from Kaštel Novi. The menu changes every few weeks, but there are some staples. Bowls of fresh, crunchy salad leaves topped with zesty anchovies or smoked mussels, prawns and tuna are the quickest things to grab and go. Delivered boneless and stripped of scales, the sardine burger takes a bit longer, but it's well worth the wait. Freshly griddled so it's charred on the outside, it's succulently soft and tasty, served with a fresh salad of boiled potatoes and green leaves.
Priced between 35 and 40 kunas, this is a wonderfully simple and inexpensive lunch option, readily taken up by the lunchtime work crowd from midday until 2pm. Marinada is tiny and you could quite easily walk by without noticing it. There are only three chairs to sit on, so make your order to go - it's within bone-spitting distance of Zrinjevac park.