Markets are becoming new event locations

The first stations are Split's Stari Pazar and Zagreb's Dolac

The summer months are approaching, and with it the PLACE market project, a national market tourism revitalization project that brings life to the markets in Zagreb and Split.

We all know what night street food markets are, they are well known to all travelers who have traveled through Asia, sometimes they hide incredible gastronomic gems that managed to find their way to the Michelin guides, sometimes they bring traditional specialties, sometimes special dishes that can only be tried at that place, but they almost always bring an incredible gastronomic experience. There are also one-day gourmet events at the markets that the neighboring countries have had for years, and the PLACE market project is a combination of all that.

What is the idea of the project

The idea of the project is to revive the market every Friday after working hours so that some of the most famous local and national chefs and restaurateurs come to it and its benches and prepare for the visitors on the spot specialties that they are known for or that they specially designed for this event.

This year, it will take place every Friday in Split at Stari Pazar from 14.4. until the end of May, and then every Friday from June 2, it moves to Zagreb's main Dolac market , just a few steps from the main square. It will be held in Zagreb until July 14. when they go on a well-deserved break, and the idea is to continue everything with the autumn edition and several Fridays during September in Zagreb and October in Split.

What chefs can you expect

With this project, once a week in the evening, the markets actually become a natural stage where the gastronomic tradition and offer of the cities where the project takes place is presented, thus revitalizing the markets as places of gathering and socializing. From the farm to the table, or in this case – from the field to street food is the guiding thread of the project in which the most important national chefs are involved.

This project encompasses several segments of the tourist offer – cultural, gastronomic, eno and entertainment, and presents the entire Croatian tradition and emphasizes the connection between the market and the service stakeholders of tourism, as well as tourists and local guests. The idea is that PLACE market helps preserve the authenticity of each Croatian gastronomic region and branding Croatia as a gastronomic tourist destination.

For the first time, some of the best national chefs and restaurateurs, such as Hrvoje Zirojević in Split in front of the Dvor restaurant, Artičok restaurant, Bokerie in collaboration with confectioner Ivana Čuljak , Kinoteka with chef Jurica Jantolek , Mazzgoon, ZOI, Šuga at the helm with chef Dujo Kanajeta , Uja, Galerija, Make Make, Ka Doma bistros, About this way, Konobe Hvaranin, in Zagreb Baltazar and Baltazar 2 with chefs Matija Bregeš and Marko Jantolek , restaurant Tač and chef Vesna Miletić , Bistro Apetit by Marin Rendić, chef Maria Mihelja , Brooma 44 and chef Igor Gudac , Lara and Penati, Ficlek, Begs plant based street food, Cicchetti, Mašklin and Lata, Amelie and many others who will be announced for the Zagreb part of the project… All of them will prepare one or two dishes in which visitors will be able to enjoy at fair prices.

There will also be live concerts

Along with the food, there will also be a DJ, and sometimes street bands, who will additionally spice up these gatherings on Fridays in the afternoon, along with the offer at the bars. Some workshops are also planned, followed by educational and informative activities such as the presentation of the Climate Cookbook and the introduction of visitors to the impact of gastronomic activities on climate change, as well as pop-up stands of OPG and cooperation with Croatian product designers.

The organizers' plans for this project are big, so after this year's start in Zagreb and Split, which will remain its base, PLACE Market plans to expand to other major cities such as Šibenik, Zadar, Rijeka, Pula, Osijek and Varaždin .

We have nothing left but to tell you to reserve Fridays for this laudable project, visit the first edition of PLACE market in Split on the 14th…