The continental cuisine is typical for its early proto-Slavic roots and more recent contacts with established schools of gastronomy – Hungarian, Viennese, and Turkish. Meat products, freshwater fish and vegetables dominate.
The coastal region is characterized by the influences of the Greeks, Romans, Illyrians and later Mediterranean cuisines – Italian and French. It features many seafood specialties (squid, cuttlefish, octopus, shrimp, lobster...) prepared in various ways, olive oil, prosciutto, various vegetables, Dalmatian wines such as Babić, Malvasia, Prosecco and Vrbnik Žlahtina, and various liqueurs like the famous Maraschino.
In 2008, the national culinary team participated for the first time in the world encounter of chefs and pastry chefs, the Culinary Olympics held in Erfurt, Germany, and won the bronze medal.
Dalmatia – Zadar - The secret of the liqueur for emperors and kings
The dessert liqueur Maraschino has been produced in Zadar from the autochthonous sour cherry variety called maraska for centuries and exported to all imperial and royal courts since the 18th century – it was drunk and toasted with by the most powerful rulers in the world. It is produced according to the original and yet unrevealed recipe at the Zadar Beverage Factory. Its archives hold interesting stories of the drink’s history.