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 - Homemade olive oil
Homemade olive oil, a production tradition of 2 thousand years. The Zadar region has hundreds of thousands of olive trees used for production of homemade oil of exceptional quality and aroma. The olive growing tradition in the region is over 2000 years long, which is confirmed by the remains of processing devices in the town of Muline on the island of Ugljan. Olive oil is primarily used a condiment for seafood delicacies and boiled vegetables.