In the Northern Plains you will mostly find charcuterie products, stuffed cabbage, peppers and the rich pastries that are esteemed in this region. The culinary art of continental Croatia combines Hungarian, Austrian and Eastern influences. Favorite vegetables are potatoes and cabbage, which are sometimes preserved in vinegar, following the ancient method, and a regional specialty is visovacka begavica, lamb cooked in sheep's milk. Other local specialties include mlinci - flat, slightly sour dumplings that are served with turkey; and noodles with truffles from the forest.

This region's cooking revolves around soups and vegetable dishes, fish and seafood, goat and sheep's milk cheeses and olive oil, all enhanced by a wide variety of local wines.

On the Adriatic coast, the Croatian cuisine has Mediterranean accents and revolves around grilled or poached fish. The principal hors-d'oeuvre is Prsut (dried ham) served with goat cheese and olives. Local dishes include calamari salad, squid-ink risotto, Ston oysters, mussels or scampi ŕ la bouzzara (prepared with bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, wine and olive oil), fish in brodetto (fish soup) or ŕ la gregada (a kind of bouillabaisse), Pag goat cheese marinated in oil, and rozata (a variation of crčme caramel). In Split, the port bordering the Diocletian Palace is a reminder of the many generations of sailors who have lived here. You can still see tiny fishing boats and nets hung out to dry. Though the presence of cod in Dalmatian cooking seems odd, it's a symbol of the curiosity of the sailors who brought this fish back from their distant travels.

The day's main meal usually consists of meat or fish, potatoes and rice or corn. In coastal regions, a mid-morning break is observed for a light meal called "marenda," consisting of fish, cheese and bread. On the island of Pag they make a very firm goat's cheese called "paski-sir". Its unique flavor comes from the fact that the cheese is rolled in ashes and olive oil before ripening; what's more, local grazing pastures include lots of wild herbs, including sage and the cheese taste reflects it. 
Hungary's influence is seen in wine or rabbit-based goulash, meat or cheese-filled dumplings and various desserts such as poppy seed cheesecake. Spices, ground meat seasoned with onions and garlic stuffed (cevapcici, pleskavica) or cooked on a spit, such as raznici are the Ottoman legacy. 
Besides breaded dishes and cabbage, Austrian influence is clearly seen in pastries: strudel, cream puffs, doughnuts, and cakes that are rolled, filled or layered with walnut paste. 

Unique among the island cuisines are those of Vis Island with pogača, a round unleavened flat cake, similar to pizza. Korcula and Hvar Islands specialize in roast octopus, honey biscuits and wines made from ancient indigenous sorts of grapes such as prč. Pag Island is known for its sheep cheese. Dalmatian prosciutto is very hard and distinctly red and should be eaten in a traditional tavern with cheese and olives.The most popular drinks are grape and herb-flavored brandies, sherry and wines such as Dingač, Postup, Slahtina, Vgava, Posip, Marastina, Malvazija and Grk. 

Beer is much appreciated by Croats, although wine is the drink most commonly served with meals. It's ordained by the countryside: the Dalmatian islands and the Peljesac peninsula seem made for wine. The viticulture is not new, it was brought here by the Greeks. And while every island praises its white or red wine as if it were a grand cru, Croatia's reputation in the field still remains to be made. Only the most famous wines, frankovka and dingac, have reputations that extend beyond their regions of origin.

The drink rakia or rakija is hard liquor similar to brandy and vodka, made by distillation of fermented fruits, popular throughout the Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40%, but home-produced rakia can be stronger, typically 50 to 60%. Rakija is considered to be the national drink among some of the South Slavic peoples: in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia and Serbia. Its most common form, slivovitz, is produced from plums. Other commonly-used fruits are grapes (the most common in Bulgaria), peaches, apricots, apples, figs, and quinces. Plum and grape rakia is sometimes mixed after distillation with other ingredients, such as herbs, honey, sour cherries and walnuts. There are many kinds of rakia, depending on the fruits.

Coffee is served as espresso, very strong and in small cups. You can order double espresso (dupli espresso) or dugi or duzi espresso (long or longer). Everywhere in Croatia you will find traditional coffee houses similar to those in Vienna.