Trying Jacked Potato for the First Time!

Hello everyone :)!

I don’t know about you, but one of my absolute favorite things about late spring and early summer is when food festivals start popping up all over the city🥹! There’s just something so heartwarming about walking around in the warm evening air, trying new food, hearing music in the background, and feeling like life is finally slowing down a bit!

This Friday (today), I finally made it to the PLACe Market at Dolac and friendssss let me tell youuu, it was everything I hoped for and more👏🏻👏🏻! Especially because… I finally got to try Spud (or jacked potato if you wish for the first time😜!!!

But first, a little context!

The PLACe Market is actually part of a larger national project aimed at revitalizing Croatia’s traditional markets by transforming them into vibrant cultural and tourist destinations. Think of it as Croatia’s take on the globally popular night market concept. It’s held once a week; in this case, every Friday from 6 PM to 11:30 PM at Dolac Market in Zagreb (but only if the weather is nice!). Here are the 2025 dates if you plan on coming!

ZAGREB Dolac, Fridays 18:00–23:30

May: 9, 16, 23, 30

June: 6, 13, 20, 27

July: 4, 11

September: 5, 12, 19, 26

October: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

The name PLACe is actually a genius word play - “plac” is the local word for open air markets where people sell their fresh, often homegrown produce, and “place” nods to its new role as a meeting point. Every Friday night (while the festival lasts), these markets turn into hot spots with street food, drinks, live music, performances etc. It’s all about presenting good food while connecting tourists and locals, chefs and farmers, performers and foodies.

Now let’s get to the star of the evening 🥁🥁 Spud. If you’re on TikTok, there’s a high chance you’ve already seen videos from SpudBros or SpudMan. And yes, I was completely influenced. I could’ve just made something similar at home (the ingredients aren’t exactly hard to find), but let’s be real… consumerism got me again😅. I was absolutely craving that fluffy baked potato with all the toppings!!

After missing the last three Fridays due to work, weather, or pure bad timing, I finally made it!!

*While walking to the Dolac Market I saw Davor Barnardić; a candidate to become the mayor of the city but a separate post for that is on the way hehe!

There were plenty of stalls to choose from, but let’s not pretend I wasn’t on a mission I went straight for the Spud stand🤣🤣👏🏻.

It was busy, which honestly made me feel better about my choice (you know it’s good when everyone’s queuing or so), but they were super fast and efficient. I waited less than five minutes for my order. I got the chilli con carne version, with a generous scoop of coleslaw on top (my ultimate weakness) plus melted cheese and that signature perfectly baked potato base. I know Brits get teased for their weird food combos (no shade, love you guys❤️ [is this even from UK??]), but THIS one? This one SLLAAPPPSSSS. I was genuinely obsessed. The spicy warmth of the chilli, the cool crunch of the salad, the gooey cheese, and the soft potato chef’s kiss!!!

As for pricing, it’s definitely on the “treat yourself” end of the line, but hey how often do you get to eat gourmet spuds under string lights in the middle of Zagreb?

Here are the prices:

• Pulled Pork – 9€

• Chilli Con Carne – 10€

• Beans – 8€

• Coleslaw (extra) – 1.50€

A bit pricey for a potato, sure yes I agree but it’s not every day, right (I comfort myself as I pull 11,50€ out of my wallet😭)

If you’re in Zagreb on a Friday and the weather’s decent, I highly recommend stopping by. Even if you don’t go for the Spud (although why wouldn’t you huhh🤨??), there’s plenty more to explore, from traditional Croatian dishes to modern street food experiments, plus drinks, desserts, and music. The PLACe Market is a great blend of tradition and trend, and I absolutely love that we finally have something like this in Croatia🥹❤️!