The fifth jubilee edition of Chocolate and Coffee Days 2026 confirmed once again that Zagreb has an event that brings together lovers of top-quality products, good flavours and creative small producers in one place. Under the wing of the Chocolate Museum Zagreb, this festival has established itself as an important event for everyone following the contemporary scene of chocolate, specialty coffee, confectionery and related craft products.
This year’s programme was especially rich and varied, and visitors could choose between educational content, tastings, demonstration workshops and interactive formats. It is precisely this combination of hands-on experience and expert guidance that showed once more why the event grows in recognition from year to year and why it is becoming an important part of the city’s gastronomic tradition.
A rich offer of exhibitors and an experience beyond a classic fair
Chocolate and Coffee Days was not merely a sales venue but a true little destination of flavours. Artisan and craft chocolatiers, specialty coffee roasters, and producers of confectionery, teas, liqueurs, cosmetics and other original articles inspired by chocolate and coffee met in a single space. Such an offer gave the event a breadth and rhythm thanks to which every hour spent at the festival easily turned into a new discovery.
The diversity of exhibitors was of special value: from well-known names in the world of chocolate and coffee to smaller local producers who stand out for their authenticity, handwork and their own story. For the city of Zagreb, and for the wider gastro scene, such an event is becoming an important opportunity for producers, audiences and experts to meet.
Workshops and lectures as the central part of the programme
The greatest attention was drawn precisely by the educational programme, designed to serve both curious beginners and an audience already well versed in the world of chocolate and coffee. Instead of passive observation, visitors could learn, taste, smell and actively participate.
Among the most noted sessions was the Open Cupping – Coffee Tasting workshop, led by Dušan Kerić of Lively Roasters. This format introduced the audience to the way coffee is professionally tasted and evaluated, and showed how much difference in aroma, texture and finish the same raw material can deliver when processed in different ways.
Great interest was also sparked by the free demonstration workshop Handmade Pralines, led by Mirela Samirić of the Chocolate Museum Zagreb. The audience could see up close how important precision, a feel for texture and knowledge of the ingredients are for a top-quality praline. It was one of those sessions that clearly show that knowledge and skill, not just a recipe, stand behind every fine sweet bite – just as in experiences such as making your own chocolate.
Content for adults and children gave the event additional breadth
The part of the programme that included different age groups was particularly well designed. The hands-on praline-making workshop for adults, led by Ružica Božić Cerovac of the Chocolate Museum Zagreb, offered a concrete experience of making and shaping pralines under expert guidance. Equally successful was the hands-on praline-making workshop for children, led by the same mentor, giving the event an important intergenerational dimension.
This approach showed that the festival is not reserved for experts or passionate hobbyists. On the contrary, every generation could find content that suited them, whether it was a first encounter with praline making or a deeper interest in technique and ingredients. That is exactly why such programmes tie in well with offerings such as school visits, where learning is combined with experience.
A blend of taste, scent and knowledge
The programme went beyond the usual theme of sweets and offered the audience interesting content at the crossroads of gastronomy and the culture of scent. The workshop Making Room Fragrances Based on Coffee and Chocolate, led by Maja Gašparić of the Biljarica craft business, attracted the attention of visitors interested in a different application of familiar aromas. Here, coffee and chocolate were not just a taste but an experience of space.
Equally interesting was the lecture The History of Perfume and Types of Essences, with the presentation of the chocolate perfume CHOCOLUXE, held by Mia Levačić. This part of the programme further expanded the notion of what chocolate as inspiration can be: not only a dessert, but also a cultural, aesthetic and sensory phenomenon.
Coffee and chocolate as culture, not just habit
In the part of the programme dedicated to coffee, the workshop Tradition and Exotics – A Little School of Preparing the Perfect Coffee, led by Danijel Simić of Steam Coffee, stood out. Through practical tips and explanations, visitors gained a better insight into how a cup of quality coffee is created and why the method of preparation strongly affects the final result.
On the other hand, the Guided Chocolate Tasting led by Sanja Vladović of Taman Artisan Chocolates showed how chocolate can be read like wine: through notes, origin, texture and the length of the flavour. Such content raises the level of understanding of the product and changes the way the audience experiences it, especially through experiences such as a chocolate tasting.
An event that strengthens the identity of the city
An additional stamp on the programme was given by the workshop Confectionery Without Secrets, led by Juraj Klepić of Mono.
Chocolate and Coffee Days is no longer just an annual event, but an important part of an identity that connects the community, producers, audiences and experts.
At a time when audiences increasingly seek authenticity, education and direct contact with the people behind the products, an event like this shows what a contemporary festival can look like: substantial, warm, playful and expert all at once. The Chocolate Museum Zagreb has thereby further cemented its position as a place that does not merely preserve the story of chocolate but actively develops it through encounters, knowledge and experiences that linger long after the last day of the festival.
Featured programme and exhibitors
- Open Cupping – Coffee Tasting – free workshop, leader: Dušan Kerić, barista, Lively Roasters
- Handmade Pralines – free demonstration workshop, leader: Mirela Samirić, Chocolate Museum Zagreb
- Hands-on – paid praline-making workshop for adults – leader: Ružica Božić Cerovac, Chocolate Museum Zagreb
- Hands-on – paid praline-making workshop for children – leader: Ružica Božić Cerovac, Chocolate Museum Zagreb
- Making Room Fragrances Based on Coffee and Chocolate – free demonstration workshop, leader: Maja Gašparić, phytotherapist, Biljarica craft business
- Tradition and Exotics – A Little School of Preparing the Perfect Coffee – leader: Danijel Simić, Steam Coffee
- Guided Chocolate Tasting – free tasting workshop, leader: Sanja Vladović, Taman Artisan Chocolates
- The History of Perfume and Types of Essences. Presentation of the chocolate perfume – CHOCOLUXE – lecturer: Mia Levačić
- Confectionery Without Secrets – free demonstration workshop, lecturer: Juraj Klepić, Mono
Featured exhibitors
- 16.Meridijan (Cafe Cagliari)
- Al Kaprone
- Bedeković delicije
- Dida Boža
- Biljarica
- Bonbon Bar Qala
- Arka delicije
- Chai
- ChoCo slastice
- Chocolateria Chade
- Čokoholik
- iChoco
- Čokoladnica La Chocolate
- De’Longhi
- FiBor Market (Little Sweet)
- Franck
- Resonnet
- Hydra life
- Karibu
- Kaaawa
- Krem
- Lively Roasters
- Lucifer
- Lungomare Croatian Choco Concept
- Torras
- Taman
- Manner
- Marta i Medo
- Mono
- Muzej čokolade Zagreb
- Nadalina čokolade
- OPG Aroniaexelanta
- OPG Hukavec
- OPG Mirela Rajčević
- OPG Rogić
- OPG Rosa Petalis
- OPG Tomislav Jakopović
- OPG Toni Guberac
- OPG Vita Gold
- Lavazza
- Pčelarstvo Čukelj
- Passero
- Sapoon
- Slatkopedija
- Steam Coffee
- House of Spirits
- Torterie Macaron
- Slastičarne Vilma slastice
- Vinogradništvo Sedlak Silvo
