Restaurant and tavern Šanjek

In the mid-18th century, medieval Varaždin had around 3,500 inhabitants, and every other adult man worked in craftsmanship—273 craftsmen and nearly four hundred of their assistants and apprentices. The Šanjek family has been continuing the tradition of the Varaždin butchery trade for many years, enriching the rich Varaždin cuisine with the preparation of specialties made from horse meat.

Since the opening of their butcher shop with fast food on Trg slobode (Freedom Square) in 1953, the intoxicating aroma of cooked sausages, debrecinki, safalada, and frankfurters has spread daily across this city square. About fifteen years ago, the family opened a restaurant, making Varaždin the only city in Croatia with a specialized restaurant serving dishes made from foal and horse meat. Just like the legendary feasts of the Varaždin butcher’s guild, here at the Šanjek restaurant, dishes are prepared based on recipes from old cookbooks passed down from Grandma Šanjek.