Beer with food is more than a habit

When people talk about pairing food and drink, most think of wine. But beer is just as rewarding, if not more so. It can refresh your palate after something rich, calm down the heat of a spicy dish or bring out caramelised flavours from the grill. You don’t need to be an expert to notice. You just need to order the right beer with the right dish.

At Maksi that’s easy, because we have both. On draught we pour Ožujsko, Tomislav, Rezano, Staropramen, Vukovarsko, plus Grif New England IPA and Pilsner, with plenty more styles in bottles, from wheat beers to Belgian ales. On the other side is chef Tomislav Kralj‘s menu. Here are a few combinations we recommend.

A few basic rules

  • Light with light, bold with bold. A pale lager won’t overpower fish, and a dark beer won’t get lost next to glazed ribs.
  • Refresh. A crisp, sparkling lager or pilsner cleans your palate after anything breaded or rich.
  • Like with like. The caramel notes of a dark beer go nicely with honey, soy and BBQ sauce.
  • Careful with spice. A very hoppy beer like an IPA makes spicy food hotter. With spicy dishes, a wheat beer or a light lager is a better choice.

Burgers

With the ZG-1892-M burger, with its bacon, BBQ sauce and chilli mayo, a classic draught Ožujsko or Grif Pilsner can’t go wrong, refreshing your palate between bites. If you like fuller flavours, try it with the dark Tomislav, which pairs beautifully with BBQ sauce.

The Čizzi burger with cheddar calls for something with character. That’s where Grif New England IPA comes in, its fruity, hoppy notes cutting nicely through the richness of the cheese.

Breaded and crispy

The Oš kokoš burger, the Katsu sengula and the breaded chicken thigh fillet call for a beer that refreshes. Go for Staropramen or Grif Pilsner. Their bitterness and fizz clean your palate so every bite tastes like the first.

Tacos and prawn dishes

With the prawn tacos, aioli and chimichurri, citrusy wheat beers like Hoegaarden or Blue Moon work really well. The same goes for the prawn wok with ponzu sauce.

Woks and Asian flavours

Woks with sweet chilli sauce, spring rolls and gyoza have a bit of a kick, so steer clear of very hoppy beers here. A better choice is a Franziskaner wheat beer or a refreshing Ožujsko with grapefruit or lemon, which calms the heat.

Ribs, duck and heartier dishes

The boneless pork ribs in a soy, honey and sesame glaze and the duck with mlinci (traditional baked pasta sheets) and hoisin have sweet, caramelised flavours. They go nicely with something darker and fuller: Tomislav, Rezano or the Belgian Leffe Brown.

Meza and sharing

When the Meza arrives with cured meats from the Matijević family farm, smoked cheese and baked štrukli, or a Žujini zakoni sharing platter, the easiest thing is to order a three-litre beer tower. Ožujsko, Tomislav, Rezano, Staropramen, Vukovarsko or Grif, and everyone pours as much as they like.

Not in the mood for beer?

No problem. With fish, like the sea bass fillet, a glass of Graševina or Malvazija from our wine list works nicely, and for heartier dishes there are red wines too. The drinks and wine lists are on our Menu page.

The most important rule

All of these rules are just suggestions. The best combination is the one you enjoy most. If you’re not sure, ask us and we’ll be happy to recommend something. You’ll find us in Borongaj, at Ulica Divka Budaka 18, right next to Maksimir Stadium, Tuesday to Sunday. For a table for a bigger group, get in touch through our contact form.