Pag Cheese and Lamb: A Food Lover's Guide

Pag Island produces two food products that have earned Croatia genuine international recognition: Paški sir (Pag cheese) and Paška janjetina (Pag lamb). Both are the direct product of the island's unusual environment — the Bura wind, the salt, and the sparse aromatic scrub — and both are worth going out of your way to try properly.

Paški Sir — Pag Cheese

What It Is

Paški sir is a hard, sharp, slightly salty sheep's milk cheese produced exclusively on Pag Island. It holds EU Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status — the same level of protection as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Roquefort — meaning authentic Paški sir can only be made here.

The cheese has a dense, fine-grained texture and a flavour that is distinctly sharp and savoury with a slight saltiness. Young Paški sir (aged 60 days minimum) is firmer but still somewhat yielding; fully aged Paški sir (over a year) is dry, crumbly, and intensely flavoured.

What Makes It Different

The sheep that produce the milk for Paški sir graze on the island's limestone karst. The sparse vegetation — predominantly wild sage, rosemary, and other aromatic herbs — grows in soil saturated with sea salt blown inland by the Bura wind. This gives the sheep's milk a specific mineral and herbal character that directly translates into the cheese.

No other milk, in any other location, produces the same result. The PDO protection exists precisely because this is verifiably true.

How to Eat It

On its own: A thin slice with a small glass of local dry white wine (Žutica or similar) is the traditional introduction.
With prosciutto: The salt and fat of dalmatian prosciutto balances the sharp cheese well.
With honey and walnuts: A common presentation in restaurants, especially as a starter.
Grated over pasta: Aged Paški sir works as a hard grating cheese over pasta dishes.

Where to Buy It

Pag town market and local shops: The most reliable source. You will find it sold both loose and vacuum-packed. Vacuum-packed travels well and keeps for weeks in a refrigerator.
Directly from producers: Several small family producers sell from their farms; look for handwritten signs on the D106 road through the island interior.
Supermarkets: Large supermarkets in Zadar and Novalja stock standard commercial Paški sir; the farmer's market in Pag town offers smaller-batch versions with more character.

Paška Janjetina — Pag Lamb

What It Is

Pag lamb (Paška janjetina) is milk-fed lamb from sheep raised on the island's karst vegetation. It is considered one of the finest lamb products in Croatia — and makes a strong case against most European competition.

The lambs are slaughtered young (4–8 weeks), before they transition fully from milk to grass. The meat is pale, tender, and fine-grained, with a delicate flavour that carries the herbal character of the island without being gamey.

Why It Tastes Different

The same reason as the cheese: the island's vegetation and salt-laden air. The sheep graze on wild sage, aromatic herbs, and salt-tinged scrub. The milk the lambs drink from their mothers carries these flavours. The result is meat with a specific, identifiable character — mild, sweet, and distinctly Pag.

How It Is Cooked

Peka is the traditional preparation: the lamb is placed in a heavy cast-iron pan, covered with a domed lid (the peka), and buried under glowing embers. It cooks slowly for 2–3 hours, producing meat that falls from the bone with a deeply caramelised exterior. This is the definitive version.

Most konoba restaurants offer peka, but it must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance. The preparation takes time and cannot be rushed. When you make a reservation, ask explicitly whether you need to pre-order peka for the following day.

Lamb is also served roasted on a spit (ražanj) at larger celebrations and some restaurants — this is also excellent but less commonly available than peka on short notice.

Where to Eat It

Any traditional konoba on Pag Island: Ask which konoba locals recommend — there are several good ones near Pag town and Novalja.
Restaurants in Pag town: The Old Town has several establishments that serve peka when ordered in advance.

Other Local Products Worth Trying

Pag Salt

The salt pans near Pag town have operated since Roman times. Pag fleur de sel — the fine surface layer harvested by hand — is sold in small pouches at the saltworks shop and in souvenir shops in Pag town. It is a high-quality finishing salt worth taking home.

Olive Oil

Small producers in the sheltered parts of Pag's interior make single-estate olive oil. Production volumes are small and it is not always easy to find, but when available it is worth buying directly from a producer.

Žutica Wine

Žutica is a local white wine grape variety grown on Pag Island. Wines made from it are dry, light, and mineral — a good match for fish, cheese, and the general island food. Not widely exported; try it here.

A Note on Counterfeits

Because Paški sir is widely known and commands a premium, imitations exist in Croatian supermarkets. Genuine PDO-certified Paški sir should carry the EU PDO label. In Pag town itself this is rarely an issue — you are buying from the island where it is made. Be more cautious with cheese labelled "Paški sir" in large supermarkets outside the island.