Where to eat in Serbia

"?" (Znak Pitanja)

The oldest working kafana in Belgrade, in a merchant's house from 1823 by the Cathedral. Dark wood, framed photos and a menu of bean soup, karađorđeva schnitzel and grilled meats built for a long, unhurried meal.

Opening hours: daily 10:00-22:00 (please confirm)

Picked as Belgrade's oldest preserved kafana, dating to 1823, known for its untouched interior and old-town songs over dinner.

Ambar

A small-plates restaurant inside Beton Hala on the Sava, built for sharing rather than a starter-main format: uštipci, Ambar-style ćevapi, Karađorđeva schnitzel and a serious wine and rakija-cocktail list.

Opening hours: daily, roughly 10:00-02:00 (please confirm)

Picked for its small-plates take on Balkan cooking in a converted riverside warehouse, one of Savamala's most talked-about tables.

Drama Ćevapi

A no-frills grill counter on the edge of Skadarlija doing one thing well: 100% beef ćevapi in somun bread with kajmak and ajvar, fast turnover, open past midnight on weekends.

Opening hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 09:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 09:00-03:00 (please confirm)

Picked for straightforward, 100% beef ćevapi a few steps from Skadarlija, favoured by locals over flashier tourist grills.

Pečat

A fine-dining restaurant in Vračar that plates Serbian classics - steak tartare, sous vide pork neck, a dry-aged T-bone flambéed tableside - with the polish of a big-city tasting menu, close to Karađorđe Park.

Opening hours: daily 11:30-23:00 (please confirm)

Picked for turning Serbian home cooking into a genuine fine-dining menu, a short walk from the Temple of Saint Sava.

Pekara Trpković (Slavija)

A family-run bakery near Slavija Square, open since the early 1900s and still making some of the most-recommended burek in Belgrade - meat and cheese versions cut into squares, best eaten standing up with a cup of yogurt.

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 06:00-19:00, Sat 06:00-16:00 (please confirm)

Picked as one of Belgrade's most-recommended burek bakeries, a family business now in its fifth generation.

Šaran

A century-old fish restaurant on the Zemun quay, famous for its own recipe of riblja čorba (river fish soup) alongside grilled river fish and a wider Mediterranean seafood menu, with a proper Danube view from the terrace.

Opening hours: closed Mon; Tue-Wed 15:00-00:00, Thu-Sun 13:00-01:00 (please confirm)

Picked as one of Belgrade's best-known fish restaurants, run on the Zemun riverbank since a local fisherman opened it over a century ago.

Brunch Restaurant

A brunch-focused cafe doing eggs, pancakes and coffee in a bright room a few minutes from the pedestrian zone.

Picked for the one address in town that takes breakfast seriously - useful before a long day on the Petrovaradin side.

Cafe-Pub The Sting

A central cafe-pub with burgers, grills and a long drinks list, popular with younger crowds on weekend nights.

Picked for a casual beer-and-burger night when the kafana scene feels too heavy.

Elite bar & restaurant

A Danube-side restaurant and bar with terraces looking across the river, mixing grills with international staples.

Picked for riverside tables on the Danube quay when you want dinner with a view outside the old centre.

Restaurant Paragon

A central restaurant with a broad menu - Serbian grills, pasta and salads - in a modern room popular with office crowds at lunch.

Picked for a dependable mid-range menu near the centre when you want a break from cevapi-only kafanas.

Teatar cafe

A theatre-district cafe on Zmaj Jovina serving coffee, cakes and light Serbian plates in a relaxed room.

Picked for coffee and simple plates on Zmaj Jovina when you only need a long lunch break, not a full kafana dinner.

Veliki

A classic Novi Sad restaurant on Nikole Pašića, serving hearty Vojvodina plates and grilled meats in a formal, old-city setting.

Picked for old-school Vojvodina cooking in a proper dining room, not a fast grill on the corner.

Etno kafana Porta

An ethno kafana by the fortress serving classic southern Serbian grills and stews, often with live folk music.

Picked for live tamburica music and hearty Niš cooking in an ethno-styled room near the fortress.

Galija

A central grill restaurant with cevapi, steaks and Serbian classics in a larger dining room than the sokače kafanas.

Picked as a step up from the alley grills - still Serbian, but with more space and a fuller menu.

Kafana Barka

A kafana with terraces near the Nišava, serving grills and Serbian classics in a greener setting than the old centre.

Picked for terrace dining by the Nišava when the fortress lanes feel too cramped.

Kafana Biser

A traditional kafana serving Serbian home cooking and grills in a simple room locals still use for weekday lunches.

Picked for an old-school kafana lunch with home-style Serbian plates away from the tourist fortress loop.

Kafana kod Giše

A kafana on Tinkers' Alley, known for grilled meats and the lane's bohemian, smoky character.

Picked for the Kazandžijsko sokače atmosphere - smoky grills in the old craftsmen's lane.

Mali Podrum

A tiny fast-grill window on Koste Stamenkovića, serving cevapi and pljeskavica to eat on the go.

Picked as the quick, cheap cevapi stop when you want food in hand while walking the old centre.