Food · Belgrade · Serbia
What to eat in Belgrade
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Belgrade, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ZlatanJovanovic, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Ćevapi, Pljeskavica and Burek with yogurt. A long evening in a kafana, the traditional tavern, starts with rakija and a shared plate of kajmak, ajvar and cured meats, continues with grilled meat and often ends with live music. Portions are large; one main course with a shared salad is often enough for two light eaters.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Ćevapi
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Rounding up or leaving about 10% for good service in restaurants is common; in cafés…
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Street food
1.Ćevapi (Ćevapčići)
Small fingers of grilled minced meat served in a soft lepinja flatbread with chopped raw onion and kajmak. Order by the number of pieces, usually five or ten.
Where: Grill restaurants (roštilj) across the city; quality grill houses are always busy at lunchtime.
Street food
2.Pljeskavica
A large, flat patty of spiced minced meat grilled and stuffed into lepinja with salads and sauces; the Leskovac style is spicier, the 'gurmanska' version is stuffed with cheese.
Where: Street grills open late around Republic Square, Slavija and in every neighbourhood.
Breakfast
3.Burek with yogurt (Burek)
Flaky filo pie filled with minced meat, cheese or spinach, sold by weight and traditionally eaten for breakfast with a glass of drinking yogurt.
Where: Neighbourhood bakeries (pekara) and burek shops (buregdžinica), many open from early morning.
Snack · Vegetarian
4.Kajmak
A rich, slightly salty clotted cream made from the skin of boiled milk, eaten with bread, on grilled meat or stirred into dishes. Young kajmak is mild; aged kajmak is sharper.
Where: Every kafana and grill house; buy it fresh at Kalenić and other farmers' markets.
Snack · Vegetarian
5.Ajvar
A relish of roasted red peppers, sometimes with aubergine and chilli, slowly cooked into a smoky spread. Families make it in large batches in early autumn.
Where: Kafanas serve it with bread and grilled meat; markets sell homemade jars in autumn.
Dish
6.Karađorđe's schnitzel (Karađorđeva šnicla)
A rolled veal or pork cutlet stuffed with kajmak, breaded and fried, served with tartar sauce and roast potatoes. It was created in Belgrade in the 1950s.
Where: Traditional kafanas in Skadarlija and around the centre.
Dish
7.Sarma
Sour cabbage leaves rolled around minced meat and rice and slowly stewed with smoked meat; a winter and holiday staple.
Where: Kafanas with home-style daily dishes (kuvana jela), mostly in colder months.
Dish · Vegetarian
8.Baked beans (Prebranac)
White beans baked with lots of onion and paprika until thick and slightly crusty, eaten especially during Orthodox fasting periods when no meat is served.
Where: Traditional kafanas; look for posna (fasting) menus, which are vegan.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
9.Gibanica
A baked pie of layered filo sheets with eggs and white cheese, eaten warm at breakfast or for family celebrations.
Where: Bakeries in the morning and as a side at traditional restaurants.
Snack · Vegetarian
10.Urnebes salad (Urnebes)
Not really a salad but a spicy spread of white cheese mixed with hot red pepper and garlic, eaten with bread before grilled meat.
Where: Grill houses and kafanas across the city.
Dish
11.Fish soup (Riblja čorba)
A paprika-rich soup of Danube river fish such as carp and catfish, cooked in a pot until thick and red.
Where: Fish restaurants on the Zemun quay and riverside splavovi.
Drink · Vegetarian
12.Rakija
Fruit brandy, most often plum (šljivovica), but also quince, apricot or pear, usually drunk as an aperitif in small glasses. Homemade rakija is offered as a sign of hospitality.
Where: Every kafana; specialist rakija bars in Dorćol and the Old Town offer tasting flights.
Food experiences
Kafana dinner
A long evening in a kafana, the traditional tavern, starts with rakija and a shared plate of kajmak, ajvar and cured meats, continues with grilled meat and often ends with live music.
Grill-house lunch
Order ćevapi or pljeskavica with onions and kajmak at a busy roštilj; portions are generous and prices low.
Market morning at Kalenić
Taste kajmak, cheeses and seasonal fruit from farmers, then take coffee in one of the cafés around the market.
Fish on the Zemun quay
Riverside restaurants in Zemun serve fish soup and grilled Danube fish with a view of the river at sunset.
Quick bites and street food
- Ćevapi — Grill restaurants (roštilj) across the city; quality grill houses are always busy at lunchtime.
- Pljeskavica — Street grills open late around Republic Square, Slavija and in every neighbourhood.
- Burek with yogurt — Neighbourhood bakeries (pekara) and burek shops (buregdžinica), many open from early morning.
- Kajmak — Every kafana and grill house; buy it fresh at Kalenić and other farmers' markets.
- Ajvar — Kafanas serve it with bread and grilled meat; markets sell homemade jars in autumn.
- Gibanica — Bakeries in the morning and as a side at traditional restaurants.
- Urnebes salad — Grill houses and kafanas across the city.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Kajmak, Ajvar, Baked beans, Gibanica, Urnebes salad and Rakija. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Portions are large; one main course with a shared salad is often enough for two light eaters.
- Many kafanas offer cooked daily dishes at lunch, which are cheaper and quicker than grilled orders.
- Smoking is still allowed in some cafés and bars; ask for a non-smoking area if it matters to you.
- Shopska and Serbian salads are the standard side for grilled meat.
- Dinner starts late, typically from 8pm, and Friday and Saturday tables at popular places need booking.
Tipping
Rounding up or leaving about 10% for good service in restaurants is common; in cafés, rounding up is enough. Musicians in kafanas expect a tip if you request a song.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dobar dan | Good day / hello |
| Zdravo | Hi |
| Hvala | Thank you |
| Molim | Please / you're welcome |
| Živeli | Cheers |
| Račun, molim | The bill, please |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Belgrade famous for?
Ćevapi, Pljeskavica, Burek with yogurt and Kajmak. Small fingers of grilled minced meat served in a soft lepinja flatbread with chopped raw onion and kajmak.
+Is Belgrade good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Kajmak, Ajvar and Baked beans.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Belgrade?
Rounding up or leaving about 10% for good service in restaurants is common; in cafés, rounding up is enough. Musicians in kafanas expect a tip if you request a song.