Where to Eat in the Balkans: Everything I Ate on a Five-Day Road Trip, Rated

I was struck by the culinary landscape of the Balkans, where the Ottoman influence is unmistakable. It tells a compelling story on the plate. Eastern European traditions with an Ottoman soul.

This isn't a deep dive. It's a five-day crash course, and I only had so much time (and space in my stomach). But I had one rule, which is always my rule: eat the local stuff. I stuck to it everywhere except Belgrade. I'll get to Belgrade.

The Route

A friend and I drove from Budapest to Sarajevo for lunch, then on to Mostar for the night. The next day we carried on to Dubrovnik, and from there we crossed into Montenegro and stayed in Perast. In the morning we took a boat out on the bay, then went on to Kotor. On our last day we drove to Belgrade for the night, and from there it was home to Budapest.

It was fast. Very fast. We didn't only go for the food. We wanted the history and the sights too, so there was rarely time to sit down and let a place sink in. I'd go back tomorrow, with far fewer plans.

Bring Cash, and the Right Cash

This is the most useful thing I can tell you. At some point you'll be somewhere where nothing can save you but local currency, and finding an ATM isn't always easy. Don't count on the euro either. Croatia and Montenegro use it, but Bosnia and Herzegovina has the convertible mark and Serbia has the dinar. Four countries, three currencies.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

I didn't expect Sarajevo to feel like a mini Istanbul. I was in Istanbul a few years ago, and I still remember exactly what it looks like. Sarajevo gave me the same feeling, on the plate and in the cityscape. Bosnia was part of the Ottoman Empire for more than four hundred years, from 1463 to 1878, and the food never forgot it.

Sarajevo and Mostar are where the Ottoman soul is strongest, and where I ate the most. The word ćevap comes from the Ottoman Turkish kebap. In Bosnian it used to cover braised meat in sauce as well, not only the grilled rolls everyone photographs. That's why the first dish below is a stew that's called a ćevap.

Hadžijski ćevap: 6/10

A veal stew with very fatty meat, which I had at Nanina Kuhinja in Sarajevo. I liked it, but the texture of the meat wasn't for me, so I wouldn't order it again.

Kolačići u kajmaku: 9/10

Same place in Sarajevo. Meatballs in a rich kajmak sauce (kajmak is the Balkan version of clotted cream), with very fatty meat. Extremely good and full of flavour, though all that fat made it feel heavy.

Tufahija: 6/10

A poached apple filled with walnut and honey, at Nanina Kuhinja again. I wasn't super impressed. The apple was undercooked and the ratio was off, too much apple and too little filling.

Baklava: 10/10

If you know me, you know this is my ultimate weakness. It's everywhere in the region and it never once let me down. The best one was at ottoman Baklava & Delight in Mostar. I also ate a lot of Turkish delight. I'm a huge fan of both, and this trip didn't help.

Croatia

Dubrovnik is where the Ottoman soul gives way to the Adriatic. All three dishes below came from Gradska kavana Arsenal, right by the old port.

Oysters: 9/10

Super fresh, and super good. I had them at Arsenal.

Srnećo ragu: 9/10

A traditional venison goulash served with mashed potatoes, also at Arsenal. Deeply flavourful and comforting, though a bit heavy.

Rozata: 4/10

Dubrovnik's own caramel custard, named after rozalin, the local rose liqueur that flavours it. I had it at Arsenal too. It was very mediocre. After crème catalana and crème brûlée, it just didn't hold up.

Drinks: Nautika

Dubrovnik also has really good drinks. The same group runs a second place on the other side of the old town, Nautika, and the drinks there are really nice too.

Peppino's: 10/10

Peppino's is a tiny gelato place on Svetog Dominika, near the walls entrance and a short walk from Arsenal. I can't tell you which flavour I had, because I don't remember, but they have really good ones and the gelato itself is a 10. It's the perfect thing to eat while you walk around the old town.

Montenegro

Adriatic Shark: 6/10

The catch of the day at Restaurant Conte in Perast. I asked what it was, and the answer was simply Adriatic shark. Catch of the day is always a good idea for fresh, local seafood. It was well cooked, but the texture was a bit too dry.

Peraška torta: 9/10

Perast's own almond cake, and I ate it in Perast, at Conte as well. Super tasty, though a bit dry for my liking.

Krempita: 6/10

I had this at Cesare, a café in Kotor's old town. It's very similar to the Hungarian krémes (kray-mesh), but much denser. Ours has a lighter cream, and I grew up with it, so I prefer it. If you've never had the Hungarian one, you'll probably enjoy this.

Serbia: Belgrade

Burek: 8/10

An essential Balkan staple made with delicate filo dough. I had mine from Hleb&Kifle Sremska, for breakfast. It's the ultimate on-the-go fuel, and the spinach and feta version remains my favourite.

This is where I broke my rule. Belgrade's city centre is full of modern food, and I ended up at April, with a French toast in a parmesan crust, filled with ham and béchamel. It was super good, and the vibe was really nice too. I don't regret it. It just isn't Balkan food. Food-wise, Belgrade didn't impress me much, but we only stopped there to sleep for one night. That's not a fair trial.

The Verdict

Some people will tell you Sarajevo is skippable. I think it's a must, for the cityscape and for the food. The whole region deserves more than five days, and next time I'll give it that, without the hassle and without so many plans.