KOSOVO FOOD GUIDE

The ultimate way to get to know a country and its culture is through its cuisine. Therefore, if you are traveling to Kosovo anytime soon, this Kosovo food guide is a must read. Here you’ll find every must-try dish in Kosovo, restaurant recommendations, and inspiration to enjoy Kosovo’s culture though its cuisine.

Additionally, make sure to read about the best places to visit in Kosovo not to miss any highlights on your Kosovo trip. And check of the following posts if you are planning on extending your visit to neighbouring Albania, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, North Macedonia, or Montenegro.

Must know about food in Kosovo

The cuisine of Kosovo is very similar to that of neighboring countries, especially Albania. Kood in Kosovo relies heavily on bread, dairy, and meat. Nevertheless, Kosovars also consume lots of fresh and pickled vegetables. Coffee and strong drinks also play an important role in Kosovo gastronomy, often accompanied by sweets and desserts. 

Therefore, if you are about to visit Kosovo and what to enjoy the best Kosovo food, note the following:

• Islam is the biggest religion in the country, so dishes are pork-free
• Kosovo is one of the cheapest countries in Europe
• Expect lots of Serbian, Greek, Italian, Turkish, and Albanian influences 
• Pies are very popular and enjoyed anytime everywhere
• Vegans and vegeterians might have a hard time in local restaurants
• Rice, cabbage, onion and minced meat are almost in very Kosovo dish 
• Sweets tend to include lots of nuts and honey, so beware of allergens 
• Turkish-style coffee and tea are very popular

That being said, as in any country in the world, you’ll be able to find fine dining an international restaurants in Kosovo accommodating every taste. Nevertheless, this Kosovo Food Guide focuses on local dishes and restaurants and highlights what is unique about food in Kosovo.

Leave a comment below if you have any questions or contact me via my Instagram and/or Tiktok pages for extra tips.

Best food to try in Kosovo

The following are the ten best dishes to try during your Kosovo holiday. If you’d rather sample them with a guide, check out these food tour of Prizren and this Pristina wine tasting tour. If you are looking for the ultimate Balkan foodie experience, check out this Balkans Food Adventure.

1. Burek

Burek is a crispy savory pastry made with layers of phyllo dough alternated with a filling. It’s usually cooked in a circular shape and filled with spiced minced meat, spinach, and/or cottage cheese. The dish is originally from Ottoman Empire and some know it as Börek, Byrek, or Boureki.

It’s the most famous among Balkan dishes and, as such, a must try food in Kosovo. Considered a street food, burek can be eaten at any time of the day and you’ll find it in every market, food truck, and restaurants around Kosovo. Sample as much as you can as you’ll certainly miss it back home.

2. Sarma

Sarma is another Ottoman dish to enjoy when traveling to Kosovo and the Balkans in general. It consists of rolled cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with spiced minced meat, onion, and rice. It’s perfect as a starter or side dish and you won’t be able to eat just one.

Traditionally, Sarma was a dish for special occasions. Yet, nowadays it’s available in almost every local restaurant. The best restaurants in Pristina to try sarma are Tavern Tirona and Pishat.

3. Cevapcici

Cevapcici or Cevapi is a grilled skinless sausage made of spiced minced meat. The sausages are hand rolled, mellowed for a few hours, and grilled over charcoal. A regular portion includes 10 sausages, served within a pitta bread or with onions, chips, and sour cream.

The dish, available throughout the Balkans, is a source of great national pride and a must try when visiting Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, North Macedonia, or Croatia.

You’ll find it in almost every restaurant, with Pishat and Princesha Gresa in Pristina being the best restaurants in Kosovo to have awesome cevapi.

4. Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers, known as Mish me Speca in the local language, are a Kosovo traditional food during the summer months. As the name suggests, these are baked bell peppers stuffed with spiced minced meat, rice, and vegetables.

The meat is usually beef or lamb, and some places coat the peppers with kefir or cottage cheese that’s melted in the oven. Make sure to try some when you visit Kosovo. They are filling and delicious.

5. Pasul Bean Stew

Pasul is a hearty bean stew made combining white, red, or kidney beans with tomato sauce, vegetables, and meat cuts. Right before coming to the table, it’s baked over a fire oven and coated with sliced onion and crusty bread.

I fell in love with this comfort food when visiting Skopje, in North Macedonia, and recreated it many times at home. Trust me and order some, it’s absolutely delicious and a must in every Kosovo Food Guide.

6. Shopska salad

Shopska salad is a typical kosovar summer salad made out of fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumber and onion drizzled with olive oil and coated with feta cheese. You’ll find similar salads in Belarus, Albania, and North Macedonia as this salad is basically a mix of the best summer produce. 

Yet, regardless of its origin, shopska salad is the salad to have during your trip to Kosovo. It is so tasty, fresh, healthy, filling, and affordable that you won’t want to go without it. I had it twice a day during my trip, no kidding.

7. Tarator

Tarator is another traditional Kosovar summer salad, this time made with cucumber, yogurt, garlic, and walnuts and garnished with spices and olive oil. 

Salad tarator is very refreshing and goes perfectly well with meat-based dishes or fried seafood, while it is also nice as an appetiser with freshly baked pitta bread. 

8. Kofte Ferguar

Kofte in another Kosovo food originated during the Ottoman times that is famous all over the Balkans and the Middle East. The dish consists of fried meatballs made out of minced beef or lamb meat spiced with garlic, onions, mint leaves and breadcrumbs. 

It can be enjoyed as a main dish or as an appetiser, and is often served with fries or pitta bread. You’ll find the nicest in restaurants that use charcoal barbecues.

9. Ajvar

Ajvar is made by roasting red peppers, eggplant, and onion over a wood fire to then mash them into a chunky paste. It’s usually served as a dip, spread, or condiment sauce and goes perfectly with meat dishes and on bread. 

Ajvar is considered an essential staple of Kosovar cuisine and many families prepare their own. Restaurant Tiffany in Pristina is meant to serve the best in town.

10. Kollpite

Kollpite is a traditional Kosovar savoury pastry that can be enjoyed plain or with cheese. It consists of a dough made of flour and warm salty water which is stretched into thin sheets. 

These are then layered on top of each other and baked until crispy on the outside. Finally, the pastry is drizzled with melted butter and served for the whole table to enjoy.

Best desserts to try in Kosovo

No meal is complete without a dessert. The following are the three must-have sweet dishes when traveling to Kosovo, which can also be enjoyed as a breakfast, afternoon snack, or anytime bites.

11. Baklava

Baklava is the most famous among Turkish sweets and a revered heritage in every ex-Ottoman country. Therefore, you’ll find Baklava almost everywhere in Kosovo which is awesome news. 

Baklava consists of several layers of filo pastry stuffed with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey. It’s often enjoyed with rakia, coffee, tea, or vanilla ice-cream. And there’s also modern versions which enhance the traditional walnuts, almonds and pistachios with chocolate or caramel. 

12. Flija

Flija is one of the best known Kosovo food dishes and the country’s unofficial national dish. This round pie-shaped dish looks like a huge pile of pancakes. However, it’s not that easy as it consists of several layers of two different mixtures that are baked together for over five hours. 

The first layer is a batter made of flour, salty water, and eggs. The second layer, which serves as the filling, is made by mixing butter and yogurt. Several layers of both mixtures are poured on top of each other and then baked as a whole.

13. Tespishte

Tespishte is a popular Kosovo pastry consisting of a dough made with oil, milk, flour, and eggs topped with chopped nuts. These are usually walnuts, almonds, and pistachios. Some also use sesame seeds or flakes of desiccated coconut. 

The tough is cut into rhomboid or triangular-shaped slices before baking and is best served warm with sugar syrup and lemon. Sweet lovers cannot miss it when going through this Kosovo Food Guide.

Best drinks to try in Kosovo

Foodies will agree a country can also be explored through its drinks, and Kosovo is no exception to this rule. The below are Kosovo’s most famous beverages, will you venture trying them all?

14. Boza

Boza is a refreshing soft drink very popular in the Balkans made with fermented grains, usually maize and wheat flour. Thus, it has a very characteristic acid-sweet flavor that one either loves or hates. 

I haven’t got to try it, but it certainly reminds me of the local drinks I tried in Kyrgyzstan and the fun I had making videos of my reactions over Instagram and Tiktok.

15. Kompot

Kompot is made by boiling fresh fruit with lots of sugar, as a drinkable version of a jam. It can be served hot or cold and usually comes with small chunks of cooked fruits. 

It might be hard to find in fancy restaurants, but if you go anywhere near a local eatery ask for some. It’s definitely one of the best local drinks to try in Kosovo.

16. Rasol

Rasol is the leftover juice resulting from fermenting red cabbage. Kosovars love making their own pickles, and many families ferment red cabbage at home every autumn. When they empty the barrels to take out such cabbage, there’s lots of juice left behind and that is rasol.

Rasol is usually saved and stored as it has many health benefits. Not your usual go-to drink, but certainly a must try for adventure travelers. Would you fancy some? I haven’t tried it yet but would certainly love to sip some.

17. Alcoholic drinks

If you drink alcohol, make sure to try Vranac wine, local beer, and Rakia when visiting Kosovo.

Vranac wine is red wine made with a variety of ancient grapes from Kosovo’s Rahovec region. You can find it in local stores, restaurants, and small wineries. It may not be as famous as local wines in Armenia, Georgia, or even Moldova. Yet, it’s pretty nice and well worth trying.

Beer lovers should know that in Kosovo local beer tends to have the name of the city where it’s made. Thus, Birra Prishtina from Pristina or Birra Peja from Pec should top your list when ordering beer in Kosovo.

If you fancy a stronger shot, rakia is your option. This brandy-like drink is homemade across the Balkans from fruits such as grapes, walnuts, plums, or peaches. I tried some in this awesome restaurant in Budva, Montenegro and still remember the taste. You can see it on my Instagram and Tiktok pages.

Kosovo Food recap

The Balkans are famous for their hearty and tasty food and Kosovo is no exception to that rule. Here you’ll find fresh vegetables, lots of minced meat, delicious cheese, and strong drinks that pair well with super sweet desserts.

When visiting Kosovo, especially if spending a day outdoors in the country’s lakes or national parks, stock up on some burek and enjoy a lovely picnic.

Alternatively, if you are spending the day in one of the nice cities in Kosovo, visit a local restaurant and sample some salad, beans stew, sarma and meat dishes such as cevapcici or kofte. There’s no better way to finish up a day of exploring Kosovo than sharing some rakia and baklava with a view.

Regardless of your food preferences, this Kosovo Food Guide contains everything you need to know to turn your Kosovo adventure into the ultimate gastro tip. Enjoy!