The pljeskavica, or Serbian hamburger, is at least five times as big as any American hamburger and can be bought at any fast food restaurant.

For more information on Serbian foods check out our Serbian restaurant guide. Take a look at the Belgrade shopping guide if you would like to shop for details on Belgrade's shopping districts and malls.

Food & Cuisine in Belgrade

Local delicacies and produce

Rostilj - a large platter of assorted grilled meats or different combinations of chicken grilled and wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese - is a staple at most Serbian restaurants. For those who prefer vegan or vegetarian fare, fresh salads, crepes, plates of grilled vegetables and omelettes are available.

For connoisseurs of good Belgrade food and cuisine, kajmak - a combination of cream cheese and butter, and avjar - a savoury mix of eggplant, tomatoes and peppers, are local delicacies that are worth a try. Visitors would find a trip to the local green market, called pijaca, interesting. Shopping for fresh produce and soaking in the atmosphere of the post-Socialist culture can be quite an experience.

Street Food

For eating out in Belgrade street is ubiquitous and easy on the pocket. For a quick snack, bakeries called pekara, which are found in the city centre, offer a variety of breads, an assortment of pastries, sandwiches and pizza. For tourists on the go, a light meal of pastry or a yoghurt drink can assuage hunger pangs as they explore Belgrade.

Fast Food

Well known international chains such as McDonalds or Pizza Hut can be found here but Belgrade has a number of fast food restaurants for the junkie. These restaurants have the giant Serbian hamburger, baked goods, sandwiches, pizza and Serbian crepes, known as palacinke, on offer. Some of these places might also sell Turkish delicacies such as baklava, tulumba or other Greek specialities.

Restaurants

A few international restaurants serving Indian and Chinese food and cuisine in Belgrade exist. These range from the reasonably priced to the very expensive. The Peking restaurant and Mao Tao offer Chinese fare while Mexican cuisine finds a place at Zapata - the best Mexican restaurant in Belgrade. Iguana serves exotic dishes that are a change from the usual fare - the specialities are complex, fresh yet light.

Serbian restaurants as well as Italian can be found mostly at Skadarlija, a quiet and pleasant place.

Drink in Belgrade

Beer is extremely popular in Belgrade and the drink of choice for most Serbs - so it is possible to choose from a huge variety of beers here. The beer is produced domestically and at very reasonable prices. Imported beer such as Heineken, Tuborg, Bittburger, and Becks are also available. A Beer Festival is held in Belgrade every September.

While the local wines tend to be quite palatable, the more expensive wines are better to taste than the inexpensive wine. The Serbs produce a brandy called rakija, which is the national alcoholic drink. Rakija is very strong in flavour and makes for a good gift. Non-alcoholic drinks such as blueberry, raspberry, peach, tomato, apple, strawberry and other kind of juices are available in plenty.

Cafes and pubs

Fans of the cafe culture will find quite a few places worth a visit in Belgrade. Strahinjića Bana is a street that is well known for its trendy cafes, which are filled to bursting even on weekdays. But Friday evenings are when the cafes really come into their own - Belgrade's young crowd gathers in droves to enjoy the music and company. The best known of these are Insomnia, Buongiornio, Nachos, KontraBar, Veprov Dah - a traditional Scottish pub, Duomo - an Italian and Mediterranean restaurant and cafe and Ipanema.

Another popular cafe zone is a street called Obilićev Venac where the best cafes are Iron, Jelena, Zu Zu's, Simbol and the Irish pub.

The quay adjacent to Hotel Yugoslavia in Zemun is also a place for the pub-hopping crowd. A number of river boats called splavovi house cafes, restaurants and clubs that offer an exotic experience.