A lovely late afternoon lunch
My experience in Serbian restaurants has not been good. In the past, the service has been abrupt, not inclined to please the customer, and the bathrooms not too clean. If they are clean, there is a woman collecting money and handing you one square of toilet paper for every coin you hand her. If you haven’t change, you are out of luck! These are important aspects of a restaurant, for sure. The food is usually mediocre, at best: prepared to help you life through the day. This particular one treated me to a delicious soup last time we were here, and the bathrooms are stellar, the service: formal and excellent. As it is in the downtown promenade area, we decided to treat Lori and Igor with lunch there.
See the waiter’s costume? “¦ and Lori’s fashionable scarf in 40 Celsius weather?!
Soup looks fantastic. See the happy little fellow ready to dig in! Too bad it tasted like hot water, and nothing more. We were both surprised. This place knows how to make a good soup. If you can’t do that in this town, you are out of business, fast!
I ordered a “œGreek Salad”. Nothing like ours at home, but the vegetables were like candy, and the cheese a young unripened goat feta that was to-die-for. I have had many young unripened cheeses in the Balkans and they are all so delicious. I can find nothing similar at home.
Lori ordered a shrimp and mushroom risotto. The risotto was yummy and clearly had porcini mushrooms in it, though they were not noted on the menu. The shrimp presentation was unexpected for this region. Lori needed help knowing how to eat them, and a serving of two was quite a joke; though, none of us cared. We were just enjoying the moment as it was.
Vanja’s roast beef salad was a hit: beautifully presented on baby arugula with some generous hits of Asiago. I had asked our waiter to recommend a house specialty for an appetizer and he suggested the cheese wrapped in bacon, so we ordered it, but it never came. We had our soup and salad , so asked about it, and it was clear that it had been forgotten. When we just said to cancel it, that was not an option. Another interesting, and not unexpected, service standard here. It did arrive with the main courses, so we shared it. I asked the waiter if it was standard to serve the appetizer with the main to see what he would say. He just looked at me, and shrugged. It was delicious, but how can one go wrong with melted cheese and bacon. Deadly!
A lovely afternoon lunch, and home for a nap after. Another something one has to do to survive the summer heat in this part of the world!
I would like to add that my friends and I were pretty dissatisfied with the service in the restaurant.
First time we just stopped for a drink, and it was really nice experience with a waiter being very pleasant
Next time we were eagerly expecting to explore their cuisine like you did, but unfortunately we were unsuccessful. Waiters were passing around us and we barely succeeded in getting the menu after fifteen minutes of sitting. They were very rude and were quite literally ignoring us. After we spent another half an hour trying to order anything we left the place.
Next time my friend insisted to go again and it passed quite well.
But next three times the experience was similar to our second visit.
Food is quite good, depending on what you order, but I cannot recommend to anyone the restaurant where the service can be so bad. It really isn’t something to remember and there are other quite good restaurants in Belgrade with much better service.
I would love to hear your recommendations for other great restaurants in Beograd, Peter. We usually visit there once a year – and will be back this July and would love a referral from you!
🙂
Valerie
Hi Valerie,
Sorry for not answering you for so long. I’ve had a lot of work on my job and it completely slipped my mind.
It will be my pleasure to recommend you couple of restaurants so you could enjoy some good cuisine while staying in Belgrade. 🙂
As there are many restaurants in Belgrade and I don’t know your personal preferences, so I will recommend you just a few based on mine. They are all relatively inexpensive offering really good cuisine. I will not recommend you a menu because, for me, it is one of the two most exciting parts of every meal, choosing from a menu 🙂 Other is, of course, eating 🙂
Reservation is not necessary during a work week, but is advisable as you can never be sure in advance if table is available.
1) “Little Bay”, Dositejeva 9a street (in a street behind National Theater, phone (011) 32-84-163,
http://www.little-bay.co.uk
This is the first one on my list. Conceptually this restaurant is all about rococo opera, from costumed staff and open draperies facing the street, to real theater-like boxes and opera arias. There is a live music everyday in the evening except on Sunday when it is afternoon.
Cuisine is international with dishes which are innovative and beautifully arranged and prepared. Staff is very pleasant and outgoing.
2) “Kalemegdanska terasa”, Mali Kalemegdan bb, phone (011) 32-83-011,
http://www.kalemengdanskaterasa.com
This is very attractive restaurant with spectacular view of the two rivers and Kalemegdan. They have beautiful terrace that is used even in winter. Atmosphere is very relaxing.
Cuisine is also excellent, mainly international but with couple of excellent domestic dishes.
3) “Klub knjizevnika”, Francuska 7, phone (011) 26-27-931,
http://www.klubknjizevnika.rs
Klub knjizevnika is legendary place and famous tavern known as gathering place of Serbian artists and intellectuals. It has bohemian spirit and atmosphere and is now owned by well known Buda, who ran this place from 50s.
It has very good international and domestic cuisine.
4) “Manjež”, Svetozara Markovića 49, phone (011) 36-21-111
This is one of “real” Belgrade taverns, one of rare that survived transition keeping its bohemian reputation as gathering place for artists, amorous couples, journalists etc.
Cuisine is very good but domestic only.
If you have any questions feel free to write,
Sincerely,
Petar
I really appreciate this, Petar. My husband’s brother lives in the city, but it not a foodie, and wouldn’t have a clue where to take us. I think we have already been at the Kalemegdan restaurant. It was quite formal and really lovely food – and, as you say – more international… yet, there is no doubt that there is the Serbian “flare” there! (Woman’s washroom was outrageously stinky – yet everything else was spotless) Food was fantastic. Service excellent! Can’t WAIT to try the bohemian one – and a couple of other ones while we are there. Any other Balkan suggestions? How do you know the area so well?
🙂
Valerie
I know it’s been a long time since you first wrote this article but I had to speak up for the amazing quality and service in Beograde’s restaurants.
I would agree that like any city, visiting the tourist traps means you are going to be disappointed. However, belgrade has such a wealthy of superb places to eat that I hope you have found in the years following this article. The expat community is always my first stop in any city to find the quality places to eat. I have no connection to Serbia other than work and yet I could eat in a different restaurant every night and barely ever be disappointed.
Whilst Petar’s suggestions are not bad, they are still the more well-know haunts and there is definitely better options out there now!
Hey, Susan,
Suggestions, please!
We are actually in Bijelinja right now – no time for Belgrade restaurant reviews this trip due to the flood…. but we did stop in at Zavicaj for lunch on the way from the airport, and it was “nice”. Loved the traditional theme and the food was good. Food was SPECTACULAR in Bijelinja at Semberski Salas across the street from the Ethnic Village. Best meal I have ever eaten anywhere in the former Yugolavia so far!
🙂
V