A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Belgrade

  Traditional Serbian Meze

With its insatiable late-night club scene, lively outdoor cafés and wide range of restaurants, Belgrade is one of the most exciting destinations in Eastern Europe. And, great news for budget travelers - this newly evolving city has a very affordable cost of living, too.

Many of the city's best eateries can be found in the Skandarlija district to the south of the Old Town. Originally Belgrade’s bohemian quarter, restaurant prices have remained low and many places (particularly on Skardarska) have quality traditional menus.

The popular Serbian specialties 'pljeskavica' or 'cevapcici' (grilled meat dishes) can also be sampled cheaply from street stalls around the city. Fish is another local staple, especially at the chic restaurants which line the riverside in New Belgrade and are moored on the water itself.

With the recent influx in tourism and an increase in multicultural influences, Belgrade has seen a rise in the number of ethnic eateries across the city, giving visitors further choice of affordable alternatives for dining out.

In the evenings, Belgrade really comes to life. Whole families fill the outdoor cafés along the Old Town’s bustling central thoroughfare, Kneza Mihaila, and the city is packed with places to drink and dance. Draft beer and the local slivovica (plum brandy) are the cheapest drinks to enjoy.

North of the city’s central square, the urban neighborhood of Dorcol is a favorite destination amongst the locals. The busiest strip is Strahinjica Bana which is lined with venues. West of here, the pedestrianised zones around the Kalemegdan Fortress are also home to a lively café scene.

Belgrade’s late-night partying (and there’s plenty of it!) takes place in the loud, frantic clubs below the citadel and revolves around the explosion of techno which hit Eastern Europe in the 90s. This music remains dominant on the scene and the city’s largest clubs attract top international DJs.

In summer, the revelry increases even further when 'splavovi' (river rafts) open up along the water to create a paradise for dance music lovers. These bars and discos are concentrated around the Brankov Bridge on the Sava and the eastern suburb of Zemum on the Danube.

But the city isn’t all about techno – jazz is also very popular in Serbia. The busy cafés on Strahinjica Bana often have live events throughout the year and there’s an annual Jazz Festival each October which attracts both renowned musicians and thousands of fans to this fabulously vibrant city.

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