Albania is a great destination for foodies. From hearty meat dishes to fresh vegetables and quaffable wines to wash it down with, food is at the heart of the culture. You will never go hungry on Albanian food, that’s for sure.
But where do you start?
Here’s our guide to traditional Albanian dishes and wine, plus a few recommendations on where to find the best Albanian food.
What is Albanian food like?
Albanian cuisine is a combination of mediterranean food like fresh salads, vegetables, fish and rice, and hearty meat dishes, homemade breads, soft cheeses and stews.
Crucially, Albanians eat seasonally and they’re also incredibly resourceful with their ingredients—aubergine five ways? You got it.
Traditional Albanian foods to try during your next visit
Tavë Kosi
Tavë Kosi is Albania’s national dish. It’s also known as Elbasan Tava after the town it came from. Lamb is mixed into a roux (white sauce) and then topped with a mixture of yoghurt, rice and eggs, and typically seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. The yoghurt gives the dish a slightly tangy flavour which compliments the meat.
Fërgesë
Fërgesë is sometimes referred to as “summer stew” because Albanians like to eat it once it’s cooled and thickened. It’s a tomato sauce-based dish with green peppers, garlic and cottage cheese and usually eaten with homemade bread.
Byrek
Also known as burek, this dish isn’t exclusive to Albania and can be found widely across the Balkans, each country putting its own spin on it. It’s made with layered filo pastry and most commonly stuffed with cheese and an array of different vegetables or meats. It’s eaten as a breakfast or late evening snack in Albania. You can find this humble dish in bakeries and restaurants across the country.
Petulla
Petulla is another food found across the Balkans, but with different names—for example, it’s known as priganice in Montenegro. They’re fried dough balls often eaten as a snack or with dinner. However, we’ve found these Balkan donuts to be a popular breakfast option on our holidays, served with honey or jam to dunk them in—fuel for an adventure.
Related:
- 10 traditional Balkan foods you have to try when you visit
- In conversation with Irina Janakievska, author of The Balkan Kitchen
- A recipe for burek… the traditional Balkan pastry with many names
Speca të Mbushura
These humble stuffed peppers are found all over Albania and the recipe will differ depending on how it was passed down through the family. The basic premise is peppers stuffed with rice and seasoned with chilli peppers or black pepper. Sometimes you’ll find lamb or tomatoes in the mix.
Perime në Zgarë
As with salad, a plate full of colourful grilled vegetables (Perime në Zgarë) is a popular accompaniment to an array of main dishes. Typically, you will find mediterranean vegetables such as peppers, courgettes, aubergines and mushrooms on the plate and they’re sometimes drizzled with balsamic vinegar to add extra flavour.
Peshk në Zgarë
Peshk në Zgarë translates to ‘grilled fish’ is popular along the riviera and in areas along Albania’s glorious freshwater rivers and lakes. It can be any fish, trout being common inland, and it’s baked whole and served with grilled vegetables, potatoes, herbs and a generous pouring of olive oil.
Albanian wine
Wine making in Albania dates back to the bronze age. Wine was even produced during the communist period at state-owned wineries dotted around the country. Albania grows a variety of indigenous grapes: Kallmeti, Vranac, Vlosh (red), and Shesh and Debin (white) being some of the most common. And it’s not just along the coast; you will find vineyards inland and even up in the mountains.
Where to find great Albanian food and wine
Mrizi i Zanave
Nestled in the village of Fishta near Lezhë, around 90 minutes’ drive from Tirana, Mrizi i Zanave is an award-winning agrotourism restaurant and farmhouse which is leading the farm to fork movement in Albania.
Here, the seasons dictate the menu and the chef prepares traditional Albanian recipes in modern ways. All ingredients are either grown on site or sourced from neighbouring farms. You can take a tour of the meat and cheese stores and opt for a wine tasting in the cellar before sitting down to eat.
Radhime Fisherman’s Collective
If you’re into seafood, the Fisherman’s Collective Restaurant (Buotinae Peshkatarit) n Radhime, Vlorë on the coast is the place to find the freshest catches at very reasonable prices.
Kantina Mani
We love this family-run winery in Shkodër, North Albania. Owner Fatjon’s family owned this land before the communists took it and it was always his dream to establish a winery on it; he was the first person in the country to do so in the post-communist era. Kantina Mani currently only produces red wines—75% of the grapes are Kellmet and 25% are Merlot. Touring the winery at sunset is a must, as is staying for a homemade slow-roasted spit lamb for dinner.
But we’re not giving it all away. From home stays high in the Gjirokaster mountains to authentic, family-run restaurants, we’ve found that some of the best foodie spots are in the most unsuspecting places— you’ll have to join us on one of our Albania holidays to find out.
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