Food & Drink
25 Serbian Dishes and Where to Eat Them
From ćevapi to krempita: what to order and where to find it.
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Quick answer
Start with ćevapi, pljeskavica, sarma, gibanica and kajmak, and finish with a glass of rakija. Kafanas (traditional restaurants) are the best place to try them.
Quick facts
- Must try
- Ćevapi, kajmak, burek
- Where
- Kafanas and grill houses
- Breakfast
- Burek with yogurt
- Drink
- Rakija
- Last checked
- 27 Oct 2026
Grill
- Ćevapi: small grilled minced-meat rolls with onion and lepinja bread
- Pljeskavica: large grilled patty
- Ražnjići: grilled meat skewers
- Karađorđeva šnicla: rolled breaded schnitzel filled with kajmak
- Mućkalica: grilled meat stew with peppers
Home cooking
- Sarma: cabbage rolls with minced meat and rice
- Punjene paprike: stuffed peppers
- Prebranac: baked beans with onion
- Pasulj: bean soup
- Podvarak: sauerkraut baked with meat
- Riblja čorba: fish soup from the rivers
Pastry and bread
- Burek: flaky pastry with meat or cheese
- Gibanica: cheese and egg pie
- Proja: cornbread
- Komplet lepinja: bread with kajmak, egg and roast juices
On the side
- Kajmak: creamy dairy spread
- Ajvar: roasted pepper relish
- Urnebes: spicy cheese spread
- Srpska salata: tomato, cucumber and onion
- Šopska salata: the same, with white cheese
Sweets and drinks
- Krempita: custard slice
- Tulumbe: syrup-soaked fried dough
- Vanilice: small jam cookies
- Palačinke: thin pancakes
- Rakija: fruit brandy, see our rakija guide
Where to eat them
For ćevapi and pljeskavica, go to a roštilj (grill house). For home cooking like sarma and prebranac, look for a traditional kafana; Skadarlija in Belgrade is the classic street. For burek, any busy bakery in the morning. And for fish soup, a riverside restaurant in Zemun or on the Danube.
Tip: Dishes in a kafana are often big and made for sharing, so order a few to start and add more later. A tip of about 10% in cash is normal, and musicians who play at your table expect one too.
Food tour in Belgrade
Taste a dozen dishes with a local guide in one evening.
See food toursFrequently asked questions
What is the national dish of Serbia?
Many would say ćevapi or pljeskavica.
Is Serbian food good for vegetarians?
It’s meat-heavy, but try prebranac, gibanica, cheese burek, ajvar, salads and stuffed peppers (ask for the meat-free version).
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