Cetinje might not be the biggest city in the country, but the old royal capital has plenty of inviting restaurants waiting to fill you up. From Mediterranean fare to good old fashioned Balkan classics, these are Cetinje’s best eateries.
Cetinje is Montenegro’s old royal capital and the city is full of restaurants serving food that is indeed fit for a king. Not content with being one of the region’s most underrated destinations, Cetinje might just be its most misprized culinary port of call as well.
Kole is one of the most popular restaurants in Cetinje and it isn’t difficult to work out why. Classic Montenegrin fare is at its best here, sitting snugly on a menu that isn’t short of international options as well. Whether you are after njeguški pršut, pljeskavica or a good old fashioned plate of meat and chips, Kole is the place to go.
Producing traditional Montenegrin dishes in a most agreeable environment, TavèRna offers a comforting simplicity that its edit-heavy name seems to have missed out on. The food is what brings people here however, and that food is excellent. The convivial service really rounds the whole thing off, making TavèRna an excellent choice for an afternoon lunch or romantic evening meal.
If you find yourself in any Balkan town and are not sure where to head for a most traditional time, you can rarely go wrong with the Gradska Kafana. The name essentially means ‘City Cafe’ and they are almost always hubs of authenticity in a modern world. Cetinje’s Gradska Kafana is no different. This is a window into the past, albeit a window serving excellent traditional Montenegrin food.
There is something magnificent about getting dressed up in your Sunday best and heading out for a truly majestic meal in a sumptuous environment. That is what you can expect from Belveder, one of the classiest restaurants in the country – and one of its best. The view from the terrace is particularly remarkable but the atmosphere indoors is every bit as magnetic.
As far as restaurant marketing quotes go, we aren’t sure if we’ve come across anything better than: “Eat whatever you want, and if anyone tries to lecture you about your weight, eat them too”. Cetinje’s Metro Food is a warts and all sort of place that absolutely backs up that statement, a gastronomic giant focused on comfort and enjoyment over all else. This is pub grub with the confidence to shout it from the rooftops.
All things Italian are embraced at Vinoteka, from delectable pizza all the way to wines that demand constant resampling. The wooden panels of the terrace rightly demand attention as customers flock to get the best seats, looking for a most idyllic place from which to scoff pizza, pasta and the rest. The service might not be the swiftest in town, but when the food and atmosphere are this good it shouldn’t really matter.
Breakfast, dinner, brunch or lunch, you can get it at Pjat. This splendid eatery on Student Square has a little bit of everything waiting on its menu, from Balkan classics like ćevapi to Mediterranean icons like risotto, through to sweet pancakes, appetising pasta and a healthy drinks list. The prices also happen to be on the agreeable side of the coin.
