The Best Restaurants In Montenegro

The Catovica Mlni restaurant can be found in the small village of Morinj, halfway between the better-known Herceg Novi and Kotar. Catovica Mlni means ‘the Catovic’s Mills’: and the Catovic family has used their mills for nearly 200 years to make flour here. The family eventually turned the business into a restaurant, but the mills are still there, as is the water stream that made them turn. Today, the romantic mills make for a beautiful setting to this konoba (the Serbian word for ‘restaurant’). But the magical scenery is only a backdrop to the excellent menu, which mainly includes fish dishes, but also delicious homemade cheese, prosciutto and local wine.

The Stari Mlni is a former farm with water-driven flour mills and was only turned into a restaurant fairly recently. Stari Mlini’s chefs constantly strive to change the menu presented to their customers, while always using fresh and local ingredients. In particular, Stari Mlini offers fish-based meals, cooked with seafood freshly sourced from the near Adriatic: the restaurant is in fact located in Kotor, on Montenegro’s awe-inspiring coastline. The old mill, wood and stone décor, luscious greenery and small bridges crossing the lively streams create a peaceful atmosphere in which to enjoy your food.

Meat aficionados cannot miss the Pod Volat restaurant in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. The menu offers traditional meat dishes, with goulash and grilled meats being the specialties of the house. Particularly worth recommending is the cevapcici, a typical southeastern dish of minced meat made with sausages and grilled. Pod Volat’s rustic look and waiters serving in traditional costumes perfectly match its regional cuisine and contribute to its well-deserved status of national restaurant. Succulent meat, visible traces of the country’s culture and reasonable prices make this restaurant one of the best picks in Montenegro.

Galion has a stunning view over the deep blue Adriatic, a picturesque harbor, and, in the distance, the walls of an old town. Specializing in the preparation of fresh fish and characterized by its romantic atmosphere and luxurious decor, the Galion Restaurant is part of the Hotel Vardar in the quaint, historical city of Kotor.

The Conte Restaurant is located in the Conte Hotel, a beautiful residence on the seafront of Perast in Boka Bay. The Conte Restaurant has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the best restaurants in Montenegro, offering excellent Mediterranean food. While seafood takes center stage as it’s sourced from local fishermen, the menu includes all kinds of tasty dishes and a solid selection of local and international wines. Conte’s location is gorgeous: the outdoor terrace sits directly above the sea, providing an idyllic atmosphere that, combined with the quality of the food, makes for a unique experience.

The Konoba Feral is a family-run restaurant located in the Old Town of the lovely and characteristic Montenegrin city, Herceg Novi in Boka Bay. Konoba Feral is renowned for its traditional, local cuisine, offering both meat and fish dishes as well as soups, pasta, risottos; the fish is especially excellent. Despite its name (which stands for ‘wild restaurant’), the waiting staff are always polite, and the prices reasonable.

The Old Winery is not a restaurant, since it doesn’t serve meals, but it makes up for this with its lively atmosphere and excellent drinks menu. Located in the Old Town of Kotor, this wine bar offers a fantastic selection of Montenegrin wines, on which you can be knowingly advised by the winery’s friendly staff. There is also a small bar serving local cheese, ham and olives to accompany the wine. But the real magic about this place is the combination of excellent wines with live jazz, blues and soul and the striking art on the walls.

Konoba Stari Grad is a restaurant in Budva, which prepares exquisite regional dishes. Because Budva is on the sea, it comes as no surprise that Konoba Stari Grad’s specialties are fish dishes, cooked according to traditional Mediterranean recipes. Among these, the octopus ragu is particularly elaborate. For this recipe, the octopus is cooked in a tomato sauce for hours and so a special reservation is necessary to order it. At Konoba Stari Grad, guests can also taste lovely local cheeses, and a special kind of smoked ham typical of the Njegushi region. Throw in a glass of one of the fine wines in the restaurant’s selection, and a delicious meal is guaranteed.

Perla is a hip lounge and restaurant located in the coastal town of Budva. The restaurant offers such a varied menu of quality dishes that every guest is guaranteed to find something to please their palate. But even more diverse than the menu is the wine selection, presenting a wide range of both local and international wines. But Perla’s telltale sign and best selling point is its cool atmosphere. The restaurant boasts a lavish and modern design, indoor and outdoor settings with terraces looking over the sea, and frequent live music shows by local artists.