It started life as one of the first backpacker hostels in Belgrade, but Chillton has since evolved into one of the most entertaining drinking holes in the Serbian capital. What it lacks in light it more than makes up for in energy and entertainment, and you’ll struggle to find anywhere more punk rock in town. It is just like having a party in someone’s home, most likely because it pretty much is someone’s home.
The Church of St. Sava is arguably the most iconic attraction in Belgrade, so any restaurant looking out at the temple has something of a head start. Terminal makes the most of this, with an impressive menu of international cuisine sitting alongside cocktails and other refreshing drinks. You won’t find any pljeskavica on the menu here, but you will find plenty of stylish patrons and a fantastic time.
Another bar in Vračar with a delightful garden, Monk’s is all soothing jazz and elegant fairy lights, complimented by the usual array of alcoholic beverages and some of the friendliest service in this part of the city. Keep an eye out for the little cat that invariably makes its way around the place day and night, a cat that we’re convinced is some sort of covert spy. That could just be the rakija talking though.
Say what you like about Irish pubs (and we do, don’t you worry), but there is still something magical about a Celtic drinking hole when done correctly. The Three Corrects, located on the very edge of Vračar at the top of Kneza Miloša, was the first Irish pub in Belgrade and as such has a very special place in the hearts of many. You know what to expect, and you will not be disappointed.
If you aren’t sure where Topolska 18 is, the clue is in the name. Head up to Vračar for this underrated gem, as much a bookshop as it is a cafe and creative hub. Books are written to inspire (most of them time, anyway), and you’ll find plenty of inspiration in this colourful yet minimalist setting. The effects of light and colour will go a long way to rousing inventive sentiment from deep within even the hardest of souls.
The beer hill! This Vračar spot is worth visiting for its name alone, but luckily the pivo isn’t restricted to a cheery moniker. A relatively new spot a short walk from the Church of St. Sava, it also happens to offer some particularly upmarket food to go with your beer, but it is the latter that will attract the majority of the customers. There is wine too, but yeah, you think about that.
As fun a place to watch sport indoors as it is to drink an afterwork beverage in the sun, Bar Kućica also offers plenty in the way of weekend partying. Saying that, this is Belgrade, so surely everywhere does? Granted, but Kućica is as consistent as it gets when it comes to energy and excitement, although that might just be the disco ball talking.
An easy-to-find spot on Katanićeva, Pejton Pub is one of the finest beer spots in this part of the city. Gradić Pejton has a different atmosphere to most parts of Vračar, and that reckless Bohemian spirit definitely lends itself to the goings on at this fine watering hole. It also puts on weekend karaoke, which is a very good thing or a very bad thing depending on your opinion of the art of empty orchestra. Or maybe it depends on how long you’ve been parting, we can’t be sure.
If you’ve read about the chaotic Serbian nightlife and its heady evenings of dancing, beautiful people and bizarre pop music, then Tarapana is going to mimic the picture in your head down to a tee. These sorts of places somehow manage to combine being incredibly serious with being immensely silly, and failing to have fun is almost impossible. Many of the city’s finest turbo folk artists appear here, and we’ll leave it up to you to decide whether that is a good thing or not.