What is Serbian food like?
Serbian cuisine is hearty and meat-forward, built on a mix of Ottoman, Central-European and Balkan influences. Grilled meat, pastry and bread, and local vegetables and dairy dominate the table, and meals are typically long and social. If you understand a handful of core dishes and the spreads that accompany them, you'll read almost any menu in the city with confidence.
This page explains the food itself — what each dish is and why to try it. When you're ready to find out where to eat it, the best restaurants in Belgrade and the Belgrade grill and street food guides do the venue work.
What to eat in Belgrade: the dishes to try
If you only remember a short list, make it this one. Each dish below says what it is and why it's worth ordering.
The grilled meats (roštilj)
The grill — roštilj — is the heart of everyday Serbian eating, and these are the orders you'll see everywhere.
Ćevapi (also called ćevapčići) — Serbia's national dish. They are small grilled minced-meat sausages — beef, pork, lamb or a mix — served with flatbread, raw onions and accompaniments like kajmak and ajvar. Why try it: this is the quintessential grill order and the single most Serbian thing you can eat — cheap, fast, satisfying and available almost anywhere from a street kiosk to a kafana.
Pljeskavica — a large grilled minced-meat patty, the Serbian relative of a burger, usually eaten in or alongside flatbread. The Leskovac style (from the south) is a well-known spicy variant. Why try it: it's the heartier, hand-held cousin of ćevapi — order it stuffed with kajmak or topped with the spreads for the full effect.
Karađorđeva šnicla — a Serbian signature: a rolled, breaded and fried veal or pork escalope stuffed with kajmak, often served with tartar sauce. Why try it: it's the indulgent, restaurant-style dish on this list — rich, crisp on the outside, oozing kajmak inside, and unmistakably Serbian. A great "special occasion" order.
Pečenje — roasted meat: whole-roasted pork, lamb or goat. Why try it: it's central to celebrations such as the slava (a family's patron-saint day) and weddings, so ordering it taps into the most festive side of the cuisine. Seek it out at a proper kafana or roast house rather than a quick grill.
The winter and home dishes
Sarma — cabbage rolls: fermented or pickled cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, then slow-cooked, often in a rich tomato-and-smoked-meat sauce. Why try it: it's arguably the most widely cooked dish in Serbian homes and the comfort food locals miss most when abroad. A winter and special-occasion dish, so it's best in the colder months.
Prebranac — slow-baked seasoned beans, a humble staple. *Why try it:
