Skopje food guide
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Skopje is one of those cities where food feels like part of everyday life. From the smoky grills of the Old Bazaar to the lively kafanas filled with music and laughter all serving big, flavourful dishes shaped by Balkan, Ottoman and Mediterranean influences.
Grilled meats and fresh produce take centre stage, with dishes like tavče gravče (baked beans) appearing across many menus. You’ll also find regional favourites such as kebapi (grilled minced meat sausages) and pastrmajlija (a Macedonian-style flatbread topped with meat).
In this quick guide, we’ll introduce you to a few of our favourite restaurants in Skopje and the delicious dishes they offer, helping you make the most of your time in the city.
A hugely popular traditional restaurant, Skopski Merak is one you’ll want to book in advance, as tables often fill up quickly. We received excellent, attentive service here, and good food, with live traditional music often performed in the evenings. The menu is large, with many grilled meats alongside classic dishes such as tavče gravče (baked beans) and turli tava (mixed meat and vegetable casserole). There’s also a good selection of international dishes, plus several versions of pastrmajlija (a Macedonian style flatbread topped with meat) beyond the classic pork option, available in both small and large sizes.
Skopski Merak
As the name suggests, a kebabchilnica is a place that specialises in kebapi, and Kosmos was easily our favourite in Skopje. This is a proper old school spot with prices to match, located right in the Old Bazaar. It’s extremely popular and gets very busy, but there’s a quick turnover of customers and a steady stream of takeaway orders around lunchtime. Its popularity is well deserved, like many places that focus on just a few dishes, they do them brilliantly. The classic order here is the delicious combo of tavče gravče (baked beans) and kebapi (grilled minced meat sausages). Just get it, you won’t regret it!
Kosmos Kebabchilnica
Chardak is a lively and popular traditional restaurant that gets especially busy at weekends, though its staff will usually do their best to fit you in. When we visited, the waiting team did seem a little overstretched, but the atmosphere was great, with live traditional music and a lively crowd of locals clearly enjoying themselves. There’s also a small amount of seating available out front. Like many traditional restaurants, the menu is extensive and covers both classic local dishes and a selection of international options, so everyone should be able to find something they’ll enjoy here.
Chardak
Located a little outside central Skopje, this place is definitely worth the walk, at least in our experience (though we do like to walk). As the name suggests, this restaurant specialises in delicious pastrmajlija (a Macedonian style flatbread topped with seasoned meat and often compared to a rustic pizza) which would be our top recommendation here. On top of that, they offer a good selection of grilled meats like kebapi (grilled minced meat sausages), which are also delicious. The staff were friendly and efficient during our visit, and while it was fairly quiet at lunchtime, we were told it can get fully booked in the evenings.
Pastrmajlija & Grill House
