No matter whether you are a travelling foodie, or you just need to grab something to eat to stave off starvation, food plays a pivotal part in planning out a trip abroad. Good food can have an incredibly positive impact on one’s experience whereas the opposite could make or break an otherwise perfect trip. If you know what you are doing and put in the time to do some research beforehand to avoid the more touristic joints, it is relatively easy to have a great time by enjoying some decent food in Albania. They may not be the best that you have ever had in your life, but it is hard not to be satisfied with what is on offer on their menu! Follow along this article to figure out what Albanian cuisine has to offer, so you too can enjoy the best dishes it can come up with.
A Land of Many of Cuisines
Firstly, it must be noted that when one writes about the food scene in Albania, a discussion on the Albanian cuisine itself is hardly enough. Albania is a land of many cuisines, that somewhat remained intact despite being apart from their home countries. Italian, Turkish, and Greek food is extremely widespread in the country, and there are cities (like Vlorë) where it seems that they are far more popular than actual Albanian cuisine itself.
Italian food (pizza and pasta for sure, but also other goodies like risotto and some Italian desserts like cannoli) is the easiest to find, and more often than not it tastes just as good as it does in Italy. Turkish food is easier to find in the more Muslim parts of the country, where there seems to be more of an interest in both Turkey and Turkish TV series. Rather than being mere kebab shops, such joints seem to offer quite a lot of Turkish stews and baked goods, something that is not very popular in their counterparts all around Western Europe.
Greek food too is quite popular, at least in the south and along the coast, but also in the capital. Even some Greek fast-food chains like OPA and Goody’s can be found dotting the landscape of Albania and finding a decent gyro or a properly “Greek” seafood feast is not very difficult. There are also many “Asian” and “American” food offerings all around the country, though those are quite ubiquitous globally these days. In short, if you are (for some weird reason) not into Albanian cuisine, do know that you have some other options as you travel around the country.
It should not surprise you to hear that the very first dish we had in Albania was a Greek gyro, in a lovely establishment titled Angelos, in Vlorë. Fresh pita, succulent slices of tender meat, now if only those fries were homemade this would be one of the best gyros out there.
Albanian Cuisine “Proper”
There are already so many articles out there about the Albanian cuisine that I find it somewhat redundant to write about the issue at length, alas, it would not make much sense to talk about food in Albania without at least mentioning the Albanian cuisine itself. However, this will not be a complete list of all the Albanian food out there or anything along those lines, but a recap of my own encounters with it.
The thing to keep in mind with Albanian food is the fact that, for obvious reasons, a lot of its cuisine is deeply rooted in its Ottoman past. The post-Ottoman states in the region (Balkans that is) often share a huge portion of their cuisines with one another, sometimes with slight variations and little changes in naming etc. In turn, a sizable portion of their cuisine is also shared with the Greeks and the Turks, and yet another (smaller) portion with the Levantine states.
As a Turk travelling in Albania, I must admit that I did not necessarily wish to try quite a lot of their essential offerings, just because I was already extremely familiar with them from back home. I prefer to eat new foodstuff abroad, not twists on food stables that I am already accustomed to. Stuff like “speca te mbushur me oriz” (stuffed bell peppers) is everywhere in Turkey, and the same can be said for “tave mishi” (mixed grilled meat). This does not mean that they taste the same as they do in Turkey, after all the quality and quantity of meat and veggies alike changes considerably from one country to the another. In most cases, veggies tasted much better than I was used to, and meat was almost always juicier and more tender. However, these differences in taste and style are minuscule when compared to eating borsch or trying a century egg abroad.
Albanian food is quite hearty, and reminiscent of our trip in Georgia. It did not taste like the food we had in Tbilisi but both cuisines are quite “wintery” in essence, making it harder to fully enjoy them in the heat of summer. When you have stews made in ovens, tons of oily meat perfectly grilled, and a variety of different soups standing in front of you, it is hard to appreciate them fully when you know that they would taste significantly better in winter, when dipping a fresh piece of bread in a properly spiced broth would mean the worlds to you. Regardless of our poor timing there, let us go over a few different dishes we had during our time in Albania, with some very much required visual aid!
“Not great not terrible” was what my mother had to say about this “speca te mbushur me oriz” (stuffed bell peppers) that we had in Novus Traditional Food Restaurant in Vlorë. It was a rather high-end establishment (prices and the venue suggested that), but the food was just okay. My lasagne was certainly better, though that is hardly Albanian…
I have no idea what these are called in Albanian since the menu was in English, but if you ever end up in Vlorë, go to Taverna te Lilo and ask for this creamy goodness. It is a rather simple, and a bit zesty, cream sauce poured over tender slices of chicken breast. The rice was slightly flavoured as well, though I ended up mixing it with the sauce to elevate it’s taste to a whole new level. Likely, that is not how you are supposed to eat it though so take this with a pinch of salt.
Yet another great offering that I do not have a name for. It was baked potatoes mixed with mushrooms and then covered in cheese. If this is not enough to get you salivating, I do not know what is. Superb appetizer that went well with our mixed plate of grilled meat.
Speaking of grilled meat, here goes Albanian “tave mishi.” There were some lamb chops in it, as well as some beefy goodness. The two meatballs were perfectly juicy, but the Kosovar sausage is what really got to me the most. I mean, all the meat was good, meat is good in general, but the “chops” were obviously quite greasy, and meatballs are ubiquitous around the world. Those sausages on the other hand were extremely well spiced, quite bouncy (the way I like it) and juicy at the same time. Adding some lemon wedges to cut through the grease was a nice touch too. I suppose there is a reason why Tek Zgara Tirones was so hyped on the internet, so go dine with them when you visit Tirana.
Less is more! That is what I yelled (well perhaps I imagined doing so) after taking a bite out of this meatball sub from Qofte Tradita Met Kodra in Tirana. You can find out more about this wonderful sub in THIS article on the more affordable options found in Albania but suffice it to say that Albanian qofte made from lamb meat is some of the best out there!
I am not completely sure if this is an Albanian invention but here it goes. Chicken breast “bathed” in wine and then baked in oven. Tender, juicy, winey, and even a bit crispy… Exceptional dish, and you too can enjoy it in Restaurant Tymi in Tirana.
There are plenty of appetizers in the Albanian cuisine, most of which goes quite well with alcohol and meat. Their bread was often quite tasty as well, not something I can say for most bread around the world. The majority of appetizers seem to revolve around using either yoghurt or tomatoes as their base, so do keep that in mind if you are lactose intolerant, or tomato intolerant. I so hope that the latter is not a real thing…
This is fergese, the national dish of Albania, and that is for a reason. This juicy concoction made of peppers, cheese, and tomatoes is all you can ask for from a hot hearty stew. All of it is mixed and baked in an oven, using a clay pot. Dunking some fresh bread into it and then enjoying a ridiculously big bite is something that any traveller should do at least once in Albania.
Meatballs baked with a tangy tomato and onion mix and topped with some cheese is also common in Albania. They were not the best meatballs I had for sure, but the sauce made up for it. You can find all the last three items that I mentioned in Apsus, Berat. Prices are reasonable too so make sure to stop there for a breather as you explore Berat.
Kosovar sausages were not the only ones I tasted in Albania since the country just keeps on giving for all the sausage enthusiasts around the world! There is truly an ungodly amount of sausage options in most Albanian zgara (meaning “grill”) restaurants, so go wild and try any that sounds the best for you.
Something for Everyone?
If this piece of writing can manage to do just one thing, I really hope that it is to let my readers understand that there really is something for everyone when you travel to Albania. Certainly, as the small country that it is, the number of options (for anything) will be more limited than what some of you may be accustomed to back at your own home countries. However, there are still so many options out there that anyone can leave the country satisfied if they know where to look at for their own kind of good food. Everything from the hearty Albanian oven goods to much lighter Greek food, from juicy Turkish kebabs to some of my favourite Italian pizzas can be found within the perimeters of this country, certainly letting one enjoy their stay properly.
YOU WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT FOOD?
I hope that no one assumed that this was all I got to say about eating out in Albania. No siree! That is not how we do it here. General information is fine and all, but what about details, recommendations, prices? Read THIS article which focuses on the cheaper offerings in the country, and THIS one that is full of recommendations for spots that are a bit more on the pricier side, though still not being anywhere near truly expensive. Last but not least, if you want to find out more about the American fast food scene in Albania, do not forget to read THIS work of mine!