After spending three weeks traveling through Croatia we ventured into Montenegro with one thing on our mind. Montenegro food! The one downside to Croatia is that the food expensive so we ended up cooking many meals for ourselves. With the prices of the food in Montenegro almost a third of what the same dishes cost in Croatia, we were ready to eat our way through this magnificent country. It wasn’t only affordable, but the Montenegro cuisine surprised us each and every meal! We even found one of our new favorite dishes in the world in Cevapi. Are you worried about what to eat in Montenegro on your next visit? Don’t be, we got you covered!

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Travelers Guide to the Best Food in Montenegro

In this food guide we highlighted traditional meals that are easily accessible to the everyday travelers. There’s nothing worse than going to a country with your heart set on trying a new dish and not being able to. It stinks to find out that it’s not available at restaurants, or only during certain holidays. So get excited, and enjoy trying all the new Montenegro food!

Best Food in Montenegro for Breakfast

Burek

During our week in Montenegro, Burek was our choice for breakfast more often than not! Now these aren’t only eaten in the morning, but we found they were a delicious breakfast that was quick and cheap. Found at every bakery in Montenegro, you won’t go wrong starting your day with these.

Typically they come in three different flavors: cheese, meat (ground minced), or spinach. Some bakeries add cheese to the spinach and meat bureks which is always a welcomed surprise. Hands down, our go to was the spinach. One day Jake ate four of them, and we seriously questioned if he would ever eat another again!

Cost: 1-2 Euros depending on if you order a small or large burek.

Best Food in Montenegro for Lunch

Salad and seafood was our favorite lunch time meal while exploring the different food in Montenegro. The fish are not to be missed in this country, and we’ve had some of our best plates at back street restaurants or seaside cafes. First, you must start off with a fresh salad though!

Seasonal Salad

The must try salad of Montenegro is the seasonal salad. Ever had a Greek salad? This Montenegro food is actually very similiar. Large chucks of tomato, cucumber, and onions are topped with a soft local cheese. It’s typically served with a side of bread, and the cheese with vegetable mixture is actually hearty enough to be a meal in itself. The cheese isn’t as salty as feta, but it still went great with our bread and drinks!

Cost: 3-4 Euros

Local Fish Plates

On almost every menu in Montenegro we found three types of fish. Fried small fish, fried big fish, and whole fish. So simply put, if you’re a fish lover then make sure not to miss out! Let us break down how this Montenegro cuisine comes prepared.

Fried Small Fish: 4-6 Euros – These tiny fish are served whole, and also known as smelt in other parts of the world. This means you’re going to get everything from the head to the tail deep fried and on your plate.

Fried Big Fish: 4-6 Euros – The next size up is considered big, but they’re only slightly larger than the fried small fish. The one difference in this Montenegro cuisine is that the heads are taken off before they’re fried and served.

Whole Fish: 10-15 Euros – This refers to a whole normal sized fish prepared and served on a plate. It comes out ready for you to pick out the best of the fish meat right off the bone.

Mussels

Fresh mussels were one of our favorite dishes in Montenegro. Of course we’ve had mussels countless times before, but there really was something different with these. The bare minimum seasoning was applied to keep them fresh and traditional. Not to mention, the huge portions and cheap prices kept us coming back for more! If you’re looking for what to eat in Montenegro, you can’t ever go wrong with mussels.

Cost: 4-8 Euros

Black Cuttlefish Risotto

If black risotto is completely new to you then Montenegro is the perfect place to try. Im sure you may be thinking, how did they get the rice black? Brace yourself, but this European specialty actually gets its color with…. You guessed it, squid ink! This tasty dish might look strange, but it’s time to put aside the color and dive right into this Montenegro cuisine. It’s really unlike anything we’ve ever tried before and extremely filling. Make sure to check your teeth after you eat as they will jet black from the squid ink. Nothing a good beer can’t wash away though!

Cost: 6-10 Euros

Best Food in Montenegro for Dinner

For dinner it’s common to order something heavy that has at least one type of meat on the plate. You can order seafood dishes you’re trying to keep it light. Yet, you may want to be careful. Traditional Montenegro food for dinner will knock you out for the rest of the night.

Mixed Meat Plate

The order in the picture below was considered a small. Can you believe it? Meat and hearty meals are a staple of the country. The seasonings are thick, but not overwhelming or spicy. All the fixings are a great addition to fries and salads. This mixed pork and chicken plate was meant for one person, but easily could have fed two to three people!

Cevapi

It might not look like much, but Cevapi was our FAVORITE new food in Montenegro. Now this wasn’t actually the first time we’ve eaten this classic Balkan meal. Nonetheless, it was the most delicious we’ve had in this region. Small links of mixed seasoned meat are grilled to order. They’re then served with a side of fries, soft cheese, onions, and mixed vegetables. One important thing to know (that it won’t always say on the menu) is that there are two ways to order this Montenegro food.

Cevapi in Bread: 3-5 Euros – This is the classic lunch in the Montenegro cuisine, and a staple for travelers and locals alike. Cevapi is ordered in a set of 5 or 10 sticks which are loaded into a thick round soft bread. Separately you can buy soft cheese and red pepper sauce as well. Grab a chunk of bread with your hands, then add a good glob of soft cheese and red pepper on top! Yum!

Cevapi Plate: 5-8 Euros – Mostly viewed as a full dinner instead of a quick lunch, the Cevapi plate is as hearty as it comes. The flavors are much more intense than the lunch portion as the thick bread is substituted for a pile of crispy french fries. At the best Cevapi restaurants you’ll be able to go up to the counter and pick what sauces and vegetables you want on your plate. We recommend not holding back and trying them all!

If somehow you were still wondering what to eat in Montenegro during your next trip, this is it!

Drinking Like a Local in Montenegro

Fortunately, while eating all this amazing food in Montenegro there’s something to wash it down with. There is only one true beer of Montenegro and that’s the Nikšićko Lager. Trebjesa is the only brewery currently in the country. Here they create this traditional beer that’s consumed domestically and in the surrounding countries. This light lager is nice on a hot summer day, goes great with the Montenegro cuisine, and best enjoyed washing down a heavy plate of Cevapi.

Have any questions about what to eat in Montenegro, or want to share your own favorite Montenegro cuisine? Please do so in the comments below!

Safe Travels,

Brigitte & Jake

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Where To Stay In Kotor Montenegro

Ultra Luxury (High End) – Historic Boutique Hotel Cattaro – Looking for some luxury inside the walls of old town? Check into this renovated 18th century masterpiece right in the middle of all the action. Hotel Cattaro also features one of the most popular clubs in the Bay of Kotor with night club Maximus.

Fun Vacation (Mid Range) – Old Town Clock Tower Apartment – This fun apartment is located just steps away from the famous old town clocktower, and within range of all the other historic architecture of this UNESCO world heritage site!

Hostel Life (Budget) – Old Town Youth Hostel – Set right in the heart of Kotor old town, this hostel is the perfect place to go if you’re looking to make some new friends on your trip. We regularly walked by Old Town Youth Hostel and would hear people chatting, having fun, and even singing into the night from the common area.

For more places to stay in Kotor Montenegro you can explore the latest prices here!

Where To Stay In Budva Montenegro

Ultra Luxury (High End) – Sveti Stefan – Of course the luxury island featured in this article is also undisputed choice in high end resorts. The private island is one of the most exclusive in all of Europe, and is filled with the amenities of a five star resort,

Fun Vacation (Mid Range) –Maestral Resort & Casino – Remember the beautiful Przno Beach I mentioned earlier? The beach has its own private section hotel just for its hotel guests to enjoy!

Travel Couple (Long Term Travel) – Guest House Villa Jovana – This is where we stayed on our visit to Budva Montenegro, and it was the perfect location only 15 minute walk from old town. The host was very welcoming, and the view from the balcony was awesome.

Hostel Life (Budget) – High Hostel – Surprisingly, there are not many hostels in Budva. However, high hostel is just outside the city, can share the best of what to eat in Montenegro with you, and caters to all your backpacker needs.

For more places to stay in Budva Montenegro you can explore the latest prices here!

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