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Food tours in Belgrade: what to eat and which tour to book
Belgrade cooking is built on the grill, the bakery and the kafana. Ćevapi and pljeskavica come off charcoal grills all over town, burek and other pies are breakfast from bakeries that open before dawn, and the kafana, an old-style tavern with live music and rakija, is where long meals happen. Kajmak (a soft, slightly fermented dairy spread) and ajvar (roasted red pepper relish) go with almost everything. Portions are big and prices are low by Western European standards, which makes the city easy to eat well in on a modest budget.
Use this page to decide what to order and where. The dishes and areas below explain what the markets, streets and riverside districts are good for. The tours listed are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the current price and details on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Belgrade
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ćevapi ćevapi / ćevapčići | Small grilled sticks of minced beef and pork, served in a portion of 5 or 10 with chopped raw onion, lepinja (flatbread) and often kajmak. | Grill houses (roštilj) all over the city, and kafanas. | roughly RSD 600–1,100 for a portion (about €5–9) |
| Pljeskavica | A wide, flat grilled patty of mixed minced meat, eaten in lepinja with salads and sauces as street food or on a plate in restaurants. The 'gurmanska' version is stuffed with cheese and bacon. | Grill kiosks and takeaway counters, especially around the centre and near nightlife areas. | roughly RSD 450–900 as street food (about €4–8) |
| Burek | Coiled or layered filo pie filled with minced meat, cheese, or plain (prazan), usually eaten for breakfast with drinking yogurt. | Bakeries (pekara) and specialist burek shops (buregdžinica), from early morning. | roughly RSD 200–350 a portion (about €2–3) |
| Kajmak and ajvar kajmak / ajvar | Kajmak is a rich, clotted-cream-like dairy spread; ajvar a relish of roasted red peppers, mild or hot. Both are spread on bread or served with grilled meat. | Every kafana; homemade versions at Zeleni Venac and Kalenić markets. | roughly RSD 250–500 as a side in a restaurant (about €2–4) |
| Sarma | Sour cabbage leaves rolled around minced meat and rice and stewed slowly, often with smoked pork. A winter dish. | Kafanas and home-style restaurants, mostly in the colder months. | roughly RSD 800–1,300 (about €7–11) |
| Karađorđe's schnitzel karađorđeva šnicla | A rolled veal or pork cutlet stuffed with kajmak, breaded and fried, served with tartar sauce and chips. | Traditional kafanas and restaurants. | roughly RSD 1,200–1,900 (about €10–16) |
| Gibanica | Filo pie layered with eggs and white cheese, eaten for breakfast or as a side. | Bakeries and home-style restaurants. | roughly RSD 200–400 a slice (about €2–3.50) |
| Rakija rakija (šljivovica, kajsija, dunja) | Fruit brandy, most often plum (šljivovica), apricot or quince, drunk in small glasses before or with a meal. | Kafanas and rakija bars around Dorćol and the centre. | roughly RSD 250–500 a glass (about €2–4) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Zeleni Venac market
Central produce market near Brankov Bridge, good for seasonal fruit, cheese, kajmak, ajvar and cured meats; bakeries and grill counters surround it.
Kalenić market
Neighbourhood market in Vračar known for farm produce, homemade cheese and kajmak, honey and rakija sold by producers.
Skadarlija
Cobbled bohemian street lined with old kafanas and roaming musicians. Touristy and pricier than elsewhere, but the place to see a traditional kafana evening.
Dorćol
Old quarter between Knez Mihailova and the Danube with modern bistros, bakeries, rakija bars and cafés on its side streets.
Zemun
Former Habsburg town across the Sava with fish restaurants along the Danube quay serving riblja čorba (fish soup) and grilled river fish.
Savamala and the river splavovi
Riverside area with bars and floating restaurants (splavovi) on the Sava and Danube; more about drinking and atmosphere than food.
Food tours in Belgrade compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgrade: Street Food and Drinks Tour with 20+Tastings | 3.5 hours | from €59 per person | — | First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go. | Check dates |
| Belgrade: Underground Tour with Glass of Wine | 3 hours | from €20 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Belgrade: How to Become Serbian Guided Tour with Tastings | 3.5 hours | from €65 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Belgrade: Food Tasting tour with E Scooters | 3.5 hours | from €75 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Belgrade: Street Food and Drinks Tour with 20+Tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Belgrade Get To know The City
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €59 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 304 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Guide Food and drinks
- Suits
- First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go.
- Starts
- Hotel Moskva Belgrade, Serbia
Belgrade: Underground Tour with Glass of Wine
On GetYourGuide · run by Balkan roads d.o.o
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €20 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 269 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Prince Mihailo Monument
Belgrade: How to Become Serbian Guided Tour with Tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Balkan Travel Hub
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €65 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 11 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Serbian Adventure Factory Bike rental & City tours
Belgrade: Food Tasting tour with E Scooters
On GetYourGuide · run by E Scooter tours Belgrade
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €75 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 8 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Local gastro guide E-Scooter and equipment Welcome drink - Rakija Cured meat, cheese and cracklings as appetizers on street market Burek (pastry with meat or cheese) Ćevapi with onions and kajmak (clotted cream) for m…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Maršala Birjuzova 23, Beograd, Serbia
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food in Belgrade means grill kiosks (pljeskavica, ćevapi), bakeries (burek, pogačice, kifle) and late-night pancake (palačinke) stands. It is cheap, filling and open late; bakeries run around the clock in parts of the centre.
Sit-down meals
The kafana is the classic sit-down meal: grilled meat, salads, kajmak, a bottle of wine or rakija, sometimes live music. Locals eat lunch late, around 14:00–16:00, and dinner from 20:00. Modern Serbian bistros in Dorćol and Vračar offer lighter versions at higher prices.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are few compared with Western European capitals. Where they exist they usually cover pies (gibanica, burek), sarma or ajvar, often in a home setting. Market visits are often part of the class.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | RSD 2,500–3,500 (about €21–30): burek breakfast, pljeskavica lunch, simple grill dinner |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | RSD 5,000–7,000 (about €43–60): two sit-down kafana meals with drinks |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | RSD 12,000+ (about €100+): modern Serbian tasting menu with wine |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Possible but limited at traditional places, which revolve around meat. Ask for prebranac (baked beans, check it is made without meat), gibanica, cheese burek, salads, ajvar and grilled vegetables. During Orthodox fasting periods many places offer 'posno' dishes, which are free of meat, dairy and eggs.
Halal: Harder than in Bosnia. Pork is common in ćevapi, pljeskavica and sarma; ask for beef-only (juneće) ćevapi, which many grills offer. A few restaurants near the Bajrakli Mosque and Middle Eastern places serve halal food; ask to be sure.
Gluten-free: Difficult. Bread and filo pastry are central to the cuisine and gluten-free awareness is low outside modern restaurants. Grilled meat with salad (no lepinja) is the safest choice; bring a written note in Serbian if you are coeliac.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Unlicensed taxis at the airport and outside the main bus and train stations charging several times the normal fare. Use the official airport taxi voucher desk or a ride app, and check the meter is on.
- Musicians in Skadarlija kafanas playing at your table and expecting a tip, which can be a surprise at the end of the evening. If you don't want a table serenade, politely decline when they approach. If you accept, a few hundred dinars is customary; agree on nothing beyond that.
- Splav (river barge) clubs and bars with high minimum spends or bottle-service charges that only appear on the bill. Ask about minimum spend and prices before taking a table, and keep track of what you order.
- Exchange offices or restaurants offering poor euro-to-dinar rates when you pay in euros. Pay in dinars. Licensed exchange offices (menjačnica) in town usually give fair rates; compare the posted rates.
Top tours & activities in Belgrade
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Belgrade?
Tipping is customary but modest. In restaurants and kafanas, rounding up or leaving about 10% is normal for decent service; in cafés people round up to the nearest hundred dinars. Tips are usually left in cash even if you pay by card. If musicians play at your table in Skadarlija, they expect a separate tip.
Should I pay in euros or dinars?
Dinars. Some places accept euros, but the rate they use is usually worse than an exchange office. Licensed menjačnice in the centre generally give fair rates, and ATMs are widely available. Cards are accepted in most restaurants, but bakeries, markets and grill kiosks often want cash.
When are the markets open?
Zeleni Venac and Kalenić are morning markets open daily, starting early; the best time is roughly 7:00–12:00, and Saturday mornings are the liveliest at Kalenić. Some stalls pack up by early afternoon. Hours change on holidays, so check current hours if you are planning around a specific day.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Belgrade is good value. About RSD 2,500–3,500 (€21–30) covers burek and yogurt for breakfast, a pljeskavica at lunch and a simple grill dinner. Two proper kafana meals with wine or rakija come to about RSD 5,000–7,000 (€43–60). Modern restaurants in Dorćol and Vračar cost more but are still below Western European prices.
What is a kafana?
A kafana is a traditional Serbian tavern serving grilled meat, stews, salads and rakija, often with live folk music in the evenings. Some are over a century old. A kafana meal is unhurried and best shared: order several salads and kajmak for the table, then grilled meat. Skadarlija has the best-known ones, but neighbourhood kafanas are cheaper.
Is street food safe in Belgrade?
Generally yes. Busy grill kiosks and bakeries turn over food quickly, and tap water in Belgrade is drinkable. Choose places with a queue of locals, where meat is grilled to order. As anywhere, be more careful with mayonnaise-based sauces that have been sitting out in summer heat.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.