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Food tours in Ohrid: what to eat and which tour to book
Ohrid eats like the rest of North Macedonia, with a lake added. The everyday food is Balkan home cooking: tavče gravče (baked beans in a clay dish), šopska salad with grated white cheese, ajvar made from roasted peppers, grilled kebapi, burek with yoghurt for breakfast, and red wine from the Vranec grape. Lake Ohrid adds fish, though the famous Ohrid trout is a protected endemic species and many 'trout' on menus are farmed or other species, so ask. Most restaurants line the old town lanes and the lakeside, with the Old Bazaar (Čaršija) the centre of everyday life.
Use this page to know what to order and where. The dishes and areas below say what each part of town does well. Any tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and times change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay. Prices are in Macedonian denars (MKD); many places in Ohrid also quote or accept euros.
What to eat in Ohrid
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baked beans in a clay dish тавче гравче (tavče gravče) | White beans slow-cooked with onion, dried red pepper and paprika, then baked in a shallow clay dish. Often called the national dish; usually vegetarian, though some versions include sausage. | Traditional restaurants in the old town and around the Old Bazaar. | roughly MKD 200–350 (about €3–6) |
| Shopska salad шопска салата (šopska salata) | Tomato, cucumber, onion and pepper topped with a thick layer of grated white brined cheese (sirenje). On every table. | Any restaurant. | roughly MKD 150–300 (about €2.50–5) |
| Lake fish охридска пастрмка, белвица (Ohrid trout, belvica) | Grilled or baked fish from the lake. The Ohrid trout and the smaller belvica are endemic to Lake Ohrid and protected, and fishing for Ohrid trout has been banned at times; much of the 'trout' served is farmed or of other species. Ask what you are getting and where it is from. | Lakeside restaurants in Ohrid and in fishing villages along the eastern shore such as Trpejca. | roughly MKD 500–1,200 (about €8–20) a portion; some fish priced by weight |
| Grilled meat кебапи, плескавица (kebapi, pljeskavica) | Small grilled minced-meat sausages (kebapi) or a large grilled meat patty (pljeskavica), served with onion, bread and sometimes ajvar. | Grill houses (skara) around the bazaar and the newer town. | roughly MKD 250–450 (about €4–7) for a portion of kebapi |
| Roasted red pepper relish ајвар (ajvar) | Thick spread of roasted red peppers, sometimes with aubergine, eaten with bread and cheese or alongside meat. Many families make it at home each autumn. | Restaurants as a starter; jars sold in markets and shops. | roughly MKD 150–250 (about €2.50–4) as a starter |
| Burek with yoghurt бурек со јогурт (burek so jogurt) | Layered filo pie filled with cheese, meat or spinach, eaten warm at breakfast with a glass of drinking yoghurt. | Bakeries (furna, burekdžilnica) around the Old Bazaar, from early morning. | roughly MKD 80–150 (about €1.30–2.50) a portion |
| Vranec red wine вранец (vranec) | The country's signature red grape: dark, full-bodied wines, widely available by the glass or bottle at low prices. | Restaurants and wine bars in the old town; bottles in shops. | roughly MKD 150–300 (about €2.50–5) a glass |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Old Bazaar (Čaršija)
The commercial heart of the old town, with cafés, bakeries, grill houses and small shops. Locals come here for coffee, burek and everyday shopping, not just visitors.
Old town (upper lanes toward Samuel's Fortress)
Steep lanes between the churches and the fortress with traditional restaurants, some with terraces over the lake. Good for tavče gravče and grills with a view.
Lakeside promenade and the harbour
The waterfront from the harbour toward the old town, lined with cafés, ice-cream kiosks and fish restaurants. Pleasant but busier and pricier in summer.
Kaneo
Old fishing quarter below the Church of St John at Kaneo, with a few restaurants and cafés right on the water.
Eastern-shore villages (Trpejca and toward St Naum)
Lake villages south of Ohrid with simpler fish restaurants by the water, quieter than town.
Food tours in Ohrid 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohrid: Monastery Winery Tour and Wine Tasting | 3.5 hours | from €55 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Ohrid Wine Tasting Boat Cruise - Unlimited Wine | 1 hour | from €45 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Taste of Albania: Tirana Food Tour | 3 hours | from €59 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Private Wine Tasting Ohrid | 2.5 hours | from €30 per person | — | Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them. | Check dates |
Ohrid: Monastery Winery Tour and Wine Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Monastery Winery
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €55 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 206 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Winery guide Visit of the St. Cosmas and Damian monastery - optional Visit of the winery cellar Wine tasting of 5 different wines Tasting of 2 traditional brandies Local cheeses and charcuterie platter Water
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Ohrid Wine Tasting Boat Cruise - Unlimited Wine
On GetYourGuide · run by B&F Cruise - Ohrid Lake Boat Tours
- Length
- 1 hour
- Price
- from €45 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 83 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Kej Makedonija 2, Ohrid 6000, North Macedonia
Taste of Albania: Tirana Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Tour Tirana
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €59 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 42 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Private Wine Tasting Ohrid
On GetYourGuide · run by KTM Voyage
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €30 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 20 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- English speaking sommelier and host with explanation and demonstration. 3 rounds of wines and one additional welcomes drink. A big platter of different local cheeses, dried meats and fruits. Unlimited water. Free WIFI…
- Suits
- Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them.
- Starts
- Wine Bar Luciano is located next to Vila Tabana which is next to Pizeria Nemo.
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 Ohrid is mostly burek and other pastries from bakeries, grilled kebapi in bread, corn on the cob and ice cream along the lakeside in summer. It is cheap and filling rather than varied.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down meals are traditional restaurants (often called 'kafana' or 'restoran') serving salads, ajvar, tavče gravče, grilled meat and lake fish, with local wine and rakija. Portions are big and prices low by Western European standards. Lakeside terraces cost more than places a few streets back.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Ohrid are usually small, home-style sessions teaching dishes like tavče gravče, ajvar or pies, often with rakija and wine. Supply is limited and seasonal, so check dates and what is included.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | MKD 900–1,500 (about €15–25): burek breakfast, grill lunch, simple dinner |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | MKD 2,000–3,000 (about €32–50): two restaurant meals with wine |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | MKD 4,500+ (about €75+): a lakeside fish dinner with good wine |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Workable: tavče gravče, šopska salad, ajvar, cheese and spinach burek, stuffed peppers and grilled vegetables are common. Vegans need to watch for white cheese, yoghurt and lard in older recipes; ask about tavče gravče, which can include meat.
Halal: North Macedonia has a Muslim minority, and some grill houses and bakeries, especially those run by Albanian or Turkish families, serve halal meat; ask. Pork is common in sausages and some stews.
Gluten-free: Coeliac awareness is limited. Grilled meat and fish, salads and tavče gravče are usually gluten-free, but bread is served with everything and burek and pastries are wheat-based. Ask clearly and expect few dedicated options.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- 'Ohrid trout' on the menu that is actually farmed rainbow trout or another fish, sold at a premium as the protected endemic species. Ask what species the fish is and where it comes from, and compare the price with other fish on the menu.
- Fish sold by weight with the total only revealed on the bill. Ask the weight and total price before it is cooked.
- Prices quoted in euros at a poor exchange rate, especially on the lakeside promenade. Pay in denars where possible, check the rate if paying in euros, and withdraw denars from a bank ATM rather than using exchange kiosks with poor rates.
Top tours & activities in Ohrid
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Can I eat Ohrid trout?
The Ohrid trout is an endemic species found only in Lake Ohrid, and it is protected; North Macedonia banned fishing for it for a decade from 2004, and the species is still considered under pressure. Many restaurants serve farmed trout or other species instead, sometimes labelled loosely. If you want to eat lake fish responsibly, ask what species it is and where it comes from, and consider other fish on the menu.
What should I eat first in Ohrid?
Start with a šopska salad, ajvar with bread, and tavče gravče, the baked beans that many Macedonians consider the national dish. Add grilled kebapi or a lake fish, a glass of Vranec red wine and, if you like strong spirits, a small rakija. For breakfast, have burek with drinking yoghurt at a bakery near the Old Bazaar.
Do I need to tip in Ohrid?
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. Rounding up or leaving about 10% in restaurants is common for good service, and small change in cafés. Wages in North Macedonia are low, so a tip goes a long way. Cash is the easiest way to make sure it reaches the staff.
Can I pay in euros?
Many places in Ohrid, especially hotels and restaurants used to visitors, accept euros, but at their own exchange rate, which is often not in your favour. Paying in denars is usually cheaper. Bank ATMs are easy to find in the centre; decline any 'conversion' offered by the ATM or card terminal and pay in denars.
Is Ohrid busy in summer, and does that affect eating out?
July and August are very busy, with holidaymakers from across North Macedonia and abroad. Lakeside restaurants fill up in the evening and some raise prices. Booking or eating a little earlier helps. Outside summer, the town is quieter and some lakeside and village places close or open only at weekends.
Is tap water safe to drink in Ohrid?
Tap water in Ohrid is generally considered safe to drink, and locals drink it. If you have a sensitive stomach or are unsure, bottled water is cheap and widely sold. Ice in restaurants is usually made from tap water.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.