Montenegro is a tiny country, but it contains wonderful food and drink. You will eat and drink so well in Montenegro. I did. You have to try these wonderful bites and sips!

Eat and drink in Montenegro

Montenegro is not only one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the good fortune to visit, but it also has some delectable foods and drinks that you simply must try when you’re here. Here are some of my favorite bites and sips. Eat and drink in Montenegro, my friends, you’ll be so happy that you just might die (on that last bit, do make sure to get your steps in—a lot of this is very rich).

I’m already missing this wonderful food and drink.

My shellfish caveat

Before I begin, I should mention that I have a shellfish allergy (if you’re lucky enough not to know, this includes squid and octopus, as they are mollusks), and this means that some of the best foods available in Kotor and on the coast are not things I can try.

All of the seafood looks amazing, and, if you’re not allergic too, please go for it! However, even without tasting the shellfish, I had much to eat and drink in Montenegro that delighted me.

Eat in Montenegro

On the coast of Montenegro, seafood reigns supreme. However, once you get into the mountains, meat takes center stage. Here are some of my favorite things that I ate during my three weeks in the country.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro: Black Honey from the Tara River Canyon. The jar is in sunny window
This honey is made by adding pine to the honey and then filtering it
Eat and Drink in Montenegro: Stand at the Tara River Canyon where I purchased black honey. The stands are old-fashioned wooden houses. Jars of honey and vinegars and barrels
Isn't this little stand the cutest?

Black honey

Unless you’re in the Tara Canyon area, you may have a hard time tracking down this unique taste, so here’s a reason to go if the idea of seeing Europe’s deepest canyon doesn’t draw you. In fact, I can’t find a lot of references to it online. I tried it at the urging of a guide when we visited Tara Canyon. Black honey is honey layered with pine and then filtered. The result is a taste unlike any other honey you will try, surprising and delicious. I got a small jar of it.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro: A slice of burek with cheese
Put on your eating pants for breakfast when you have burek!

Burek

Put on your eating pants at breakfast for burek, a traditional Montenegrin breakfast. Burek are made with filo dough and traditionally stuffed with meat, cheese, or spinach. I’ve had cheese burek, and if you can finish a whole piece, hats off to you. If you can’t, it won’t be because it isn’t delicious. Seriously, do not skip this (but maybe take a long walk that day).

Food and Drink in Montenegro: Cheese and Food Vendor at the Kotor Food Market
This woman sells really good cheeses at the Kotor Food Market

Cheeses

While I didn’t have any cheese that wowed me with its uniqueness, the quality of the dairy products here is superb. I tried several and would regularly buy cheese at the Kotor Food Market.

Montenegro prides itself on being the tallest nation in the world (apparently, this might not quite be true, but I can tell you that they are very tall), and they credit their height to eating lots of cheese. I eat lots of cheese, and I am not at all tall, but maybe it’s because the milk did not come from Montenegrin cows.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro
This flatbread was one of the many ways I had prosciutto in Montenegro
Eat and Drink in Montenegro: A photo of the inside of Kod Pera na Bukovicu, the oldest restaurant in Montenegro
The inside of the oldest restaurant in Montenegro, Kod Pera na Bukovicu

Prosciutto

When I first saw prosciutto here, I assumed that it was imported from Italy, especially because Kotor was part of the Venetian Republic until just before the turn of the nineteenth century. However, Montenegro produces its own wonderful prosciutto. You can get not only pork, but beef prosciutto as well. I went to Kod Pera na Bukovicu, the oldest restaurant in Montenegro (in business since 1881) and visited the smokehouse where they make their own prosciutto on site (that was an amazing breakfast). I also bought prosciutto from the Kotor Food Market and many a fine apéro hour.   

Eat and Drink in Montenegro Grilled Meat platter with red onions
I got four HUGE meals out of this one grilled meat platter!

Grilled meats

Oh my. These are tasty. I’d had cevapapi when I was in Hungary in a village where a number of Serbian people lived. They look like poo, literally, but they are one of the best things I’ve tasted. You can get them in Montenegro, along with loads of other delicious grilled meats. When you order these, though, take care—the portions tend to be huge. The photo is from Dobrotski Dvori, an old-school restaurant in Dobrota.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro: an image of 2 grilled trout with potatoes
Grilled whole trout, very simply prepared, but delicious

Grilled fish

Yes, I am allergic to shellfish, but finned fish are just fine, and I love them. Away from the coast, you’ll find some lovely river and lake fish. I ate grilled whole trout, simply prepared with some garlic and salt and found it delightful when I was in Rijeka Crnojevića.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro: Ipsod Saca lamb
The lamb I had while visiting Durmitor National Park

Ispod saca (under the dome)

In other adventures in meat, ispod saca is something to add to your list. I had this traditional meat preparation with lamb, served with potatoes. The dish is prepared in a domed dish, with coals heaped onto the lid. The result is fall-off-the-bone meat that is sooo good.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro: Krempita Kotorska, a vanilla custard slice from Kotor
Krempita kotorska is sooooo good

Krempita kotorska

Friends, this simple looking dessert is exquisite. Kotor’s take on the traditional Balkans krempita (custard slice) has an added twist of three crusts instead of two. That third crust, in the middle of the pastry is where the magic happens. It’s this surprising bit of crisp in the middle of a vanilla custard slice, and it is so, so tasty.

I’ve had a few slices of this, and while some are better than others (look for yellow-ish pastry cream if you’re in a bakery), you really can’t go wrong with it.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro: priganice, or donuts, with cheese served outdoors
Donuts and cheese? Yes, please!

Priganice

Treat yourself to priganice, traditional Montenegrin donuts when you’re headed to Durmitor National Park. You can have them with jam or honey, but if you are really going the traditional route, have them with some cheese (I daresay that they are delicious with cheese and honey, but apparently, mixing salty and sweet is not done here). I had these at Floyd Food Factory, while on a tour.

They are extra good when you start your day with some rakija (more on that below!). 

Drink in Montenegro

Montenegro has a strong traditional drink, and the local wines are delightful.

Eat and Drink in Montenegro: A glass of local white wine at Bokun Wine Bar in Stari Grad Kotor
A local white wine at Bokun in Kotor's Old Town

Local wines

Montenegro produces some very good wines, ones hard to find outside of the country. In particular, I enjoyed the whites. Bonus, they tend to be more affordable, as there are not imported. My recommendation is to ask your server what they recommend for a local wine. I wish that I’d been able to try pomegranate wine, but I did not.

Food and Drink in Montenegro: Rakija shot before breakfast (?!)
Traditionally, shots of rakija were taken BEFORE breakfast

Rakija

Back in the day, people used to take a shot of rakija (fruit spirits) before breakfast. I tried it on a tour, and it certainly does shock you into alertness. Rakija is definitely not something that I would drink every morning, but it’s definitely something you should try while you’re here. And maybe pick up a bottle from one of the souvenir shops.

What did you eat and drink in Montenegro?

What about you? What did you eat and drink in Montenegro that you can’t stop thinking about? Let us know in the comments below! 

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