While living in Montenegro, we tried to eat as local as possible to get to know the culture and support the local economy.
Maria and I were so excited to try Montenegrin cuisine. We always enjoy trying local foods, especially since they are usually more affordable.
I want to give you my view into all that Montenegro food offers, whether that be local wine, pomegranate juice, Gibanica, or Balšića tava!
If you don’t already know, Montenegro is a small country located in the Balkans region of Europe.
It is on the Adriatic coast and it shares a border with 5 other Balkan countries: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania.
Montenegro is also across the way from Italy, which can be reached by crossing the Adriatic Sea by boat or ferry.
I’m sure it’s easy to see why Montenegro food has been influenced by other countries.
There are food and drinks in Montenegro that are common all through the Balkans region, but usually, each country puts its spin on them.
Of course, Montenegro does have unique foods that you must try too.
There are so many great things to try, I doubt you will go hungry when visiting the beautiful country of Montenegro!
Typical Montenegro Foods
As we were living in Montenegro, we wanted to dive deep into Montenegrin culture and find out what life is like for the locals.
We knew that the people of Montenegro have gone through a lot in the past so we wanted to learn about it appropriately.
As an Irish person, I know all too well how past trauma can still dictate how things are in the present day.
Food is such a large part of society that I think you can learn a lot from it. Experiencing a country’s cuisine is an incredible way to learn about their history and day-to-day life respectfully.
To give you a peek into daily life in Montenegro, here’s what a typical day of Montenegrin food could look like.
Breakfast
Gibanica is originally a Bulgarian dish, баница, also translated as banica and banitza.
It is prepared by layering a mixture of whisked eggs, natural yogurt, and pieces of feta cheese between filo pastry and then baking it in an oven.
It should be noted that this is not the same as the common Balkan food, Börek or Burek.
Lunch
Soups are usually served as the first course of lunch at midday.
The Montenegrin language distinguishes between a clear soup (supa, pronounced [ˈsupə]), a thick soup or stew (čorba, pronounced [ˈtʃɔrbə]), and a porridge-style dish (kaša, pronounced [ˈkəʃə]).
Chicken, lamb, and beef broth are commonly made and are all cooked similarly. As an example, Goveđa juha is beef with bone soup.
To make this, you should place the meat in near-boiling water. Once the water is boiling, add ground pepper, chopped carrots, celery, and parsley.
Chop an onion in half with the skin on and fry it in a pan. Add the fried onions with the skin still on to the rest of the ingredients cooking with the beef in the pot.
Lastly, add vegeta (a local flavor enhancer), pepper, and salt.
Main
Balšića tava consists of boiled veal that is roasted in a pan and combined with a delicious sauce.
The sauce consists of eggs, milk, and sour cream. The veal is typically boiled with onions and carrots.
The concoction is then baked for about five minutes until it turns slightly golden.
Other mains could be made from seafood like grilled or fried squid, octopus salad, cuttlefish, tuna, prawns, and mussels.
Dessert
Sok od Šipka is a homemade syrup made from wild pomegranates.
In the southern half of Montenegro, Pomegranates grow in abundance.
They can be found in almost every home and on trees in the streets.
These are more traditional Montenegro foods. I specifically stayed away from the fast-food variants of dishes.
Are you looking for a Montenegro-inspired travel gift? Check out this handmade Montenegro bracelet or even a Montenegro map in watercolors that would make a great wall decoration. There’s also this amazing handmade Sterling Silver Montenegro map necklace. It can even be personalized with a heart cut out for a particular location!
Our Favorite Traditional Montenegro Food Experience
The food scene in Montenegro is diverse and eccentric as it is composed of multiple countries’ cuisine.
Generally, Montenegro food is heavily based on meat, local produce, and dairy products. Think Italian and Greek with a hint of middle eastern thrown together with a mixed seasonal meat scene.
This was made very clear when we went to Restaurant Kaldrma in the town of Stari Bar (which means ‘Old Bar’).
The local family we were staying with advised us to get lamb at whatever restaurant we went to since the season was right for it.
Locals know best, we love getting advice from them.
When we arrived at the restaurant we were very pleasantly surprised by the simplistic and aesthetically wonderful interior.
Even though it was a beautiful and simple look, this was overshadowed greatly by the amazing food.
The starters of veal broth and grilled cheese were nothing to scoff at.
They were tasty and meaty and the broth set up the main course perfectly.
The cheese starter was as fresh as could be and so delicious.
Everything was made even better with the sun setting as we sat in the outdoor area on the second floor.
For the main, I was expecting to have lamb since that was the suggestion we received.
I had been thinking about it all day during our road trip through the beautiful Montenegrin countryside.
When speaking with the restaurant server, he recommended the veal over the lamb since it was a Stari Bar special.
He didn’t steer me wrong with the broth starter so I took his word for it and let me tell you, he was spot on.
Although they wouldn’t share local secrets to how it was cooked, it was the most tender and juicy piece of meat I have had in a long time.
The meal all in itself was like a happy Balkan and European marriage.
The veal was grilled with a local flavoring, which made me feel like I was experiencing Greece.
It was accompanied by an Italian-inspired side dish of grilled eggplant (aubergine) and tomato that was topped with oregano.
It also came with a side of freshly baked, homemade bread.
Even though the meal was simply perfect, our experience only got better when we found out that the chef and waiter were related.
You could tell that they loved sharing food that they love with others.
They made us feel so welcome, almost like we were eating at a friend’s house rather than a restaurant.
This was obvious in the food as well because it reminded us of a secret recipe from someone’s Grandmother; like a meal that has been passed down for generations.
We even snapped a photo of them before leaving because we loved it so much!
Our Favorite Montenegro Drinks
Vranac (red wine)
The local family encouraged us to try the local wines because the area we were in was kind of like the ‘Napa Valley’ of the whole Balkans region.
They suggested that we try this local red wine, Vranac, and it did not disappoint!
It is one of the best red wines Maria has ever had. To make it even better, it goes for 3 euros a bottle so we had it quite a bit!
Pomegranate juice
As I mentioned earlier, pomegranates are popular in Montenegro, so you will often see pomegranate juice offered at rest stops on the side of the road.
It reminds me of how popular lemonade can be on hot summer days, so it’s kind of like the Montenegrin version of that.
We first tried it when we stopped at a roadside cafe in the middle of nowhere while we were on a road trip.
I wasn’t sure about it at first because I’m not that familiar with how pomegranates taste but after trying it, I was hooked!
Coffee Culture
We learned while living in Montenegro that the coffee culture is huge, which is similar to the rest of the Balkans.
You can expect strong coffee that is not for the faint of heart.
Montenegro’s coffee culture is more than just a strong brew though. Sitting at a cafe with friends while drinking coffee and having a smoke is how people socialize.
The most popular drinks are Turkish coffee and espresso, though larger cafes will have cold and hot specialty coffee drinks made with milk, cream, and sugar.
Affordable Montenegro Food
A huge staple in Montenegro is dairy.
Almost every dish you can make here has some sort of yogurt or cheese involved.
Some cheeses can be expensive but cream and yogurt are not.
We found ourselves using pork and beef mostly for our meals. It can vary in taste but can sometimes look the same.
I have been making the same thing regularly.
Something that both Maria and I love, a Montenegrin rata-stew-ille, kind of like ratatouille.
Montenegrin Rata-Stew-Ille Recipe
- Cut half an eggplant/aubergine in quarter slices and bake with salt and paprika Bake at 200 Celsius until they become darker in color and the skin is soft – around 10 minutes
- Lightly fry your meat of choice on all sides and then chop into bite-size pieces
- Place canned tomatoes and 4 tablespoons of ‘Jogurt’ in a pot
- Add parsley, basil and oregano, and a hint of paprika for a bright red color
- Bring to boil and reduce heat to a strong simmer
- Place meat and eggplant/aubergine into ‘Jogurt’ and tomato mixture and cover with the lid
- Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes to finish cooking the meat
- Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking to the base of the pot
- The longer you allow to simmer, the thicker the sauce becomes
We ate it more like soup but it is perfect over rice or pasta. Make sure to put a small spoon of ‘Jogurt’ on top for that refreshing taste.
Cost Of Montenegrin Rata-Stew-Ille Ingredients
- Eggplant/Aubergine – €1
- Pork chop or Sausage (any kind) – €2 maximum and does 4 serving sizes
- Canned tomatoes – €1.19 for 1 large tin and does 4-6 serving sizes
- Jogurt (local natural yogurt) – €1.29 for a large tub and does 10 serving sizes
- Salt – 39 cents per pack
- Basil – 49 cents per pack
- Parsley – 39 cents per pack
- Oregano – 39 cents per pack
- Paprika – 69 cents per pack
Price Per Serving
- Halved Eggplant/Aubergine – 50 cents
- Meat – 50 cents
- Jogurt – 13 cents
- Canned tomatoes – 30 cents
- Herbs – 5 cents
There you go! A filling Montenegrin-style meal for €1.48. Adding pasta or rice will bring it up 10 or 20 cents. When on a budget, €1.70 for a healthy, delicious meal is pretty good.
Living In Montenegro On A Budget
There are major differences between traveling somewhere and experiencing somewhere.
Maria and I wanted to truly experience life in Montenegro so we decided to volunteer through Workaway.
It is an online platform that connects travelers with locals so you get a deeper cultural experience and helps you save money and stay longer in a place.
You help the local with projects like renovation, language exchange, child care, etc. and in return, they give you a place to stay and sometimes free food as well.
If you are interested in volunteering through Workaway, using our link to sign up now will give you 3 months extra membership for free!
Our Workaway experience in Montenegro was amazing.
We stayed in a villa overlooking beautiful Montenegrin mountains while helping a local family with tasks around the property like varnishing deck chairs, power washing the walkways, painting rooms, etc.
We received money to cover food expenses and were able to use one of the family’s vehicles to drive around locally.
Though we spent a few hours each weekday helping out, it was fun and still left plenty of time to explore the picturesque area!
If you are the type of person that prefers having their own space and loves animals, you should consider TrustedHousesitters.
It is similar to Workaway as it is an online platform, but the difference is that it connects you with people who need someone to watch their house or pets while they are away.
Creating an account is free, so browse all of the amazing opportunities to see if it could be for you. Check out the available house sits in Montenegro!
Not everyone can spend long periods away from their jobs or families so volunteering isn’t for everyone.
There are still amazing places to stay like a breathtaking sea view apartment in Budva, a charming mountain lodge in Kolasin, and a quieter, out-of-the-way hotel in Kotor (one of the most popular places in Montenegro).
There are plenty of luxury hotels in Montenegro too if you’d like to splash out a bit.
Tips for Living In Montenegro
Transport
If you were staying in Montenegro for a short while, you might be able to make do with public transport.
Larger towns and cities are connected but the transport might not always be the most reliable or punctual.
If you are going to be in Montenegro for a longer period, I would highly suggest having a car.
It will give a lot more freedom and reliability to you, and you will be able to venture out to remote areas.
Attractions
Some of the larger cities in Montenegro like Podgorica, Kotor, and Budva, have a lot of amenities and nightlife.
For the most part, Montenegro isn’t a destination known for its cities. Most travelers are drawn to its dramatic landscape and beautiful beaches.
Montenegro is an epic destination for nature lovers. If you love being outdoors, then it’s the right place for you.
I would recommend bringing some sturdy hiking boots, a hiking backpack, beach sandals, polarized sunglasses, and a hammock.
Oh, and you can’t forget a camera to capture all of the amazing viewpoints!
Affordability
As a Balkan country, you can expect Montenegro to be more affordable than many countries in western Europe.
Though Montenegro isn’t a huge tourist destination like Italy, you would be surprised at how many visitors come in the summer.
It seems to be growing more and more popular with tourists, especially with Montenegro becoming a stop for many cruise ships.
Because of all the tour busses and cruise ships, the cost of living spikes during peak summer months.
During the off-season, the cost of living is much more affordable.
If you are set on summer months, try Workaway or TrustedHousitters to save some money.
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