Belgrade Street Food Tours

Key Takeaways

• Serbian street food is built around grilled meat, pastry, bread and dairy
• Dishes to try include ćevapi, pljeskavica, burek, ajvar, kajmak and rakija
• Street food tours in Belgrade usually visit markets, bakeries, kiosks and small grills
• Most tours are on foot, led by local guides who know where locals eat
• The tours listed at the top of this page are the ones you can choose from

Why Explore Serbian Street Food with a Tour

Finding good street food on your own can be hard at first. Some menus are only in Serbian, sometimes in Cyrillic, and many dish names won’t mean anything to you. A guided tour takes the guesswork out of it and leads you straight to places locals already trust.

A good tour also explains what you’re eating. Your guide tells you why ćevapi are a big deal in the Balkans, how burek is eaten here and what goes with what. So you leave knowing how to order on your own for the rest of your trip.

It’s also an easy way to see the city. Most Belgrade street food tours combine tastings with a walk through the center, a lot like the Belgrade walking tours, just with more stops to eat. It feels like having a local friend show you around.

For solo travelers, tours are a simple way to meet people. Sharing a plate of warm ćevapi with others in the group often leads to good conversations. If you prefer more food stops and sit-down meals, the Belgrade food tours are another option.

What You Might Taste on a Street Food Tour

Ćevapi are small, finger-sized rolls of minced meat, grilled over charcoal and served in soft flatbread called lepinja. They usually come with chopped raw onion and a spoon of kajmak that melts a little from the heat. Smoky meat, creamy kajmak and fresh bread: that’s the whole idea.

Pljeskavica is often called the Serbian burger, but it’s bigger, flatter and spiced differently. The patty is made from a mix of minced meats and grilled over an open flame. It’s served in lepinja with salad, kajmak or ajvar. The best-known version comes from Leskovac in southern Serbia.

Burek is a pastry made from very thin layers of dough, filled with cheese or meat, and sometimes spinach. It’s crispy on top and soft inside. Locals eat it for breakfast, often with a cup of drinking yogurt. The best burek comes from small bakeries that make it fresh through the day, and you’ll often see people lining up in the morning.

Ajvar and kajmak are the two spreads you’ll see everywhere. Ajvar is made from roasted red peppers and tastes smoky and a little sweet. Kajmak is a rich, slightly salty dairy spread, somewhere between clotted cream and fresh cheese. They go on bread, grilled meat and almost anything else.

Rakija is a strong fruit brandy and a big part of Serbian hospitality. It’s often offered as a welcome drink. Plum rakija (šljivovica) is the most traditional, but you’ll also find quince, apricot and other fruit versions. It’s strong, so take small sips.

Sweet treats often close a tour. Look for krofne (Serbian donuts) filled with jam or chocolate, and palačinke, thin crepes filled with anything from Nutella to fruit or walnuts. They’re a good break after all the meat and pastry.

Want the full list of local dishes and drinks before you go? Read the guide on what to eat in Serbia.

Where to Enjoy Street Food in Serbia

Belgrade

Belgrade is the street food capital of Serbia and the main base for food tours. Zeleni Venac market, right in the center, is one of the city’s oldest markets and a good place to see daily local life, with stalls selling fresh produce, cheese and cured meats. Bakeries (pekara) are on almost every street, and many stay open late.

The old bohemian street of Skadarlija is more about traditional kafanas than street stalls. But it’s where you can try classic grilled dishes in an old-town setting, often with live music in the evening. Along the Sava and Danube rivers, you’ll find kiosks and small places serving late-night snacks.

Novi Sad

Novi Sad mixes Balkan food with Central European influences from its Austro-Hungarian past. The streets around the main square have bakeries, small grills and cafés where you can try local versions of familiar dishes. If you plan to visit, see the Novi Sad tours.

Niš

Niš, in the south, is known for its burek and grilled meat. Food in southern Serbia tends to be heavier and often spicier, and the town of Leskovac nearby is famous for its pljeskavica.

Markets and food festivals

Across Serbia, farmers markets and local food festivals are a good chance to taste regional specialties next to fresh produce. Festival dates change from year to year, so check before you go.

Tips for Your Street Food Tour

How to choose a tour

• Group or private: group tours are more social, private tours let you set the pace and the stops.
• Day or evening: morning and daytime tours often include markets and bakeries, evening tours lean more toward grills and drinks.
• Diet: Serbian street food is very meat-heavy. If you’re vegetarian, look for tours that say they can adjust the tastings.
• Drinks: some tours include rakija or local beer. If you’d like more of that, look at the Belgrade brewery tours.

What to bring

• Comfortable shoes, since most tours are on foot and parts of the old town are cobblestone
• A water bottle, especially in summer
• Some cash in Serbian dinars if you want to buy extra snacks
• An empty stomach: skip a big breakfast or lunch before the tour

When to go

Street food tours run all year. Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable for walking. Summer can be very hot in the afternoon, so a morning or evening tour is easier. In winter, warm burek and grilled meat taste even better, just dress for the cold.

Frequently Asked Questions