Northern Macedonia

This restaurant (Фрателис Визиана) is accessible by a footbridge over the Pčinja River. It serves mostly fish (grilled, salt-crusted, fried...) and enjoys a delightful setting: river, large garden, small lake, tennis court, children's playground and animal park (donkeys, deer, peacocks...). The establishment belongs to the mineral water brand Viziana, whose site is right next door, as well as the riding center Whisper/Виспер, which organizes excursions upon reservation (+389 71 27 22 43, [email protected]).

This fish restaurant (Сидро) is the best in Skopje. It serves products from Greece and the Atlantic (grilled octopus, mussels, salmon, red mullet, sole...) as well as carp and trout from Lake Ohrid. Pleasant setting, with a terrace reminiscent of a fisherman's hut, and well-presented dishes. The restaurant is located in the Taftalidže district, on a street perpendicular to the main north-south Franklin-Ruzvelt street, which opens onto Mitropolit-Teodosij-Gologanov boulevard. Bus: 4a, 5 or 5a, "Fabrika Treska" stop.

This restaurant (Ресторан Луле) enjoys a large terrace on the shore of the artificial lake in Tikveš. Fish from fishing or farming are served here. Among the wild fish, the huge catfish(catfish in the menu in English) can exceed 2 m in length and 100 kg. It is served fried, sliced... and whole by reservation! Some meat dishes as well as good French fries, salads and fried or grilled vegetables. In the evening, in summer, you should bring mosquito repellent. In the area, there are several accommodations in villas.

Located at the entrance to Stara Čaršija, next to the footbridge spanning Goce-Delčev Boulevard, this restaurant surprises with two old Yugoslav cars embedded in the walls: a Zastava 750 and a TAS 1300 J, the local versions of the Fiat 600 and VW Beetle. The menu is less surprising: salads, burgers, grills, pizzas and more. It's for tourists, quite expensive, but quite good. The place is popular for its garden, fruit juices and cocktails. The same family runs the Austrian Palace hotel, east of Stara Čaršija.

In the absence of McDonald's and other international junk food giants in North Macedonia, Skopje has developed its own fast food offering, including vegan. Since 2017, paninis, falafels, soy, veggie and fake cheese burgers and good coffees have been served here, next to St. Clement of Ohrid Cathedral. For more traditional fast food, open later, there's the "7" chain with four addresses and the delicious burgers at Oljo's Street Food, next to Kamin Čamo, in Debar Maalo.

This bar-restaurant is slightly set back from Ilinden Boulevard, alongside the City Park (bus 8 or 15a, "Zooloshka Gradina" stop). It's a surprising mix of kafana (tavern) and concert hall. The establishment has won several awards for the best hamburger in Skopje. On the menu are a dozen burgers (including a vegetarian version), as well as meats, appetizers and salads. Evening concerts Wednesday to Saturday, local and foreign beers, terrace overlooking the park.

Founded in 2015, this microbrewery is best known for its location: next to Saint-Sauveur church. While foreign visitors generally appreciate the beers produced here (a pilsner, an IPA, a porter and a white), we, for our part, find them a little bland. This was originally a bar-restaurant. But the high menu prices (burgers, pizzas, grills...) often seem out of proportion to the quality. In any case, the establishment is pleasant with its terrace overlooking Skopje's prettiest church.

This panoramic restaurant (Аурора Козјак) offers grandiose views of Lake Kozjak. People also come here for its good food, with local recipes and international dishes that are quite rare in the country, such as T-bone, tartare or carpaccio. Prices are a little high (some pieces of beef are over 1,500 MKD), but on the whole it's still affordable. The terrace is, of course, superbly pleasant, as is the indoor dining room, with its well-crafted wood and mineral decor and large picture windows. Enough to enjoy the scenery even in winter.

Perched at an altitude of 1,335 m, near the village of Lisec/Лисец, the "Šar paradise" restaurant offers magnificent views over Tetovo and the Polog plain. Good Albanian and Macedonian dishes from the Šar mountains, veal and grilled meats, salads, home-grown trout and the house specialty, tavë sharrit, a beef cassolette simmered with cheese, shallots, peppers and mushrooms, are served in the large garden or panoramic rooms. Children's playground, small museum and friendly waiters.

This restaurant (Ресторан Панорама) enjoys a beautiful view of the Vardar spring and surrounding mountains. It serves mainly locally raised and grilled trout (Macedonian, rainbow or golden), farmed carp from Lake Tikveš breaded in cornmeal and imported sea fish (sea bass, gilthead bream and salmon). And also: good veal, baked potatoes, salads, roasted peppers, cheeses and homemade desserts. We love the terrace, but we're not crazy about the interior decor, with its stuffed bears and pelicans.

The "two pearls" restaurant (Два Бисера) is one of the most famous on Lake Ohrid, especially for its grilled belvica or letnica trout and baked carp. Perfectly cooked, with a terrace and a warm welcome. You can even eat here by boat, as there's a pontoon for the purpose. The establishment also offers four rooms with lake views. This is where you can pick up the key to the Archangel Michael church when it's closed. Radožda's other two good fish restaurants are Albatros (Албатрос) and Letnica (Летница).

This restaurant (Летна Бавча Канео) enjoys a beautiful setting on the shores of Lake Ohrid and beneath the magnificent Church of St. John in Kaneo. It features mainly fish and seafood such as Ohrid trout, Mediterranean turbot and mussels from Butrint (Albania). The cuisine is quite elaborate, with dishes such as ravioli with shrimp, truffle and foie gras, pasta with lobster, strawberries with pepper and vanilla ice cream. The wine list includes a selection of the best bottles from the country's top estates. Efficient service.

This restaurant (Ресторан Саваро) is located on the banks of the Bergalnica River, 10 km south of Lake Kalimanci. Fish from the river and the lake are the specialty here, especially carp cut into pieces and fried and grilled trout. They also serve small "mezzes" (avjar, cheeses...) a very good tripe soup(škembići) as well as salads, grilled meat, dishes simmered in earthenware dishes and wines from Povardaria. Fast service, room with rustic decor, large garden with lawn and children's playground.

Established in 2012, this winery is especially worthwhile for its restaurant: local and Mediterranean cuisine, cheese and cured ham plates, lovely setting in the middle of vineyards. As far as wines are concerned, we are here in the wine region of Skopje. The domain has more than 100 ha of vineyards and produces about 70 000 liters per year: riesling, chardonnay and sauvignon. It also buys pinot noir and gris from the sunnier region of Gevgelija. The nearby hamlet of Sopot has nothing to do with the wine village of the same name, 7 km north of Kavadarci.

Founded in 1995, the "Fisherman" (Рибар/Ribar) is one of the region's most renowned fish restaurants, with a terrace and prices right on the water. Trout and carp from Lake Ohrid are presented by friendly, English-speaking waiters before being grilled. The cooking is perfect. The salads are also very good, prepared with vegetables from the garden. On the other hand, the meats (apart from roast chicken) are of limited interest. But that's not why we come here. In fact, the only real drawback is that it's often full in summer.

This good restaurant (фук-Tак) is one of the oldest and best known in the country. It was founded in 1884, during the construction of the Thessaloniki-Alexandroupoli railway line that passes through Doïrani, Greece. Its strange name comes from the noise, then new to the locals, of the trains rattling on the rails: "fouk-tak, fouk-tak". The specialty here is fish, especially lake carp, served smoked, stewed, fried, grilled, in soup, etc. Its eggs are also found in "caviar" in a surprising but delicious burger.

This fish restaurant is set on the shore of a lake, but not the one in Dojran: on the shore of the small artificial lake of Crničani. So you might as well say that here you are away from the hustle and bustle in the middle of summer. The place is all the more pleasant when you eat outside, in the big garden. Well, okay, the fish are sometimes a bit fatty (100% farmed), but they are well grilled. You can choose between carp, catfish, trout... and even salmon. Also on the menu: grilled meats, game, good garden salads, crispy fries and house wine.