Gourmet products local specialties and wines Northern Macedonia

Located north of Stara Čaršija, the Pit Pazar (Бит-Пазар, Bit-Pazar) is the country's largest market: 15,000^m2 (a small part of which is covered) and over a thousand stalls. You'll find everything: fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cheeses, honey, rakija, ajvar, infusions, clothes, telephony, household appliances... Also on site: cafés, small restaurants and pharmacies. Although its name is of Turkish origin ("flea market"), it dates back to the Byzantine period, with a fair organized from the ^11th century onwards around the St. George monastery, which disappeared in Ottoman times.

Founded in 1998 by brothers Kiril and Gjorgji Bogevski, this winery is still one of the most reputable in Northern Macedonia, exporting to about thirty countries, including France. With 60 ha of vineyards and a capacity of 1.5 million liters per year, of which 60% in vranac, the range is indeed rather correct. Despite a rich palette of aromas, it all lacks a bit of surprise and identity compared to the new wave of winemakers in Kavadarci. The prices of the good bottles (not included in the classic tasting formula) are high.

Founded in 2019 by a winemaker's son and grandson, this small winery (Максимилијан) was purchased two years later by Tikveš Winery in Kavadarci. It retains its autonomy with a tiny production of about 4,000 bottles a year from 1.5 ha of vines planted with chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, temjanika, cabernet franc and vranac. Some bottles are not bad, but it is uneven. The tasting is in any case very pleasant, in a pretty farmhouse and with solid appetizers to accompany the wines.

Counted among the few female winemakers in the country, Venera Gelebeševa Krstić took over the family estate in 2018. With twenty years of experience as an oenologist at the great houses of Tikveš, she has designed about twenty vintages here, made her first rosé in 2021, joined the Slow Food movement, planted the white žilavka grape variety from Herzegovina, developed delicate rakijas and a very good travarica, a brandy with Dalmatian herbs. The company offers various tasting options: classic, tour, mini-conference or meal.

It is here (Винарија Пешков) that the best wines of North Macedonia have been tasted. Since 2017, Petre Peškov has taken over the vineyards planted by his grandfather at 450 m above sea level, in Resava, 8 km to the southwest, to produce about 5,000 liters per year only organically. The yields are deliberately low, without irrigation, fertilizer or chemical pesticides. The vranec (red) is still a bit experimental, but the smederevka (white) is superb, with an incredible finesse. It also exists in a "natural sparkling" version. It is the only one of its kind in the country.

This winery produces mostly organic wine. The owner, Gjorgji Naumčev, started making wine in 2006. He owns only one hectare of vineyards and buys the rest of the grapes from local winemakers to produce about 15,000 l/year. Very good reds in cabernet sauvignon and stanušina (an endemic grape variety) and whites in temjanika (the local name for small-grained muscatel). For tastings, it is imperative to call in the morning or the day before. We welcome you in a classic house with a huge cellar underneath.

We highly recommend a tasting at Blaže Badi Minevski (Винарија Бади/Vinarija Badi), especially since this small producer of organic and natural wines sells its production (about 10,000 liters per year) only locally. Here we discover the full potential of local reds: the vranec and the very rare bisera, classic or late harvest. The latter, with its high alcohol content, evokes the sweet wines of Portugal. On the white side, we also appreciate the Cabernet Sauvignon, always late harvested. Special mention for the incredibly pure rakija.

This large, partly covered market (Шутка Пазар/Šutka Pazar, Sutka Pazar) consists of four aisles where all kinds of cheap products are sold: fruits and vegetables, kitchen utensils, telephones... and especially clothes, many of which are low-end copies of big fashionable brands. As a result, people from all over Skopje come there to do their shopping... but only those who speak Romani get the best prices! There are several small restaurants around and the main mosque of Šuto Orizari stands just south.

This confectionery founded in 1921 (Тагас-Балкан) is one of the last in the country to prepare Turkish delight by hand. Not just any Turkish delight, but Kruševo Turkish delight(kruševski lokum). This one comes in two versions: plain(sade lokoum) or with Makedonski Brod walnuts(lokum so orevi). The Čoneski family prepares them using only corn flour, water and sugar. They are baked for 2h30 and left to rest for 17h. The store also sells the other local specialty: celuvki (the "kiss"), very similar to meringue.

This store (Сакам Пиво) sells almost all the country's craft beers: those from Skopje microbreweries Gorska Voda (gorska.com.mk), Old Town Brewery (see "treat yourself") and Pivolabs (facebook.com/pivolabsmk), Bakrevski Pivara (facebook.com/bakrevskipivara) in Bitola, Craft House (facebook.com/100067646683176) in Veles and Kožuvčanka (kozuvcanka.mk) in Kavadarci. The store also sells American, Austrian, German, Belgian, Spanish, Italian and Dutch craft beers.

Founded in 2004 around a chateau-like cellar, this estate is well organized for visits and tastings. It boasts 17 ha of vines planted with Vranac, but mainly with French and Italian grape varieties. The range includes reds (merlot, carménère, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, montepulciano...), whites (chardonnay, sauvignon, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, moscato giallo...), rosés, effervescents, "orange" wines and some organic wines. The owners have a store in Skopje and the Hunter's Lodge Kamnik hotel-restaurant.

Established in 2010, this winery borrows its name from the nearby ancient city. Thanks to large investments, it produces about 4.5 million liters per year, which pass through two huge, ultramodern yellow buildings. These buildings also house Gradsko's best restaurant. At the table, as part of a classic tasting or after a visit to the site, you can choose from about thirty different wines obtained from vranac, but mainly from French grape varieties. We also recommend testing a very old Georgian white grape variety, rkatsiteli.

With a capacity of 30 million liters per year, it is the largest wine producer in the country. Its generous and unrefined wines, such as T'ga za Jug and Alexandria, are among the most popular. But this company, founded in 1885, nationalized in 1947 and reprivatized in 2003, is adapting to the tastes of international customers. It now produces good high-end wines such as the white Bela Voda and even has an estate in France, in Bollène, in the Vaucluse: the Château de Gourdon. On site: visit of the cellars, tasting and good restaurant.

The "Pope's Tower" winery is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, but not the first choice for wine lovers. Established in 2004 on the heights of Demir Kapija, it offers magnificent views up to Mount Kožuv on the border with Greece. On the other hand, the production of 600,000 l per year is disappointing. The deceptively old building that houses the winery and the famous tasting tower-restaurant is also a hotel: the rooms are not bad, but, like the wines, a bit expensive considering the quality. Area for camping-cars.