Restaurants cuisine du monde Tirana

Turn right up Dervish Hima Street from the stadium and you will only see a small sign indicating the restaurant. But nothing else, because it's located in the basement. You should know that... They serve a rather Italian cuisine, some Albanian dishes and very good fish well prepared. Except for the TV in the background and the smokers who are tolerated, everything is perfect here. The impeccable service, the generous plates and the bread that comes out of the pizza oven is a pure marvel! For smaller budgets, we recommend the cheap mussels and pasta.

One of the last popular offal restaurants in Tirana. It's located in the "bicycle district" (Tregu i Biçikletave), at the intersection of the street leading from the Pazari i Ri market. In the early hours of the morning, locals come here to eat soups made from offal and the less noble parts of beef or lamb. Don't worry: you can make yourself understood if you want to avoid pieces of brain or heart. Sprinkled with chilli and accompanied by a pilaf, it's really good, even for breakfast.

This restaurant claims to offer Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. That's not wrong, but it's mostly for his homemade pasta that you have to come. Located in a small white villa, between the American and Italian embassies, the hotel also offers a charming garden for romantic outdoor dining. At least, the decoration is sober and rather nice, and we will always find a waiter who speaks English. Nearby, Mustafa Matohiti Street is very lively, with some of the trendiest night bars in the capital.

This popular traditional rotisserie(zgara) offers inexpensive grilled meats (lamb chops, sausages, pork, etc.) and fergëse (stews). It has two addresses in the lively Kavaja street. The one closest to Skanderbeg square (Zgara e Tironës by Le Noir) offers a slightly cold, fast-food atmosphere, close to the Tirana Backpacker Hostel. The second (Tek Zgara e Tironës), 250 m further along the same sidewalk, is our favorite, with its rustic decor, terrace and checked tablecloths.

This traditional restaurant is well placed for partying in the Blloku district, as there are several well-known bars nearby. The establishment is a piceri (pizzeria), but it offers a wide range of local specialties: soups, various fërgesa (simmered tomato and cheese dishes), meatballs in tomato sauce, pickled vegetables, salads, grilled meats... It's not haute cuisine, but it's a good introduction to local gastronomy. Another address is on rue Papa-Gjon-Pali-II, near the national stadium.

This is Blloku's trendiest restaurant. You'll find everything here... except Albanian cuisine: sushi, seafood, tempura, tacos, fish ceviche or carpaccio, large cuts of beef and fusion dishes, accompanied by fine wines and plenty of good cocktails, all in a pleasant, modern setting. But be warned, the prices are almost Parisian, with, for example, a large seafood platter for 3 people at 13,000 leks or crab and truffle makis at 2,700 leks. Expensive, but good.

Authentic Turkish and Ottoman cuisine is served in a refined setting and attracts loyal clientele for years. Very attentive service and traditional Turkish music in sound. The hotel is located near the intersection of S. Frashëri Street and Brigada VIII Street.

Situated in a pleasant 1936 villa with garden, this restaurant offers good-quality Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, with simple but tasty wood-fired pizzas and more elaborate dishes that follow the seasons. The establishment is also a hotel: ten good-quality rooms at €75/100 for two, with perfect bedding, good breakfast and parking on reservation, plus packed lunches, airport shuttle and car rental. A good option for sleeping in the city center.

Located in a pleasant house surrounded by greenery, on a street perpendicular to Elbasanit Street (15 minutes walk from Skanderbeg square). On the menu of Mediterranean and Albanian specialities, there is also a large selection of compound salads, pasta, risottos, pizzas, fish and grilled meats.

This slightly old-fashioned restaurant is housed in a building reminiscent of medieval castles. It was one of Ismail Kadaré's favorite addresses. It's easy to see why: it's surrounded by the trees of the Grand Parc. On the menu: fresh, inexpensive salads, beautiful and expensive cuts of beef, Italian-style pasta or risotto and very good wood-fired pizzas. We love this place in the morning for a quiet coffee or during the day. Don't hesitate to bring the whole family - children will love the playground! Another address in Blloku.

Located in a beautiful setting at the foot of Mount Dajti, this restaurant is named after its owner, Ceren Ismet Shehu, a renowned chef who offers traditional Albanian cuisine using natural farm produce. The set menu changes with the seasons, with plenty of starters, cheeses, desserts and a meat dish to choose from. It's fresh, hearty and the lamb is very good. It's such a success that Ceren has opened another restaurant of the same name in the center of town, at "Tirana Castle", but this one is disappointing.

This is the restaurant of the Hôtel Élysée, 80 m away on rue Themistokli-Gërmenji. It's not really a garden, but rather a shady courtyard with plants and a fountain, as well as a plainly decorated interior room. The welcome is friendly and there's even a very exotic French menu (mimosa eggs, filet mignon, pain perdu...). Otherwise, the menu features mainly Albanian and Italian specialties: meatballs with tomato, tavë dheu, fasule, various types of risottos and pasta. Suitable and reasonably priced.

The "Goût du Village" restaurant is located in a basement. And it's aptly named, since most of the vegetables come from the owner's hamlet, Mandi, near Petrela. But it's one of the few good, inexpensive restaurants around Skanderbeg square. On the menu: tavë kosi (the national dish, rice and lamb baked in the oven), fërgesë verore (vegetables and cheese baked in the oven)outavë dheu (the same thing but with calf's liver), Berat wines, craft beer from Pogradec (Birra e Gjyshit)... A good authentic restaurant.

In a small room nicely decorated with traditional costumes and objects, you will taste Albanian specialties from the Korça region. The dishes are copious and nicely presented, and we particularly recommend the village pie. The warm welcome adds to the charm of this address located in a very quiet area. The staff is very nice and the service is excellent. Beyond the dishes, it is especially for the atmosphere, the live music, the family environment and the general good mood that one comes here.

This traditional restaurant shares its name with the country's most famous establishment, in the Lezha region: Mrizi i Zanave ("The Shadow of the Fairies"), in reference to a collection of poems by Gjergj Fishta published in 1913. This restaurant is less well known, but still very good, with northern specialties such as flia (layers of pancakes with sour cheese), stewed dishes, Adriatic fish, kallmet wine (red grape variety), but also well-executed Italian recipes and desserts. A good address in a pleasant setting.

This is undoubtedly the best-known restaurant for tourists visiting the Albanian capital. It's true that it's a pleasant place, in the friendly Pazari i Ri district, with its pretty, shady courtyard and traditional ^19th-century Albanian house decor. It serves specialties from all over the country: tavë kosi, kukurec (skewered offal), harapash (polenta), baked lamb and more. The diners are often entertained by musicians. But the establishment is a victim of its own success, so book well in advance.

This restaurant, very popular with locals, is worth a visit for its atmosphere on summer evenings. Situated on a noisy street close to Boulevard Zhan d'Ark, just off the Tanneurs Bridge, it boasts a large, shady terrace where families flock at all hours of the day for a drink or a bite to eat. On certain evenings, a singer covering international classics adds to the popular atmosphere. When it comes to cuisine, there's a wide choice of pasta, pizza, Turkish and Greek dishes.