Tirana

You have to take theelevator to enjoy the beautiful views from this chic, fine-dining restaurant on the fourth floor of the ABA Business Center, an 83-meter-high tower built in 2009. The menu combines quality meats and seafood at more truly Balkan prices: seafood platters from 9,000 to 13,500 leks, Kobe beef at 9,000 leks, as well as caviar and more. All in all, a very reasonable price of around 2,000 leks per person without drinks. Reservations recommended.

This Italian fish restaurant is run by an Albanian. But visitors from across the Adriatic are fans: here, in this basement on the boulevard bordering the Lana, they find the same flavors as at home, but at a much better price. Chef Aldo Trebicka carefully prepares extra-fresh fish and seafood, varied and colorful small assortments, pastas and risottos, a luxurious whole lobster or very simple, perfect little anchovies.

The "chapeaux" restaurant is one of the many panoramic establishments that have opened in recent years along the road climbing to Mount Dajti. The room is huge (around 400 covers) and the dishes are a little bland (small starters to pick at, grilled meats), but it's obviously for the views over Tirana that the local youth flock here. When the weather's fine, the large bay windows open up and you're in for a treat. As the wine in carafe is quite decent, you can have a good time here.

A great address for meat lovers, near the Grand Parc dike. Beautiful, well-cooked cuts, simmered dishes, plenty of truffle shavings, good Albanian and Italian red wines. But the room is very small, and salads and seasonal vegetables quickly disappear from the menu. If you're not 100% carnivorous, you'd better make a reservation and don't come too late. And don't forget, you can only pay in cash here. But Tirana's small French-speaking community loves this place with its bistro atmosphere.

A good address (which also makes hotel - see further «Dajti National Park») on Mount Dajti, to taste the fondant fondant but also to produce more wild meats (local game). But we also come and especially for the magnificent panorama on the capital, there, at the bottom…

Chic fish restaurant in the lively street of Kavaja. It's a branch of a well-known Durrës establishment. Everything is fresh and well presented. Specializing in raw assortments served on ice, including rare Adriatic sea urchins and a squid ceviche with Peruvian lemon and green anise, but also whole grilled fish, small fried dishes, octopus, lobster, Butrint mussels, oysters, Italian-style pasta, authentic mozzarella di buffala... Only the service is a little disappointing. Reservations recommended.

This vegan/vegetarian restaurant offers all kinds of sandwiches(quesadillas, falafels, burritos, pitas...), fishless makis, soy steak burgers, soups, Italian-style pastas, Chinese noodles and ramen. We like the sweet potato fries, but the guacamole isn't always homemade. Drinks: smoothies, fruit juices and a little alcohol. Other similar addresses: Falafel House (Rruga Ibrahim Rugova 4, in Blloku) and Chakra Indian Fusion (Rruga Murat Toptani, right bank).

Under a porch in front of the Edith Durham School, this popular restaurant has a pleasant, quiet room. It serves modern cuisine (quinoa with truffles, vegan dishes, steamed food, etc.) as well as slightly revisited traditional specialities. Good local products and magnificent extra-virgin olive oil. You will find a professional service and a neat decor. For your information (or to go further), the management has also opened a second restaurant called À la Santé Zoo in the zoo area, opposite the lake

In the traditional street of fish restaurants, this is now the most prominent. You can choose from a selection of 30 different fish from the Adriatic, Aegean and Atlantic. Small sardines and squid are deep-fried, while sea bass is cooked in a salt crust. There are also shrimps and mussel soup, as well as, in the more expensive categories, langoustines and the slightly more expensive wild toothfish. And also: some meats, desserts, Albanian, Italian and French wines.