The Best 19 Restaurants In Skopje You Have To Eat At

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Post author Daniel

Written by our local expert Daniel

Originally from Macedonia, Daniel is a total budget travel junkie. Having visited over 35 countries, Dan knows a thing or two about traveling Macedonia and the Balkans on the cheap.

Like most capitals in the world, Skopje has a rich museum, a food scene, and many delightful restaurants worth visiting. You have to know where to look.

Macedonia is a country famous for its finger-licking-good food. In this list, we’ll feature some of the best restaurants that serve traditional Macedonian food but also restaurants with unique concepts and unusual and exotic dishes.

So, if you’re traveling to Skopje and wondering where to eat, even if it’s just for a quick weekend break, here are the finest restaurants in Macedonia’s capital that will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. 

1. Vodenica Mulino, For A Romantic Date

Best Restaurants in Skopje_vodenica mulino
Photo Credit: Vodenica Mulino

If you’re looking for a restaurant for a romantic dinner in Skopje, it doesn’t get much better than Vodenica Mulino. Vodenica Mulino is famous among Skopje locals for its rich wine cellar that’s always equipped with the finest wines worldwide. The restaurant is the perfect mix of vintage charm and classy elegance, which translates to both the food and the ambiance.

Address: Mitropolit Teodosij Gologanov 69, Skopje, 1000

2. Makedonsko Selo, For A Slice Of Tradition

Best Restaurants in Skopje_makedonsko etno selo
Photo Credit: Makedonsko etno Selo

Located on the road to Pantelejmon Monastery on Mt. Vodno, Makedonsko Selo (Macedonian Village) is a large museum/hotel/restaurant complex. There are accommodation facilities, an outdoor museum, and a restaurant, all decorated in traditional, 18th-century style. Additionally, you can also see and learn about the different architectural types from around the country. The complex is surrounded by the forests of Mt. Vodno, making it a perfect stopover destination for people who want to explore the other side of Mt. Vodno.

Address: Gorno Nerezi (on the road to St. Pantelejmon Monastery), Skopje, 1000

3. Oreov Lad, For Enjoying Nature While Dining

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Oreov Lad
Photo Credit: Oreov Lad

Located in the city outskirts near the highway that connects Skopje to Tetovo, Oreov Lad is one of the oldest restaurants in Skopje. What started as a small family restaurant is today a go-to choice for people who want to have their celebrations and parties away from the busy streets of Skopje. Like every other prominent family restaurant, all recipes for the menu items on the list have been passed from one generation to the next.

Address: Sarajska 1, Saraj, Skopje, 1000

4. Fitness House, For Healthy Meals

The name is self-explanatory; Fitness House is the go-to choice for locals and tourists who want healthy food. They make the best chicken steak in town, and there are many options for vegetarians and vegans. If you thought healthy and delicious don’t go together, you’ll probably change your mind after visiting this place.

Address: Boulevard Partizanski Odredi Br. 40, Skopje, 1000

5. Rock Kafana Rustikana, For Combining The Incompatible

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Rock Kafana Rustikana
Photo Credit: Rock Kafana Rustikana

If you have ever visited a kafana in some of the other countries in the Balkans, you’re familiar with the concept, and you know what kind of music you can expect in these places. Well, Rock Kafana Rustikana is a kafana that serves food you usually find in a kafana (much better) and has live music but mostly local rock bands. Kafanas usually serve barbecue or traditional food, and you can expect either turbo folk music or local traditional music.

Address: MK, Boulevard Ilinden 94, Skopje, 1000

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6. Pelister, For The Best Mix Of Macedonian & Mediterranean

Located in the heart of Macedonian Square, Pelister is a hotel/restaurant popular among locals and tourists alike. If you’re passing by the area, you’ll inevitably notice it because it’s always filled with people, and there’s a good reason for it. Pelister’s menu features a great mix of traditional Macedonian and Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant’s interior is very classy, decorated with expensive furniture and a delightful chandelier. Simultaneously, the outside seating area overlooks the Vardar River and gives a great view of the Old Bazaar.

Address: Boulevard Macedonia, Skopje, 1000

7. Čardak, For The Best Pie In Skopje

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Cardak
Photo Credit: Cardak

Čardak is so busy on Fridays and Saturdays that servers have to run a marathon to ensure everyone has their orders on time. Like Skopski Merak and Lyra, Čardak has live music and fantastic barbecue, but they’re famous among locals for their amazing traditional pie recipe.

Address: Gjorgji Peshkov, Skopje, 1000

8. Makedonska Kukja, The Locals’ Favorite

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Makedonska kukja
Photo Credit: Makedonska Kukja

There’s a good reason why Makedonska Kukja has been a favorite among locals for years. The restaurant serves fantastic food and has excellent music every night, but the interior makes this restaurant unique. There are so many artifacts, and one can argue that Makedonska Kukja is a museum as much as a restaurant. It’s no wonder it has been declared the best traditional restaurant in the country on numerous occasions.

Address: Teodosie Gologanov no 63 nearby Alumina, Skopje, 1000

9. Stara Gradska Kukja, For A Piece Of History

Stara Gradska Kukja (meaning Old City House) is located in the building where the first restaurant in Skopje was opened in 1836. This old house went through a restoration throughout the years and today is home to one of the best traditional Macedonian restaurants in town.

Stara Gradska Kukja probably has the most beautiful courtyard out of all restaurants on this list, making it perfect for big celebrations and guests with kids.

Address: Boulevard Phillip the Second of Macedon 14, Skopje, 1000

10. Skopski Merak, For Live Music

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Skopski Merak
Photo Credit: Skopski Merak

Debar Maalo is home to some of the best restaurants in Skopje, but only a few come close to Skopski Merak. In this traditional Macedonian restaurant, food is prepared in a wooden oven. To add to the atmosphere, the restaurant has live music every night. You’ll unquestionably love this place if you’re a meat lover, but they have many vegetarian options too. While you’re there, also try pastramajlija.

Address: Debarca St. 51, Skopje, 1000

11. Lyra, For A Piece Of Skopje’s Bohemian Spirit

There’s a good reason why Lyra is always full, and you need to book a table before going there. If you decide to dine here, their most popular dish is the Macedonian Casserote which includes veal, pork, and mixed vegetables. The food is marvelous, and there’s live music every night, playing some of the best old Macedonian songs.

Address: Nikola Tesla 11, Skopje, 1000

12. Korner Baba Cana, For The Best Barbecue

Baba Cana started as a small restaurant in Kumanovo, but it became so popular that they had to open one in Skopje. It’s one of the most affordable restaurants on this list, and if you decide to dine here, you’ll see why people used to drive 100 kilometers to taste their wonderful food (before the restaurant in Skopje was open). Since the restaurant is located on the road that leads to Vodno Mountain, you can combine dining at Baba Cana with visiting the top of Mount Vodno.

Address: Partenija Zografski 34, Skopje, 1000

13. Amigo’s, For The Best Mexican Food

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Amigos
Photo Credit: Amigos

Located in the heart of Skopje, Amigo’s is the place to be for people who are into Mexican food. You can enjoy the beautiful outdoor setting during the summer, but the interior is fascinating. Y is decorated in a traditional Mexican style during the summer, and most people go to Amigo’s to taste the amazing tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and guacamole. Still, people also go there to drink some of their tasty sangria and different kinds of tequila.

Address: Macedonia 11, Skopje, 1000

14. Peking Garden, For The Best Asian Food In Town

When you’re walking around Maksim Gorki Street, close to the square, you’ll notice a Chinese restaurant with a small terrace that looks relatively modest. The owners did an amazing job creating an authentic, traditional Chinese atmosphere with many unique decorations and artifacts. The restaurant is very spacious, which might come as a surprise if you compare it to the terrace at the entrance, and if you’re a fan of Asian food, this will quickly become your favorite restaurant in Skopje. However, once you step inside, you’ll forget that you’re in Skopje and will feel like you’re somewhere in China.

Address: Maxim Gorky, 3, Skopje, 1000

15. Veneto, For The Best Italian Food In Town

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Veneto
Photo Credit: Veneto

Located in Skopje’s newest and biggest mall, Veneto is the best Italian restaurant in Skopje. Most of the dishes on the menu are Italian, but they also serve some continental food and barbecue. The food is fantastic, and the customer service- is one of the best in town.

Address: Ljubljanska 4, Skopje, 1000 (inside the City Mall)

16. Enriko, For The Best Pizza

There are many Italian restaurants in Skopje, but none can compare with the pizza at Enriko. Not only do they have the best pizza in Skopje, but it’s also one of the favorite brunch spots for local youngsters. Some other notable things you must try besides the pizza are the Enriko omelet and a Macedonian Panzarotti.

Address: T.C. Leptokarija, Bulevar Partizanski Odredi, Skopje, 1000

17. Martini, For The Best Waffles

Best Restaurants in Skopje_Martini
Photo Credit: Martini

Martini is close to Enriko, making it a perfect place to stop for some waffles after brunch. They have some other menu items too, but waffles are what Martini is famous for. So, if you love Belgian waffles, Martini is the place for you; they have sweet waffles, salty waffles, spicy waffles, sandwich waffles, fish waffles, omelet waffles, waffle salad… You get the point.

Address: bul.Partizanski Odredi, T.C. Leptokarija sec.5, lok.2, Skopje, 1000

Macedonia Travel Blog_Best Restaurants to Eat at in Skopje


18. Chateau Kamnik Winery, For Wine Lovers

Even though Chateau Kamnik is actually a winery, there’s a posh restaurant on site with a cozy ambient and a beautiful garden. The food in the restaurant is delicious, but most people visit because of the wine. Some of the wines produced here are served in very famous worldwide restaurants, including a few Micheline Star-rated restaurants in Europe. You can also join a guided tour and learn more about the wine production methods in Kamnik and even try some of the wines produced in the winery.

Address: Kamnik bb, Skopje, 1000

19. Fast Food Sedmica, For The Best Burger In Town

Even though it’s technically not a restaurant, Fast Food Sedmica deserves an honorable mention on this list. If you ask most locals what’s the best place to have a burger, most of them will advise you to go to Sedmica. Their French fries and secret-recipe sauces taste amazing, and the burgers are huge, so make sure you have enough room before coming here.

Address 1: TC Tri Bisera, Boulevard Jane Sandanski bb, Skopje, 1000
Address 2: Borka Talevski 5, Skopje, 1000
Address 3: Leptokarija Mall, Skopje, 1000

Which one of these restaurants in Skopje was your favorite? If you travel to Skopje, which one would you visit first? Let us know in the comments!

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