What to Eat in Albania: Typical Albanian Food and Specialties
Albanian cuisine is simple, based on the use of seasonal ingredients and traditional methods. Its roots reflect the colorful history of the Balkans, centuries of Ottoman rule, and the proximity of Mediterranean culture.
Food in Albania
Typical Albanian dish: baked jufka pasta with chicken (jufka me pule).
A distinctive feature of Albanian cuisine is above all the emphasis on simplicity and the freshness of ingredients. Albanians take great pride in home preparation and traditional procedures. The foundation consists of high-quality and local ingredients – fresh vegetables, legumes, grains, olive oil, dairy products, meat, and fish. Most dishes are made from produce grown or produced directly in the given region.
Albanian cuisine is strongly influenced by Mediterranean and Balkan traditions, but it is also inspired by Turkish cuisine, which is evident, for example, in the use of yogurt. Typical Albanian dishes are, however, less spicy than those in Turkey.
Albanian cuisine is highly seasonal. In summer, light dishes made from fresh vegetables, salads, grilled fish, and yogurt sauces prevail. In autumn and winter, heartier dishes appear on the tables: stewed meats, legume soups, baked dishes, and homemade pastries. Homemade bread also plays a key role, baked in almost every family.
Typical Albanian dish: grilled sausages made from minced meat (kërnacka).
Typical Albanian Dishes
One of the most typical Balkan, and therefore Albanian, dishes is byrek. This is a savory pastry made from thin dough, filled with various ingredients – most often white cheese, spinach, or minced meat. You will find byrek in every Albanian bakery. Thanks to its popularity and wide availability, byrek is often the first dish you taste in Albania.
Another classic Albanian dish is fërgesë. There are several variations, the most famous of which comes from Tirana and is made from a mixture of peppers, tomatoes, onions, and cheese. Fërgesë is baked in the oven, resulting in a thick, fragrant mixture served with bread.
Among meat specialties, qofte play an important role—these are small meat patties made from minced meat seasoned with herbs and spices. Qofte are fried, grilled, or baked.
Fish and seafood have a traditional place, especially in coastal areas.
Another popular Albanian dish is speca të mbushura – peppers stuffed with a mixture of rice, vegetables, and sometimes meat, baked in the oven.
The national Albanian dessert is trileçe – a fluffy sponge cake soaked in milk and often topped with caramel. You can find it in pastry shops all over the country.
Typical Albanian dessert: trileçe.
Albanian National Dish
The national dish of Albania is considered to be tavë kosi. This is baked lamb with rice in a creamy sauce made from yogurt and eggs.
Among typical Albanian dishes are grilled meats. Most often you will find lamb and pork.
Typical Albanian Drinks
One of the most famous and traditional Albanian drinks is raki. This is a fruit brandy, most often made from grapes (raki rrushi), but also from plums, figs, or mulberries. Raki usually has a high alcohol content.
Another typical Albanian drink is dhallë, a refreshing fermented milk drink similar to Turkish ayran or Armenian tan.
Albanians are big coffee lovers. In both cities and the countryside, you will find countless cafés where strong espresso is served. The most popular tea is herbal mountain tea.
Among non-alcoholic drinks, boza also has its place—a sweet, slightly fermented drink made from corn or wheat.
Albania has ideal conditions for growing grapevines, and its wines are definitely worth tasting.
Among popular Albanian alcoholic drinks is Skënderbeu brandy.
Where to Eat in Albania
Bar Restorant Fredi, Lezhe. Perfect grilled dried pork and other specialties of Albanian cuisine. I recommend it as the first stop when leaving Tirana for the Albanian mountains.
Bezhi, Lezhe. A restaurant specializing in grilled meats.
Taverna Te Xhaferi, Toç. Excellent grilled and roasted lamb, served with kulaç bread. If you are traveling with more than two people, be sure to try their roasted chicken with homemade jufka pasta.
If I had to choose my top three personal favorites, then the best Albanian dish for me is:
Mish gici i thatë. I love grilled dishes, and this pork is given an unusual twist by being dried or smoked before grilling. The flavor is truly intense, and the meat is tender and juicy.
Qofte. Across the Balkans, people know how to make ground meat on the grill perfectly, and Albania is no exception. Qofte here are wonderfully seasoned.
Trileçe. I usually prefer savory treats over sweet ones, but trileçe, as the Albanian national dessert, won me over with its combination with milk, which soaks into the cake.
Grilled dried pork (mish gici i thatë). Albanian specialty.
How to Fully Enjoy Albanian Food
Try Classic Albanian Specialties. Start with dishes that form the foundation of Albanian cuisine: tavë kosi (baked lamb with yogurt), byrek (savory pastry filled with cheese, meat, or vegetables), fërgesë (creamy blend of peppers, tomatoes, and cheese), qofte (meatballs). These recipes are an everyday staple for many Albanians.
Discover Regional Cuisine Across the Country. Each region of Albania has its own specialties and flavors. In southern Albania (Gjirokastër), try qifqi (rice patties with herbs) and laropit or shapkat (savory pies). Along the coast (Vlorë, Durrës, Saranda), enjoy fresh fish and seafood, such as grilled sea bream or mussels in wine. You might also come across frog legs, which you probably know more as a French cuisine specialty.
Visit Traditional Albanian Markets. Markets are the perfect place to soak up the atmosphere and taste fresh ingredients. Here you’ll find homemade cheeses, olives, honey, seasonal fruit and vegetables, fragrant herbs, or homemade raki. Markets are held in every larger town, and you’ll find plenty of small vendors along major roads as well.
Head to Agritourism Restaurants. Albania has a strong tradition of agritourism – countryside restaurants and guesthouses. Meals here are usually prepared according to family recipes.
Try Albanian Wines and Spirits. Albania has a long winemaking tradition. The country’s native grape varieties include Shesh i Bardhë (white) and Shesh i Zi (red). A typical spirit is grape raki.
Fresh grilled fish are a typical dish of the Albanian coast.
Famous Albanian Chefs
Bledar Kola (1984). Currently the most famous Albanian chef. He gained experience in renowned European restaurants – for example, the Michelin-starred restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. After returning to Albania, he opened Mullixhiu restaurant in Tirana, though it has rather controversial reviews. His goal is to revive and modernize traditional Albanian cuisine.
Altin Prenga (1982). Altin Prenga, together with his brother Sokol Prenga, runs Mrizi i Zanave restaurant in the village of Fishtë, considered one of the best in Albania. Altin Prenga spent several years in Italy, where he studied gastronomy and gained experience in various restaurants. After returning home, he focused on the “farm-to-table” concept.
Renato Mekolli (1982). A well-known Albanian chef and television personality. He became famous mainly as the head judge in the show MasterChef Albania, where he has served for a long time. He runs several restaurants in Tirana, with a cuisine inspired by Albanian and Mediterranean traditions.
Byrek, a savory pastry with filling, is among the dishes typical for the entire Balkans.
Interesting Facts About Albanian Food
Albanians often prefer empty restaurants because they value privacy and peace. In Albanian culture, it is very important for the guest to have maximum comfort and not to feel “disturbed” by other guests. Having your own table far from others, or even an entire empty restaurant, is seen as a positive sign of exclusivity.
Albania is one of the few countries where the tradition of homemade raki still survives. This strong fruit spirit is often made in households, even in cities. In some villages, raki is distilled legally, in others illegally, and many recipes are passed down from generation to generation.
More than 250 different types of wild herbs grow in Albania and are used in cooking and folk medicine. The Albanian mountains are a true treasure trove of wild herbs. For example, sage, oregano, thyme, or mountain tea are collected here.
Albania is one of the largest chestnut exporters in Europe. Especially the Tropojë area is famous for its chestnut forests. Chestnuts here are not only eaten, but are also used to make flour and sweets.
Kërnacka Korçe are elongated sticks made from minced meat, most often beef or lamb, which are fried or grilled. The dish originates from the Korçë area in southeastern Albania. Kërnacka stands out for its juiciness, subtle spiciness, and rich meaty flavor. Traditionally, it is served with bread or a vegetable salad.
Mish gici i thatë is a traditional Albanian dish made from pork. It is first dried or lightly smoked for several days to weeks, then briefly grilled or roasted, which gives it a pronounced flavor and irresistible juiciness. The dish comes from the rural regions of Albania and Kosovo, where drying and smoking was a proven way to preserve meat during the winter months.
Byrek is a traditional Balkan pastry filled with various savory fillings. It originates from Ottoman cuisine, from where it gradually spread to many countries. The most common fillings are white cheese, minced meat, spinach, or tomatoes with onions. Byrek is prepared in different shapes. In Albania, it is eaten as fast food, breakfast, a snack, or a light lunch.
Petulla is a traditional Albanian fried pastry made from a simple dough shaped into small balls or patties. In Albania, petulla is served mainly for breakfast. They go perfectly with Balkan white cheese, fruit jam, honey, yogurt, or chocolate spread. Thanks to the option to serve them savory or sweet, petulla ranks among the most versatile and popular Albanian homemade breakfasts.
Pulë me pilaf je tradičné albánske jedlo, ktoré tvoria kuracie mäso a ryža pečené spolu tak, aby ryža nasiakla chuť korenín a výpeku. História tohto jedla siaha do obdobia Osmanskej ríše, keď sa v regióne rozšírili rôzne varianty pilafu. V Albánsku sa pulë me pilaf stal neodmysliteľnou súčasťou miestnej kuchyne a patrí medzi najobľúbenejšie národné jedlá.
Tavë dheu is a traditional Albanian dish made from beef, onion, garlic, pepper, and tomato paste, baked in the oven with fresh cheese. It is served in a ceramic bowl that retains high heat. The recipe for tavë dheu comes from Tirana and its surrounding area.
Qofte are small patties or balls prepared from ground meat, herbs, and spices. In Albanian cuisine, qofte are fried, baked, or grilled. They are among the most popular Albanian foods. Their name comes from the Persian word "kufteh" ("ground meat"). Similar meat specialties can be found in other Balkan and Mediterranean countries.
Bukë misri is a traditional Albanian corn bread. This hearty, slightly sweet bread with its typical yellow color became part of the Albanian diet in the 17th century, when corn spread to areas where wheat was not commonly available.
Albanian brandy Skënderbeu is a traditional spirit made from Albanian grapes, renowned for its amber color and complex aroma. The brandy is named after the famous Albanian military leader Skanderbeg, who symbolizes the bravery and unity of Albanians. In Albania, Skënderbeu brandy is served at celebrations and family gatherings, and is widely available in supermarkets.
Albanian wine forms an integral part of local gastronomy. The favorable climate allows for the cultivation of various indigenous varieties, among which the reds Shesh i Zi and Kallmet (known as the "king of Albanian wines") and the white Shesh i Bardhë dominate. The history of winemaking has witnessed setbacks during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods and the centralized era of communism, but since 1991, a renaissance in quality has taken place thanks to smaller, family-owned wineries. Today, Albanian wines, combined with local cuisine, offer a delightful gastronomic experience.
