Food · Europe
What to eat in Serbia
Five dishes to try in Serbia, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Serbia
Pljeskavica Пљескавица
Large grilled patty of spiced minced meat, served in flatbread.
How to have it: Order it in a lepinja with kajmak and onions from a roštilj grill bar.
Ćevapi Ћевапи
Small grilled minced-meat sausages served with onions and flatbread.
How to have it: Order by the piece (5 or 10) at grill houses; add ajvar on the side.
Karađorđeva šnicla Карађорђева шницла
Rolled veal or pork cutlet stuffed with kajmak, breaded and fried.
How to have it: A restaurant classic served with tartar sauce and roast potatoes.
Sarma Сарма
Sour cabbage leaves rolled around minced meat and rice, slow-cooked.
How to have it: A winter and holiday dish; best in traditional kafanas.
Gibanica Гибаница
Baked layers of filo pastry with cheese and eggs.
How to have it: Buy a slice at a bakery for breakfast and drink it with yogurt.
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Questions
What food is Serbia famous for?
Pljeskavica (large grilled patty of spiced minced meat, served in flatbread) comes first on our list, followed by Ćevapi, Karađorđeva šnicla, Sarma and Gibanica.
What is the national dish of Serbia?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Serbia is Pljeskavica: large grilled patty of spiced minced meat, served in flatbread. Order it in a lepinja with kajmak and onions from a roštilj grill bar.
Which dishes in Serbia are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Gibanica. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Serbia?
Pljeskavica (large grilled patty of spiced minced meat, served in flatbread) and Ćevapi (small grilled minced-meat sausages served with onions and flatbread).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Serbia
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, keep the dishes you have tried, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.