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What to eat in Serbia

Five dishes to try in Serbia, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.

Five dishes to try in Serbia

  1. Pljeskavica Пљескавица

    Street food

    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.

    Read about Pljeskavica on Wikipedia

  2. Ćevapi Ћевапи

    Street food

    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.

    Read about Ćevapi on Wikipedia

  3. Karađorđeva šnicla Карађорђева шницла

    Main dish

    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.

    Read about Karađorđeva šnicla on Wikipedia

  4. Sarma Сарма

    Main dish

    Sour cabbage leaves rolled around minced meat and rice, slow-cooked.

    How to have it: A winter and holiday dish; best in traditional kafanas.

    Read about Sarma on Wikipedia

  5. Gibanica Гибаница

    BreakfastVegetarian

    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.

    Read about Gibanica on Wikipedia

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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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Dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.