Many people, when visiting Montenegro, make a mistake thinking that the traditional food of Montenegro is the same all over the country. But the thing is – it is not. While the country is small, its cuisine varies significantly from the coastal areas to the mountainous regions of Montenegro and its central part.
In the coastal areas, you’ll find a lot of Mediterranean influences, with dishes featuring fresh seafood, olive oil, and herbs. In the northern mountainous regions – cuisine of Montenegro is heartier, with an emphasis on meat and dairy products. Central Montenegro offers plates that include elements of both coastal and mountain cooking.
So each region’s traditional food reflects its unique cultural and geographical influences, providing a diverse culinary experience across the country.
I will try to prepare different posts with different foods and drinks of Montenegro (and specific places where to find them) depending on the region. But for now, I want to share lesser-known national dishes that are very common in northern, eastern, and western parts where climate is colder and where people live between the mountains.
You can find some of them when eating out in Montenegro along the coast, but for the most part, they are more common inside the country.
I love these foods and think they are great introduction to the traditional cuisine of inland Montenegro. Give them a try too!
Please note:This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you).
Priganice – Traditional Montenegro Mountains Breakfast Food
This is a good example of common traditional Montenegro breakfast food that you can find only in mountainous regions of the country. Well, some fancy restaurants along the coast offer it as well, but their innovative twists on the flavor and presentation make this dish stray quite far from the traditional experience.
So, for an authentic dish, I’d recommend you try priganice only in the mountais, like in Lovcen National Park (in fact, the most delicious priganice we tried was in Etno Selo Sveti Georgije, you can see them in the left photo above), anywhere in the Bjelasica mountains (particularly in the Kolasin area where every restaurant and katun will have it on the menu), Mojkovac, Savnik, along the Tara Canyon and in Durmitor (in summer a couple of katuns on the Sedlo Pass offer it as well).
Oh, and if you are in the Skadar Lake region from May to October, you can try this food there too.
And now, what are priganice? These are fried dough balls (some people say they are like doughnuts, although to me they don’t have anything in common with them) or national fritters that are usually served with 2 of 4 additions like honey, locally made cheese, jam, or nutella. Sometimes they can be part of a dish and come with eggs or pršut.
If you want to have it the traditional Montenegrin way then have them with honey and cheese.
Lisnati Sir (Layered Cheese)
There are many types of cheeses with unique flavors produced in Montenegro, but one of the most interesting is Lisnati Sir, made in the region of Kolašin and its surrounding areas. It is a national starter of Kolasin which is also added to many dishes (like Kacamak or Civcara mentioned above).
This cheese gets its name because it is rolled out into large thin sheets that resemble layers of pastry dough. Lisnati means ‘layered’ because cheese comes in thin layers.
It is made from cream from evening cow’s milk and morning milk with spring water. The main secret lies in using different types of milk mixed together. There are several cycles of heating and resting, and unlike other cheeses, it’s not strained through a colander, the whey is drained differently which requires patience and time.
Lisnati sir is a very unique traditional food of Montenegro Bjelasica mountains, so once visiting this area, don’t miss a chance to order it as a snack to taste what it’s like!
Kacamak (National Food From Montenegro Mountainous Regions)
This is another traditional dish from Montenegro mountains made of nearly mushy boiled potatoes, wheat flour, kaymak (thick cream spread), and a generous amount of Lisnati sir (mentioned above).
It has a luxurious creamy texture due to the potatoes and cheese, always served hot and can be accompanied by meat dishes, although we like to eat it with cabbage or cucumber salad.
In other regions than Kolasin (for example in Zabljak or Savnik, or even Niksic) instead of Lisnati sir people use another type of cheese, so the flavor differs slightly, but every Kacamak variation still tastes delicious!
Civcara (Lesser-Known Traditional Dish)
Civcara is a similar dish to kacamak, but it is different in that way that it is made not from potatoes, but from cornmeal. Other additions are the same – cheese, kaymak, milk, and flour.
If with kacamak you definitely know that you are eating potatoes, with civcara it tastes more like a creamy porridge with a cheesey texture. If you ever tried traditional foods from Western Ukraine, then civcara in some ways will remind of ‘banos’ dish. It also tastes very similar to a traditional Turkish breakfast food called ‘muhlama’.
Civcara is less popular than kacamak but it is still possible to find it in many traditional restaurants in the north of Montenegro. It is also a common dish on menus of roadside cafes.
Jagnjetina or Teletina Iz Pod Sača (Lamb or Veal From Under the Sač)
This is a must-try meat dish in Montenegro where lamb or veal is cooked under a ‘sač’, a metal or clay bell-shaped lid used for slow cooking. Some traditional restaurants along Kotor Bay and in Budva Riviera offer it but for the most part, this food is common in restaurants in central and northern parts of the country, and in katuns (local huts) in the mountains.
So the meat here is slowly roasted with vegetables (usually with peppers and zucchini) under a sač for 5-6 hours on low heat over hot coals and covered with additional coals on top. So the whole process creates an oven-like environment that ensures the meat is tender with rich, deep flavor.
Both lamb and veal dishes are prized for their succulent, melt-in-your-mouth quality but lamb is considered to be softer. They are usually served with home-style roasted potatoes and fresh vegetables together with veggies cooked alongside the meat, absorbing all the delicious juices and flavors.
Njeguški or Kolašinski Steak
These are actually 2 different traditional meat dishes in Montenegro but they are very similar to each other in a way that they are like ‘meat with more meat’ dishes both grilled, fried, or (sometimes) baked, and served with deep-fried or baked potatoes (in traditional Montenegrin restaurants in villages or mountains, these potatoes are cooked in home-style that are cut by hand and come from local gardens, not frozen pre-packed from grocery stores).
Njeguški stek (Njeguš-style steak) is a meatloaf with pršut from Njeguši (cured beef known for its air-dried preparation and unique flavor that comes from the village of Njeguši). It is often breaded and filled with kaymak.
Kolasin Stek is a stuffed flattened beef meat with local cured beef, kaymak, (and/or) local Kolasin cheese. It can be also marinated beforehand for added flavor and almost always breaded.
Fish From the Mountain River or Lake
Another Montenegro food that is a must-try in the mountainous regions of the country is fish. Locals catch it and cook it very well not just along the coast but also anywhere where there are lakes and rivers. And note, fish itself and its taste differ from fish dishes you’ll find in one of the towns in Kotor Bay or towns along the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. So it is a must-try!
Best places where to eat fish are the Skadar Lake region and along the Crnojevića River, but some traditional restaurants also offer fish from the Tara River like on the Road P4 between Mojkovac and Tara Bridge and between Kolasin and Mojkovac.
In the Skadar Lake area and Crnojevića River, try either a small portion of marinated carp with cheese and olives as a refreshing appetizer or for a main course, consider options like sturgeon or fried carp.
If you are going on one of the road trips in Montenegro and driving in the north, I can highly recommend Ravnjak restaurant (they also have a guesthouse adjacent to itwhere guests stay right next to the river) and Restoran Koliba (this one in particular, very local, use a translator to place an order here).
There are many other great traditional restaurants where to eat fish in the north, including the area near the Piva River and Piva Lake. Once there, try pastrmka (river white trout) which is a local specialty.
However, keep in mind, dishes in these areas are typically fried in oil on both sides and high cuisine or elaborate sauces are not commonly found in the mountain villages. Food there is basic but very delicious.
Slane Palacinke (Savory Crepes)
This traditional food of Montenegro translates to ‘Savory Crepes’ but that’s not the type of crepes that you may think of.
Slane palacinke in mountainous regions of Montenegro are thick pancakes with different fillings (most often ham, prosciutto or chicken with cheese or spinach and kaymak) that are rolled, dipped in breadcrumbs, fried (as you see in the photo) and then served with sour cream and fresh or marinated vegetables. They are different from sweet palacinke which are crepes with sweet fillings folded twice or thrice.
Slane palacinke are like a full-size meal, always filling and often quite cheap, so it is also a good budget food in Montenegro for those who are traveling economically. Many restaurants and even cafes in northern and central Montenegro have it, but I have also eaten it in one of the Herceg Novi restaurants and later in Kotor Old Town.
Teleca Corba (Traditional Veal Soup)
One of the traditional soups in Montenegro that is very common all over the country but especially so in the mountains and especially in winter season when the weather is cold and hot soup is comforting. It’s a hearty and flavorful dish made with veal, vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and onions, and always seasoned with herbs and spices.
The veal is usually simmered for hours on low heat until tender, creating a rich broth that forms the base of the soup and then once it is ready, vegetables are added.
You can find it pretty much in any restaurant and even cafe. It is also a cheap filling traditional Montenegrin food which is always available for people on a budget.
Domaca Pita
Domaca Pita (homemade pita) is a traditional fluffy pastry pie with different fillings. It is similar to burek dish (many people will say it is a burek) but tastes much better because it is made with butter (not margarine) and only fresh home ingredients.
It is usually served as a whole mini pie and since made from scratch upon order, this food is always fresh. You may need to wait on it for up to 40 minutes (depending on the establishment) if ordering from the katun somewhere in the mountains. But in restaurants, it may be cooked faster since some have premade pitas and just need to bake them.
If you are after trying traditional homemade foods, take the time to wait up for this dish, the taste is really worth it!
And then if you happen to be in Kolasin, I highly recommend ordering pita with cheese in Sherpas restaurantand in Kobil Do guesthouse in Komovi mountains if you ever get a chance to go there. Kobil Do also has lovely rooms where to stay from June to October while being surrounded by nature.
So these are must-try foods in Montenegro if you plan to travel around the whole country. I will be updating this list with tips on where exactly to find them as I am eating my way throughout the region.
More Montenegro Resources
- How Many Days in Montenegro? – tips for first-timers who can’t decide on how much time to spend
- Best Things in Montenegro to Start a Trip With – must-dos on any visit, but especially so for first-timers
- 1 Week in Montenegro Itinerary – how to spend 7 days if you arrive in Herceg Novi
- Renting a Car in Montenegro – where we rent cars in different seasons
- Best Hikes in Montenegro – beautiful hiking trails around the country that you shouldn’t miss
- Most Scenic Road Trip in Durmitor – what to know before you go
- Hidden Gems in Montenegro – off-the-beaten-path places and interesting finds
- Lesser-Visited Beaches in Montenegro – where to avoid too many tourists and crowds
