With dozens of equally delicious recipes, choosing the ones to try out in Korça is quite a challenge. Below, we help you become acquainted with the city’s best and most authentic offerings.

Korça, one of Albania’s most important centers of culture and tradition, is well-known for its delicious authentic cuisine. The locals, known for their warmth, hospitality and love of pleasure, not only fanatically preserve the original recipes but also serve them as only they know how. Luckily, you have the chance to taste the true flavors of Korça in each and every corner of the charming city. Below, find our recommendations of what to eat on your next visit.

Two-layered lakror (pie) baked in saç (copper pan)  

If you visit Korça and don’t try the two-layered lakror, you have missed out on the authentic Korça experience. The pie is typically made with onions and tomatoes, nettles, spinach, as well as pickled white cabbage, called arme. The lakro ris baked in a large copper pan, heated by embers, a process which gives the finished product its super toasty delicious taste. You can always find this originally rural recipe in the city but it is best served in the popular villages around Korça, like Voskopoja, Dardha, or Boboshtica.

Kërnacka (traditional meatball sticks) 

Korça’s kërnacka have become synonymous with the city! No one dares visit Korça without having a taste of this simply delicious authentic fast food. The traditional recipe, made with beef or pork which is later sizzled on the grill, has been passed down through generations. The famous kërnacka are best enjoyed on a toasted bun with a mix of herbs and spices and, of course, a bottle of Beer Korça.     

Petanik me fasule (Pie with white beans) 

One of Korça’s traditional winter plates is the petanik prepared with beans. The southern city’s amazing homemakers prepare this pie with homemade phyllo dough sheets, which are left to dry. A quicker, more modern version can substitute these with ready-made sheets. The inside of the pie includes a flavorful filling made of baked beans, resulting in strangely light melt-in-your-mouth concoction.

Petulla të fshira (Flat pancakes)

A traditional dish of the southeastern part of the country, flat pancakes are an authentic recipe of rural areas. These petulla, unlike the more traditional ball-shaped ones, are flattened in the pan using a little butter, resembling pancakes. These pancakes are savory, however, usually served with garlic and fresh cheeses. Impossible to categorize, this dish can be consumed at all times of the day and represents one of the most requested menu items of traditional Albanian restaurants. 

Tavë me fasule pllaqi (Oven-baked fava beans)

Pllaqi (a type of broad, fava bean) are a local product of Korça, an element which grants this dish a wonderfully fresh taste. The casserole prepared with beans and baked in the oven is traditionally a winter dish, filling and delicious. 

Trishke (Cake made of three ingredients) 

Trishka is one of the earliest local dessert recipes. For a long time, it was simply referred to as the dessert, used to celebrate all grand familial events like birthdays and engagements. Trishka (the word for “three” in Korça’s dialect) takes its name from its three ingredients, flour, sugar, and butter, which are used in equal amounts. Simple and delicious, this dessert can be enjoyed as is or served with homemade syrup.    

Pengjir (Sponge-like cake) 

Pengjir is a traditional dessert from Kolonja Village, prepared and served on special occasions. This authentic Albanian recipe has been passed on from generation to generation all over Korça. Locally, the word pengjir refers to the sponge, a word that gives the cake its name as a result of the latter’s ability to absorb all of the sticky sweet syrup in which it is soaked.