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Fresh Local Foods at Mullixhiu, Tirana, Source: foodwinetravel.com.au
Named Tirana’s Best Hospitality and Fine Dining and mentioned in every list of recommendations of places to eat in Tirana, this restaurant has stolen the hearts of locals and tourists alike. It is partly the charm of the famous chef, Bledar Kola, partly the beautiful wooden, rustic environment of this venue, and mostly the fresh menu with the most traditional Albanian dishes, including revamped pastries we would eat during Communism. Kola won 3rd place in the World Gourmet Society Best Plate challenge in Monte Carlo with a truly Albanian staple, one which hold s a special place in every Albanian’s heart but no other restaurant in town serves: trahana. Watch the art behind Kola’s trahana here! You can be sure to find similar other gems in this place.
Address: Shëtitorja Lasgush Poradeci, Hyrja e Parkut tek Diga e Liqenit Artificial, Tirana 1019, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 69 666 0444
Website: mullixhiu.al
Right next to the hopping Pazari i Ri neighborhood, there is a small restaurant called Oda, one of ten restaurants to try in Tirana according to Culture Trip. The name refers to the small rooms inside the traditional Ottoman homes in Tirana and the interior is decorated accordingly with low ceilings and tables as well as traditional carpets adorning the floor. The food is as authentic, delicious and very inexpensive, featuring roasted lamb, byrek, fërgesë, pllaqi, and so much more. You will also find the best selection of homemade raki here!
Address: Rr. Luigj Gurakuqi , Tirana. For the map, click here
Phone: +355 69 966 8881; +355 42 24 95 41
Built in 1992, this hotel-restaurant-bar is located in the legendary neighborhood of Don Bosko in Tirana. You need a good reason to visit this area and Bujtina e Gjelit (Guesthouse of the Rooster) is it! This bujtinë is masterfully built in traditional materials of iron, stone and wood. Most products served in the restaurant come from the “Gjeli Farm” and are purely fresh and organic. Using oven brick ovens and traditional equipment, the menu has a tasty selection of meats: rotisserie piglet, oven baked lamb, ember cooked sausages, byrek (traditional baked pie), are only some of the specialties here.
Address: Rruga Don Bosko, Tiranë 1000, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 67 207 4403
Located near the Mother Theresa International Airport, this farm-to-table restaurant is one of the must-sees in Tirana. The long, cool vineyards and the modern and open space of the dining area makes this a pretty great spot to relax after your plane lands, before you make it to the bustling city. Opened in 1996, this restaurant is run by a great young chef and winemaker, named Flori Uka. Their specialties include their wonderful homemade wine, cheese stuffed pickled peppers, lamb and locally made cheese, and much more. What you’ll notice is the freshness in everything you taste!
Address: Rruga Adem Jashari, Laknas, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 67 203 9909
Outside of Tirana, in the small village of Surrel in the Dajti Mountain, this restaurant serves food cooked by the very hands of Queen Elizabeth II’s former chef, except that here the food is traditionally Albanian! Surrounded by turkeys and goats running around the beautiful hills of the village, this restaurant serves dishes not only in a traditional way, but in an antique way! Meat comes out in old iron skillets, raki in vintage vases, and everything smells of cherry pine. The fresh air and the warm atmosphere are worthy of a very long lunch or supper. Some of the best dishes are flija e veriut (the northern pie prepared with delicious meat broth), pickled tomatoes, raw pumpkin salad, petka me hithra (homemade Albanian pasta), as well as fresh, homemade cheese. Not enough can be said about this unlikely haven right next to the capital.
Address: Rr.Nacionale Dajt, Surrel, 221, Tirane 1040, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 68 400 0449
The capital is well-known for a great number of restaurants dedicated to using fish or other sea products as the main ingredients for their delicious plates. The international experience of nearly all Albanian restaurant chefs accompanied by increasingly modern environments makes Tirana a place rich with a wide variety of fine dining which is also affordable.
Fresh Fish at Fish Shop in Tirana, Source: facebook.com
A thoroughly contemporary setting and a menu which includes mostly everything a fish-enthusiast would want to taste have made Fishop one of the capital’s landmarks regarding seafood.
Address: Rr. Qemal Guranjaku, Tirana, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 4 560 9064
As implied by the name, the seafood menu here is tastefully prepared and elegantly served. Admirers of beauty as much as taste, the restaurant’s plates resemble small works of art.
Address: Rr. Reshit Collaku, 3, Tirana, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 68 373 7503
Even though its menu offers many other delicious options, this restaurant has to be singled out for the top-notch seafood selections. Its location next to the Twin Towers at the very center of Tirana makes it one of the city’s hottest spots.
Address: Rr. Donika Kastrioti, Tiranë, Albania. For the map, click here.
Website: ilgustoalbania.com
Photo credits: Gambero Gourmet.
High-quality products, cutting-edge culinary technology, and the chefs’ determination in offering the very best for their customers along with a selection of more than 140 wines give Gambero Gourmet its reputation as a truly luxurious restaurant. Gambero Gourmet is situated in the most idyllic area of the capital, where one can breathe the freshest air, be surrounded by a beautiful lake and relaxing landscape. High standards of cleanliness, order, and customer service are indisputable values of this restaurant.
Address: Liqeni i Thatë Street
Phone: +355 48 845 634
The new place in town, Estia is enjoying praise high and low for its beautifully remodeled villa setting and the delicious Mediterranean food. This is one of the most intimate places in town with one of the most renowned chefs in the country. Expect creative and fresh meat and seafood dishes that are always changing.
Address: Rr. Pjeter Budi 25/1, Tiranë, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 69 204 9133
The current luxurious spot in town, Umami is the most modern restaurant in Tirana. Service and recommendations are top notch, wine selection impeccable. This may be fulfill another one of those Master Chef fantasies you have been keeping in your drawer, as we say in Albania.
Address: Rr. Ismail Qemali 12, Sauk 1, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 69 694 5555
Of all the restaurants in this list, this one may be perhaps the best kept secret in town. The one in the know, know of the delicious dishes served here, from pizzas to fresh grilled meats and sumptuous desserts. Under the guise of tradition, this place is truly experimental. A big surprise with this one is that they serve the best tempura shrimp taco (as well as one with snails) you may get in the entire country. Enjoy the romantically lit veranda in a place that is suited to couples, families, and groups of friends alike. It is, indeed, everybody’s home.
Address: For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 68 207 1989
Website: thehome.al
A hidden gem, this restaurant in Blloku is slightly off the main bustle, offering an intimate space to enjoy a combination of French and Middle Eastern cuisine. The best meat cuts and shrimp tabouli salad in the city! The wines are delicious and, with the staff’s expert recommendations, you will have the tastiest and healthiest meal for a very reasonable price.
Address: Rr. Sami Frashëri, Tirana, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 69 851 1112
Website: alasante.al
Located slightly off the main boulevard of Tirana, this restaurant has the best sushi variety in town. Next door to one of the main cinemas of Tirana and a few steps away from the promenade of the city, this is the ideal dinner, walk and a movie setting. Bonus: in the spring and summer, the restaurant moves to an old villa next door where you can enjoy your sushi and sake in a terrace overlooking gardens and the sun
setting over the city. For equally delicious sushi and Japanese atmosphere, you may visit Yamato in the Blloku area, as well.
Address: Shëtitorja Murat Toptani, Tiranë, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 69 702 8066
Located in the heart of the city, the promenade near the boulevard, this place is the go-to choice for Chinese and Thai food lovers. It boasts many of the traditional Chinese dishes such as Sweet and Sour chicken or Egg Drop Soup but among the best in its menu is the Thai dish Pad Thai. Delicious!
Address: Rr. Dervish Hima, Tirana, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 69 219 9101
Located slightly off city center, this giant Mexican restaurant is a few steps away from the National Lake Park of Tirana. The gardens take you to Mexico as soon as you enter this villa setting. The menu offers traditional Mexican dishes with a slight Albanian touch. Fresh and delicious! Their sister restaurant, Serendipity’s Spaghetti Western boasts a similar but is located inside Blloku. It offers one of the best and less known locally brewed beers, Puka, on tap. Take your pick!
Address: Rr.Skender Luarasi 30, Tiranë 1001, Albania. For the map, click here.
Phone: +355 68 609 3333
Website: serendiville.business.site
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