A land of strong gastronomic traditions characterised by regional diversity and a whole host of interesting and varied recipes, Serbia boasts specialities such as savoury snacks made from meat, milk, vegetables and fruit (“meze”), cakes and desserts, kajmak cheese, hard cheese from Stara Planina and pirot, ajvar red pepper sauce, spicy “ironed” sausage, Užice ham, kulen sausage from Srem, as well as dishes such as soup, fish stew, sarma made with Futog cabbage, meat and rice, and grilled meat dishes such as pljeskavica and ćevapi.
Serbia’s culinary scene includes a continually changing restaurant sector which pays close attention to local specialities while at the same time remaining open to international influences, thanks to young chefs who have gained experience working in some of the world’s best restaurants. This is certainly true of Marko Đerić, the chef at Langouste in Belgrade, one of Serbia’s two new Michelin-starred restaurants. Situated in the heart of the city, with large picture windows overlooking the Sava river, Langouste serves Serbian recipes and ingredients with noticeable Italian and French influences thanks to the chef’s previous experience working in Europe. After studying at ALMA (the School of Italian Culinary Arts) in Colorno near Parma, Đerić worked at Bros’ in Lecce and Tosca in Geneva (both with one Michelin star), as well as the three-Michelin-starred Piazza Duomo di Alba in the Italian province of Cuneo, and with Rasmus Kofoed at Geranium in Copenhagen.
One MICHELIN Star: High quality cooking, worth a stop!
Đerić’s cuisine is seasonal and sustainable, with its roots in local culture and with a focus on showcasing the ingredients of the region as well as those of its neighbouring countries, so that his dishes can be described as truly Balkan.
The fish comes from the Adriatic, while the vegetables (often the stars of the show) are sourced mainly from the restaurant’s own bio-dynamic kitchen garden situated just outside Belgrade. This focus on the region is also demonstrated by the restaurant’s support of local growers and farmers, who produce many of the top-quality ingredients, always with ethical practices and sustainability in mind.
As well as 5-course fish-based and meat-based menus, Langouste also offers an 8-course menu that showcases meat and fish dishes alike, as well as an à la carte featuring options such as truffle pie, mushroom and Adriatic prawn risotto, duck from Banat with fermented pumpkin and prunes, and slow-cooked suckling pig served with smoked vegetables and a horseradish and champagne sauce.
Serbia’s second new Michelin-starred restaurant is situated in the province of Vojvodina, in the north of Serbia, a predominantly agricultural area that extends over a large plain that was once home to the Pannonian Sea. This very fertile region, considered to be the breadbasket of Serbia, boarded by Croatia, Hungary and Romania and is dotted with Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical and Calvinist churches, the belltowers of which tower above fields of wheat and sunflowers.
The Danube, Sava and Tisza rivers flow across the region and it is here, just 60km to the north-east of Belgrade, that the Fleur de Sel restaurant run by Serbian chef Nikola Stojaković is situated. The restaurant is housed in the Atelje Vina Šapat winery and is surrounded by 12 hectares of vines where red Merlot, Blaufränkisch, Cabernet Sauvignon and Teroldego grapes, as well as white Chardonnay, Muscat and Sauvignon Blanc varieties, are grown.
One MICHELIN Star: High quality cooking, worth a stop!
The restaurant’s classic, elegant and stylish dining room boasts large picture windows that offer views of the Danube and the surrounding countryside.
The cuisine here is inspired by Serbian traditions and prepared using local ingredients (including Šumadija porcini mushrooms, local white truffles, pike from the Danube, and Gostiljski cheeses), although international influences also feature thanks to the chef’s training in Parisian restaurants such as Le Cinq at the Four Seasons Hotel George V and Le Pre Catelan.
The choice here is between an à la carte and three tasting menus, including the standout “From the Danube to the Adriatic” which showcases dishes prepared using fresh- and saltwater fish.
