The 20 Best Restaurants in Tirana Albania

Tirana › The 20 Best Restaurants in Tirana Albania

Follow my recommendations to the best restaurants in Tirana. There are so many great restaurants in Albania’s capital that it’s hard to find the best ones! I spent a month exploring the city and tried many different cafés, bars and restaurants. The cuisine in Tirana is very diverse. You can eat pizza one evening, Greek the next and Chinese at the weekend.

You have the choice between ‘zgaras’, i.e. local grill houses and fast food outlets, and more commercial restaurants with fine dining. You can certainly eat well in the restaurants in Tirana. That’s why I’ve put together a blog with my favourite restaurants in Tirana, Albania, in advance of your visit to give you an initial overview.

Table of Contents

The Best Traditional Restaurants in Tirana for Albanian Food

If you want to try local Albanian dishes, here are some of my favourite restaurants! You’ll find a great local atmosphere in these places and always get a friendly welcome!

Oda Restaurant Tirana

One of the best restaurants in Tirana for traditional cuisine is Oda Restaurant Tirana. You’ll find Oda tucked away in a narrow side street near the New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri). It’s really easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. The indoor restaurant is nothing special, and as I walked through, I couldn’t help but wonder why this place was rated so highly.

• Location: Oda – Traditional Albanian Restaurant

But once you enter the courtyard, it all becomes clear. There is live traditional music playing in the corner and the tables are all under trees and fairy lights. It was a very authentic experience and a lovely atmosphere to enjoy your meal. The menu was short but with some great options. We were there with friends and ordered a few small plates to share like tapas. However, these plates were quite large so you probably shouldn’t order more than three for two people.

I went all out and ordered rice balls, stuffed peppers, stuffed vine leaves, lamb and a salad to share. The food was delicious and the staff were very friendly even though it was very crowded.

On that note, I would recommend booking a table in high season as it seems to be frequented by tourists and locals alike. A must on any visit to Tirana.

Era Restaurant Tirana

Era Restaurant Tirana is another of the best restaurants in Tirana when it comes to local cuisine. It is located in Bloku and is therefore a little more upscale and elegant than Oda Restaurant Tirana. When you’re full, head next door to Radio Bar, one of our favourite bars in Tirana, for a cocktail!

• Location: Era Vila

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The best luxury restaurants in Tirana

If you’re only in Tirana for a short time or just want to treat yourself, here are two of my favourite restaurants. They might be a little more expensive than other restaurants in Tirana, but the food and the experience are definitely worth it!

Mullixhiu Tirana

Mullixhiu is a beautiful traditional Albanian restaurant with a modern interior and its own style. It is pronounced ‘moo-leed-joo’. All ingredients are sourced from small farms all over Albania, so everything is really fresh!

• Location: Mullixhiu

For a starter, you should definitely order the homemade meatballs. There was a big bowl and you could easily share it with 2-4 people. If you eat meat, you should definitely try the beef cheek as a main course. It was so tender and literally melted in your mouth. We also tried the chicken Rosnica to savour local and traditional dishes.

If you want to try a bit of everything, you should take a look at the two tasting menus. These are available every evening for dinner. Take a look at the menus here.

Located in the beautiful Grand Park of Tirana, Mullixhiu Tirana combines great food with beautiful surroundings. Take a stroll after dinner while you let the food sink in, or have a nightcap in one of the lakeside bars.

Tartuf Shop

One of my favourite restaurants and definitely one of the best restaurants in Tirana is the Tartuf Shop. Tartuf means truffle in English, and all the dishes revolve around this ingredient.

I had never tried truffles before, but WOW, this place is amazing and the flavours are incredible. I had the chicken roll with truffle oil and Aaron had the Asian rice dish. Both were fantastic and I could have eaten them over and over again.

• Location: Tartuf Shop

We ordered the burrata as a starter and it was the biggest I’ve ever seen. You get excellent value for money and quality here. It’s the perfect place for a special occasion, a date or a meal with friends.

The Tartuf Shop is located on Toptani Street, in Tirana Castle. Here there are a variety of shops, bars and restaurants to visit. It is a nice place to walk around, with cobbled streets and away from the city centre.

Italian Restaurants in Tirana

There are close historical and cultural ties between Albania and Italy, which are also reflected in the cuisine. Most local restaurants in Tirana serve good pasta dishes and Italian salads. However, if you want the full Italian experience, here are some of my favourite Italian restaurants in Tirana.

Artigiano

If you love pasta, Artigiano is the place for you. The name means ‘artisan’, and everything here is homemade, including the delicious pasta, which is made on the spot every morning.

• Location: Artigiano Tirana

The strozzapreti with salmon and prawns was a particular highlight and definitely the dish I would recommend if you like seafood. The cod croquettes with avocado cream are also a great starter.

There are several Artigiano restaurants in Bloku that are not too far from each other. We went to the restaurant next to the one on Rruga Papa Gjon Pali II, opposite the Tirana Pyramid. It’s a beautiful restaurant and the service was also excellent.

Oxhakët

Oxhakët is one of the best restaurants Tirana has to offer. It’s located very centrally near the popular street Rruga Murat Toptani and the shopping center by the same name.

• Location: Oxhakët

When you find it, you’ll be greeted by a beautiful indoor and outdoor space tucked away from the main road.

To start, we shared some Albanian doughnuts (“Petula”). These were flavoured dough balls with various savoury dips – they were amazing! For the main course, we both opted for pasta and both dishes were delicious. There are lots of vegetarian options on the menu and it’s a great place to have breakfast.

The Best Zgaras (grill restaurants) in Tirana

Zgara means ‘grill’ in Albanian. There are many zgaras in the city where lamb, chicken and pork are grilled or cooked on a spit. Zgaras are some of the best restaurants in Tirana for dining with locals in a relaxed atmosphere.

You won’t find high-end cuisine here, but you can get a good meal for a few pounds/dollars. Here are a few of our favourites.

Tek Zgara Tirones

This cool little zgara is located near the Tregu Can neighbourhood in Tirana. Here you’ll find some good, reasonably priced barbecue options.

The service is friendly and the food is fast. There is a wide selection of grilled meats, including chicken souvlaki, lamb and qofte (meatballs). There are also a few vegetarian dishes such as stuffed peppers and grilled vegetables. Beer and tinned soft drinks round off the menu. If you are looking for a quick, inexpensive and authentic snack, this is a good choice.

Zgara Te Pazari

This zgara is right by the New Bazaar and is a wonderful place to eat, people watch and have a drink afterwards.

The food here was really good and fresh. The staff are very friendly and helpful when it comes to the menu. As this zgara is off the main road, there are a lot more locals here, which gives it an authentic charm. This also means it’s less crowded and hectic, so you can sit in peace and watch the world go by.

If you eat meat, you should definitely try the qoftes. If you prefer vegetables, you should try the stuffed peppers and rocket salad.

Fish & Seafood Restaurants in Tirana

There’s always a certain risk with seafood restaurants if you don’t live by the sea! Luckily, there are some great seafood restaurants in Tirana that you can try. Here I have picked out some of my favourite seafood restaurants in Tirana.

Rozafa Seafood

If you want to eat seafood at an excellent value for money, then I would definitely go to Rozafa. Rozafa is a small restaurant right on Skanderbeg Square. It’s easy to miss between the other shops and restaurants on the street, but I definitely recommend a stop if you want good seafood.

• Location: Rozafa Seafood

The menu is quite simple, but offers everything from salads and pasta to grilled meat and fish. We opted for the grilled salmon and tried the grilled sea bass (levrek). Both were well prepared and had good portion sizes.

There is seating outside the restaurant, under a covered area, or inside if you prefer the air conditioning. The prices were good, the service was friendly and the food was delicious.

Delishfish Tirana

Fishop is probably the best fish restaurant in Tirana! The fish is always fresh and this is also reflected in the dishes. The menu offers a wide range of fish dishes, from grilled fish to various fish noodles. The staff are very friendly and courteous. The local wine is delicious and goes well with the fish dishes.

• Location: Delishfish Tirana

The prices are reasonable for what you get, which is the freshest fish in town. Ask for the fish and pasta of the day and freshness is guaranteed!

Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Tirana

One of the primary resources that I am using to find vegan food in Tirana was Baboon’s food delivery app. You can search the word “vegan” and see which restaurants come up. Because it is a food delivery app, you can view their entire menu before visiting the restaurant. Unfortunately, the app is only in Albanian, so you will have to do a bit of translating if you don’t speak the language.

Here are my three favourite restaurants to get vegan food in Tirana. None of these restaurants are vegan or vegetarian, but they all have several vegan options available.

1. Salt
2. Opium Sushi Bar
3. Coko

Restaurants with a View in Tirana

Until recently, there weren’t many skyscrapers in Tirana. Therefore, there are many rooftop bars and viewpoints in the city from which you have a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains.

Here are a few great places to eat and enjoy these fantastic views.

Lift Steak and Rooftop Bar

If you want to enjoy the ultimate meal in Tirana, you should go to Lift! Lift is located in the iconic Aba business centre near Bloku. From its rooftop terrace you have a marvellous view of the city, the park and the mountains. It’s a beautiful place at any time of day, but it’s especially magical at sunset!

The view sounds good, but wait until you see the menu! This restaurant is certainly part of the upscale gastronomy in Tirana. But we all need something special sometimes, don’t we? As the name suggests, meat and steaks take centre stage. However, there are also plenty of seafood and vegetarian options on the menu. Whether you want oysters and caviar or carpaccio and a tomahawk steak, you’ll find it in the lift.

Of course, you should expect to pay more for your meal here than in an average restaurant in Tirana. However, the prices are not crazy compared to those in the UK and the USA.

Ballkoni Dajti

If you’re travelling up the Dajti Express, there’s only one place to eat! The incredible Dajti Balcony restaurant is located at the top of the Dajti Express. Ballkoni Dajti is located on the side of the mountain with glass walls and offers incredible views back to Tirana. It also has an outdoor viewpoint for even more beautiful photos.

The food inside is of excellent quality and not at all expensive. This is surprising considering the location and the fact that it is the only restaurant at the top of Dajti Express.

The food is local and authentic, but with enough choice for everyone. You can order salads and side dishes. There are many grilled options, including steaks. There are local Albanian oven dishes and even desserts if you still have room afterwards!

I would definitely recommend stopping by there if you are travelling up the Dajti Express. It’s a good place for lunch or to enjoy the sunset over dinner.

Agritourism restaurants in Tirana

Blerina’s Agriturizem Concept

Blerina Farm is a mini-farm and restaurant that is part of a true agritourism concept, offering local, seasonal and traditionally prepared food. The aim of the farm outside of Tirana is to bring customers closer to nature, natural and healthy food, local, seasonal products and all the elements of an Albanian village. The speciality of the farm is the space for children with activities that bring them closer to nature and encourage their creativity.

The kitchen is run by chef Erid Kara, who has been specialising in healthy cuisine for years. Erid Kara: Graduated from the Hoteleri Turizem Technology School in 2005 and the College of Business Management near Logos University. He initially practised his profession in various restaurants in the capital. Working closely with Blerina, he has succeeded in creating dishes with the healthiest ingredients in the most delicate and delicious way! Dishes served in the restaurant as a menu of the day, with a focus on quality, freshness, flavour and preservation of nutritional values.

You can also stay overnight at Agritourism. A small hotel opened this year (2023) offers 20 rooms of various sizes, which have been furnished with great attention to detail.

Click here to check prices and availability of guest rooms.

Where: approx. 20min taxi ride from the centre of Tirana

Contact:

Rruga Muharrem Bajraktari, Laknas 1030, Albania
blerinadiet@gmail.com
https://blerinadiet.al/

There are so many places to try that I couldn’t fit them all into this blog! I hope I was able to give you a few suggestions on where to eat well in Tirana. If you have any questions, write me a comment below or contact me via social media. Otherwise, have fun eating in this incredible city!

The best restaurants in Tirana for pizza & fast food

Pizza is popular all over the world, and that’s also the case in Tirana! You’ll find pizzas on most menus, but if you want really good pizzas, you should try these two options.

Grand Tenero

This small, unassuming café is located in Zone 1, just a short walk from the New Bazaar. It looks like a small café when you walk past, but it’s one of the best pizza restaurants in Tirana!

There is a huge selection of toppings and the pizzas come in different sizes (regular and large). Beware, the large pizza is family size, as we discovered one evening! I have no regrets! With a thin crust and a generous amount of toppings, it was the best pizza in Tirana.

Here you can get a Margherita pizza and a Coke for 400Lek (£3/$3.50), which is excellent value for money. However, the pizzas on the menu are not expensive, so you can get what you want without spending too much money. There’s also a lovely man working there and a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere, which is just outside the busy centre.

Pizzarte

Another good option for the best pizza in Tirana is Pizzarte. Located on the main street between Skanderbeg Square and the New Bazaar, this place doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the pizzas are spectacular.

You can also have them delivered by sending them a WhatsApp message and they will deliver to you if you live nearby. The pizzas have a very, very thin base but are topped with lots of cheese and tomatoes.

Restaurants for Burgers in Tirana

Sometimes you just can’t beat a good burger! Luckily, there are some great burger restaurants in Tirana for you to try.

Tony’s American Restaurant

Tony’s American Restaurant is exactly what you would expect. It’s a fun American restaurant with excellent quality food near Grand Park Tirana. Tony’s is not limited to burgers. But these burgers are worth talking about! Look forward to thick burgers with lots of filling and soft, doughy buns!

Tony’s also serves everything we love about American diners. Pop in for breakfast and a coffee, a shake or try the ribs. The menu is extensive, the food is delicious and the service is wonderful.

Delibros

This is perhaps the best restaurant in Tirana for burgers! If you’re looking for statement burgers, this is the place to go.

The brioche buns are delicious and even have the Delibros logo printed on them! The inside of the burger is just as impressive. The menu offers something for everyone. There are basic burgers for those who like it simple. You can upgrade with pastrami or opt for the triple cheeseburger if you want something bigger! There are even delicious veggie burgers on the menu. You can either eat in or take away. Delibros has a reputation for being the best burger restaurant in Tirana, and it’s easy to see why.

Is Tirana worth a visit?

Admittedly, not everyone is enthusiastic about Tirana. Some even have little understanding of why anyone would spend more than a day here when the beautiful coastline and rugged mountains of northern Albania have so much to offer. However, the city also has its charms, which include the Mount Dajti viewpoint, the Bunk’Art 1 & 2 museums and the lively nightlife district of Blloku. There are also plenty of culinary experiences to be had here.

How far is Tirana from the sea?

The nearest town by the sea is Durres, approx. 40 kilometres from Tirana and can be reached via the SH2 main road. There are hourly buses from the north-eastern bus terminal, the journey takes about 45 minutes and costs 150 Lek (1.5 EUR)

How to get to Tirana?

A shuttle bus runs between the city centre and the airport almost every hour between 7 am and 10 pm, and from the airport between 8 am and 11 pm. The bus leaves from behind the National Theatre near Skanderbeg Square and costs only 250 lek (€2.5).

What is the capital of Albania?

Tirana (Albanian: Tiranë) is the vibrant and modern capital of Albania. It is the country’s most important economic, financial, political and commercial centre. The city was named European Youth Capital for 2022.

How many inhabitants does Tirana have?

Tirana is the capital of Albania and today has a population of around 600,000. This is roughly equivalent to the population of Hanover or Leipzig.

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