What are the most popular street foods across different Balkan countries?
Posted by gehirn4455809@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 34 comments
I'm curious about the street food culture in the Balkans. Each country seems to have its own unique offerings that reflect local flavors and traditions. For instance, I've heard about the famous ćevapi in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the delicious burek in Serbia. I'm interested in learning about other popular street foods from different Balkan countries.
What are the must-try street foods in your country?
Are there specific vendors or markets that are particularly well-known for these foods?
How do these street foods connect to the local culture and community?
Any recommendations for someone looking to explore the street food scene in the Balkans would be greatly appreciated!
Rex_Ilusiviius@reddit
There was “Mandja Street” in Studentski Grad Sofia, you would get drunk like a dog and choose your doner maker while they ring bells to the cattle to persuade you to come to their shop instead of the competition. I think they demolished it now to build residential buildings. Simpler times
zarotabebcev@reddit
I think you have burek, kebab & cevapi everywhere (although as pointed out you sit for cevapi), but there are some local distinctions
User20242024@reddit
Burek is probably most popular because it is cheap.
Arktinus@reddit
I've seen burekvarne or whatever they're called in Ljubljana, but not in Maribor. You have to get burek from a bakery, if it's open.
You can get kebab and burgers at kebab and burger places, though, which are usually also open at night. And I think the latter two are more popular as street food.
I've moved to a rural place in Prlekija and you've got a place that has ice cream, kebab and burgers, but haven't seen burek, even though the owners are Albanians.
StrudlEnjoyer@reddit
It really surprised me how popular burek is when I studied in Ljubljana, where I grew up nobody ate it, everyone got Döner.
Arktinus@reddit
Yeah, I grew up in Maribor and the surroundings and I only remember my mom buying herself burek a couple of times, otherwise it'd always be a hamburger, döner or lepinja. Or pizza. And I'm 34 now. I moved to Prlekija and have been here for 4 years and it's the same.
But when I went to Ljubljana, there were people queueing in front of a burek shop.
bannedandfurious@reddit
I would say the "pizza burek" is the epitome of drunk food in Ljubljana
kerelberel@reddit
I had that and expected burek filled with mozarella or some other cheese, tomato, oregano and perhaps minced meat.
But noooo, it was a cheap parizer with oregano, and it had so much grease it melted through the wrapping paper.
bannedandfurious@reddit
So you got a perfect one.
There is only one place in Ljubljana, to get actually good pizza burek. And it closes at 16:00 sadly
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Same in Belgrade.
vulpixvulpes@reddit
I think by far the most popular is pretzel (covrig) or other salty pastries. You can get these everywhere.
A full meal is usually shaorma though I feel this has declined in popularity at least in Bucharest. Not so many street food shaorma places anymore.
MediocreBonus4522@reddit
When i stayed in Bucharest i loved that Luca chain that was everywhere. Shit was fantastic. I had it for breakfast everyday
Diermeech@reddit
I mean THE most popular street food in Croatia would be doner kebab. Čevapi and burek (only with cheese, meat burek is not that popular, rarely eaten) are also very popular - but after a night out it's kebab 90% of time (and you'll sit to eat čevapi, while doner kebab can be eaten while standing).
RedditStrider@reddit
I am not even sure if kebab can be considered street food. Its more of a fast-food like pizza.
Diermeech@reddit
Pizza is eaten at the restaurant, or at home, kebab is eaten on foot.
RedditStrider@reddit
It still requires a restaurant to make though, you cant really carry it out in a cart and hand it out to people.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Why not? Same like gyros
RedditStrider@reddit
The whole thing they slowly cook it on, I never seen it in a cart. Its too large, meat would probably go all over the place. At least in Turkey, you simply wont see it on anything mobile.
tivcx@reddit
Street food doesn't mean made on a cart.
TwoFistsOneVi@reddit
In larger cities, perhaps.
In smaller cities, the most popular street food is whatever the fuck the local bakery has at disposal at 03:00 or 04:00 hrs. Most of the times its leftover burek.
Also ham and cheese bread rolls.
ThanksAlternative614@reddit
CE-CE-CE kokice (popcorn)
and kukuruz kuvani (boiled corn)
both of these are common on beaches, but you can find it on street too.
Puzzleheaded_Sir903@reddit
Threre is a street in Belgrade nickname Hunger Street because all street food is sold there.
It's Maršala Tolbuhina (former Goce Delčeva) in Novi Beograd.
They have best šiš ćevap.
The article is from 2015 but it's still relevant. https://www.sd.rs/sr/clanak/jednu-ulicu-u-beogradu-nazivaju-dolinom-gladnih-evo-i-zasto-31-07-2015
irepresentprespa@reddit
Bread from the pekara and krofni / kifli
fileanaithnid@reddit
Pleskavica, čevapi, burek, kebab...jufka is popular too but probably a tier down. After those few i suppose its all the typical chains that are all over. Though no mcdonalds isnt in most of them exceot i think Slovenija for sure and probably croatia
Sexy11Lady@reddit
if we're talking on-the-go, it's gotta be pljeskavica, not cevapi. i mean, u can't properly enjoy ćevapi standing up, that needs a table and some onions
Aggravating_Fish8359@reddit
Gyros, pizza
No-Championship-4632@reddit
Guess that would be either duner or pizza.
RedditStrider@reddit
Its way too dependant on where you are in Turkey, food culture is too diverse here to determine one.
SoulEkko@reddit
Well, depends on region in Romania. Around the south you'll see plenty of mici barbeque stands right on the side of the road when you cross smaller villages (or fruit stands), in cities though they don't do that in the open (because barbeque smoke), but we have pastry shops around every corner. Further up north you start seeing langos and kurtos kalacs stands alongside roads.
Mici are easy to eat as you can just have them on a plastic/cardboard plate with some mustard on the side, you can grab them with 2 toothpicks, a bun of bread and/or fries are optional. Nothing sophisticated, but delicious as fuck.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
I assume you ask for Balkan foods only. Belgrade: pljeskavica/ćevapi, burek, gyros.
If you find yourself in Zlatibor region - komplet lepinja is a must (but plain, original one, without meat) with kiselo mleko.
TwoFistsOneVi@reddit
If you want to explore the street food scene in e.g. Zagreb, go to KAI Street Food Bar. It's directly at the southeastern corner of Jelacic square. The food there is incredible, but the atmosphere is incredibly charming and chill.
It's perhaps the best street food bar I have ever visited in my life and I left Croatia 10 years ago.
If you bring good vibes yourself, people working there also either greet you in or out with a free Rakija shot
Defiant_Being_9222@reddit
I mean… Souvlaki, but I’m guessing you knew that already.
Ok_Tie_7564@reddit
Pizza, Wiener schnitzel...
mraleximer@reddit
Ċirino Drvce -Novi Beograd ( Belgrade- Serbia)