Albanian food - 20 classic dishes you must try

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: April 2026 | Albanian cuisine is known for its fresh ingredients, rustic flavours and strong Mediterranean and Balkan influences. From rich stews and grilled meats to sweet pastries and cheesy specialities, you'll find it all here. In this guide, we take a look at what to eat in Albania - and list 20 classic Albanian dishes you can't miss.

What to eat in Albania? - a quick overview

We have also written about Croatian food and Italian cuisine, and now we focus on Albanian cuisine! Food in Albania is both simple and flavourful, often based on local ingredients such as olives, fresh vegetables and lamb. Here are some typical examples of what to eat in Albania:

• Traditional dishes: Byrek, fërgesë, tavë kosi, qofte
• In a restaurant: Grilled meat, grilled fish, Italian dishes
• Sweet: Baklava, kadaif
• Drinks: Raki

We travelled around the Albania with our motorhome for many weeks, when we both ate in restaurants and shopped in shops. In restaurants in tourist areas we found that there was a lot of Italian food and some Greek, but it is of course possible to find Albanian dishes as well.

Typical Albanian food - 20 classic dishes

Here we list Albanian dishes that are interesting to try, including desserts, sweets and drinks.

1. tavë kosi

A national dish of Albania with lamb or chicken, yoghurt and rice gratinated in the oven. It is a creamy and savoury dish often served during weekends and festive occasions.

2. Fërgesë

A savoury dish from Tirana with paprika, tomato, cheese and sometimes liver. It can be eaten as a main course or as a meze with bread.

3. vests

Albanian meatballs made from lamb or beef, often flavoured with garlic and paprika. Perfect as a main course or at a barbecue.

4. speca të mbushura

Stuffed peppers with rice, minced meat and herbs. A traditional dish found in many Albanian homes during the summer.

5. Grilled fish

The Albanian coastal area offers a wide range of seafood delights, both fish and shellfish. Try grilled or fried fish, flavoured with lemon and olive oil.

6. grilled meat

Restaurants often offer grilled meats, including grilled lamb, souvlaki (skewers) and grilled chicken.

7. mixed grill plate

If you're a meat lover, there's also often the option to go for a mixed grill platter, which means you get many types of meat at once.

8. Italian dishes

Italy is only a ferry ride away from Albania, and many Italians choose to holiday in Italy. Be prepared to find many Italian dishes in Albanian restaurants, especially pizza, pasta and risotto.

9. Tavë dheu

A lamb or beef stew that is slowly baked in clay or oven, making the meat extra tender and flavoursome.

10. Gjellë me perime

A vegetable stew with tomatoes, peppers and aubergines, often flavoured with local herbs. A healthy and traditional everyday dish.

11. byrek

A classic Albanian pie with cheese, spinach or meat filling. Perfect as a breakfast, snack or part of a meze platter.

12. petulla

Small deep-fried dumplings, often served with honey or cheese. A popular item on the breakfast table or as street food.

13. fried/fried prawns

Fried or deep-fried prawns can be served as a starter or as part of a meze platter.

14. Ham and cheese

Albanian air-dried ham (proshutë) and local cheeses (djathë) are sometimes available as starters.

15. Sardines

In Albania, sardines are often served marinated with onions, olive oil and lemon. A classic starter on the coast.

16. grilled vegetables

A side dish found in many restaurants in Albania, and often very tasty, is grilled vegetables.

17. Greek salad

In almost every restaurant in Albania you can order a Greek salad. Typically Albanian? Maybe not, but it's common nonetheless.

18. baklava

Layers of filo pastry with nuts and sugar syrup, a sweet ending to the meal that is common throughout Albania.

19. Kadaif

A dessert made from thin strands of dough filled with nuts and sweet syrup. Often served at feasts and celebrations.

20. raki

Albanian raki is a traditional, strong fruit spirit (often 40-60% alcohol), often described as the national drink, and seen as a symbol of hospitality. It is distilled mainly from grapes, but plums, mulberries and blackberries are also used.

Food in restaurants in Albania

During our trip to Albania, we found that restaurant menus were often a bit ”touristy” and that there were sometimes many dishes that were more Italian or Greek, rather than Albanian. On the menus we often found

• Italian cuisine - pizza, pasta and risotto
• Grilled meat, chicken and fish
• French fries
• Salads and grilled vegetables, mainly as side dishes
• Feta cheese lengthwise and crosswise
• Tzatziki or yoghurt sauce

More about food in other countries

Here you can find more stories about food in different countries:

• Italian food - 25 Italian dishes
• Greek food - 25 Greek dishes
• Croatian food - 25 Croatian specialities
• Food in Montenegro - 18 classic dishes
• Food in North Macedonia - 20 dishes