Montenegrin cuisine is influenced by its Mediterranean origins, but also the impact of invaders, conquerors, and pirates over more than 2,000 years. In the South Coast region, meals are typically served with generous portions, a regional cultural value having to do with expectations for those hosting guests. And as visitors observe, the slow penetration of foreign food, drink, and "fast food" brands, has allowed Montenegrin cuisine to remain largely in its indigenous form.
Montenegro Foods
Burek - These flavorful baked meat or cheese pastry rolls are a food staple in Montenegro, essentially Montenegro's version of "fast food." Burek was introduced to the Balkans by The Ottomans and adjusted to local tastes and customs over the centuries. Burek can be prepared as a filled and fried pastry as well, with vegetables sometimes introduced to the meat or cheese filling, along with toppings such as sesame seeds. A burek can be prepared either as an individual pastry, or, as a slice of a large pan-cooked version.
Seafood - Along the South Coast of Montenegro, fresh seafood is a matter of local pride. Local fishermen keep the restaurants well stocked with an ample and varied daily catch. Popular seafood here includes tuna (tunj), shrimp (skampi), squid (lignje), and octopus (salata od hobotnice), among so many others. A fresh smoked carp (krap) from Skadar Lake is also popular.
Meat Dishes - Lamb dishes are popular in Montenegro - starting with a delicious boiled lamb (kuvani brav) that is similar to Irish stew. A variation is a lamb dish cooked in milk (brav u mlijeku) that is popular among Montenegrins of Albanian ancestry living in the South Coast region. Lamb in milk is also a dish chosen for many of the most important celebrations.
There is a variation on the hamburger here, "pljeskavica," that has a tasty but distinctly local flavor.
Salads - Along the Montenegrin coast, seafood salads are very popular as starter courses, with octopus on a bed of lettuce a delicious choice. Garden salads are fairly typical - tomato and lettuce often with slices of spring onion, peppers, cabbage, carrot and other vegetables, along with aivar, sauerkraut, pickled gherkins.
Montenegro Drinks
Turkish Coffee - Thick, flavorful Turkish coffee is an essential part of Montenegrin life, and certainly a must-try for any coffee aficionado. Enjoying a Turkish coffee with guests is a ritual part of entertaining guests in Montenegro. Visitors to Montenegro's South Coast often comment that the Turkish Coffee experience in Ulcinj is perhaps the most evocative of the Montenegrin spirit - in terms of its taste, ceremony, and long heritage.
Wines - Local wineries include Plantaze Winery situated in the sunny Cemovsko valley near Podgorica. Plantaze wines feature the Vranac grape - an ancient red grape varietal that produces a wine of dark ruby color and full body, and is found almost exclusively in Montenegro. The Vranac grape is widely assumed to be a relative of the Dalmatian Plavac Mali grape, ancestor to California's Zinfandel.
Beer - Light beers dominate the Montenegrin consumer market. There is only one large brewery in Montenegro, Trebjesa Brewery (owned by StarBev) based in Niksic. Beer from Trebjesa brewery is the most popular beer among Montenegrins. The brewer produces pale lagers under the "Nik" brand, including Niksicko pivo, Nik Gold, Nik Cool, and Niksicko tamno. Trebjesa Brewery also bottles and distributes Beck's beer as a domestic brand in the region.
More information about Montenegrin foods, drinks, cuisine, and restaurants, particularly in the Ulcinj South Coast region of Montenegro is available at UlcinjToday.com
Other Excursions and Active Recreation - For those interested in excursions to ancient cities, places of extraordinary wild beauty, and retracing the footsteps of history, there is literally no limit to what can be done in the Ulcinj South Coast. In addition to the above popular activities, there are a myriad of active sports and recreation activities available to visitors, such pursuits as Cave Exploration, Kayaking, Mountaineering, Obstacle Courses, Surfing, and Outdoor
Survival Courses, can be arranged. Simply inquire before arriving to make arrangements for the recreation activity of your choice.
