Eating out in Prizren, between the bridge and the river

In Prizren you eat where people live, and life happens in the old town and along the river. This is the page where it’s hardest not to give you names, because I know that’s what you’re after. But I have no official source that rates restaurants, and the Government’s tourism portal was under reconstruction when I wrote this. So I’ll give you what I can check, areas, map figures and how to pay without nasty surprises.

How many places, and where

I counted what OpenStreetMap shows, the open map kept up by its contributors. The city has 79 restaurants, 73 fast-food places and 86 cafés mapped. The cluster in the centre is clear. Within 500 m of the Prizren stone bridge there are 27 restaurants, 19 fast-food places and 32 cafés, roughly a third of the lot.

The cuisine tags don’t say much, because 56 of the 79 restaurants have none. Among those that do, «regional» comes top with 9, followed by pizza, kebab and Turkish. It’s not an official statistic, but it gives a feel for what’s on offer.

The two areas I’d use

One is the old town, around the bridge and the Sinan Pasha Mosque. It’s the practical choice at lunchtime, between sights, and in the evening, when the centre fills up.

The other is the riverside towards Marash, upstream, at the foot of the fortress hill. It’s the quarter the Ministry of Culture heritage database protects as an Ottoman ensemble, and it’s where I’d have dinner. After climbing to the fortress at sunset, coming down to sit by the Lumbardhi is the best way to end the day.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Prizren on Expedia and filter by area before price.

Paying without surprises

You pay in euros. The European Commission explains that Kosovo uses it as its de facto national currency, with no agreement with the EU. So sterling is no use, and you’ll want euros before you arrive or from a bank ATM. How many places take cards isn’t published by any official source, so I’d keep cash for small bills.

The FCDO gives two tips that apply here exactly. Don’t let your card out of your sight at the till, and draw cash from machines inside bank branches. For exchange, fees and cards, see currency in Kosovo.

What to eat

I have no official source on Prizren’s typical dishes specifically, so I won’t describe them here. Kosovan food in general, with what can and can’t be stated, is in my guide to Kosovo food. My one practical rule is the usual one where there’s no official guide. Eat where you see locals, ask the price first if there’s no menu on show, and don’t sit down at the first terrace that calls you in from the doorway. How it compares with Pristina, Peja or Gjakova is in where to eat in Kosovo.

In August, with DokuFest on, the old town is packed and getting a table without a wait is harder. On those days I’d eat early or head up to Marash.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Prizren and pick one that fits your day.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Prizren on Booking.com and filter by area before price.