Local tips about Pristina
Discovering Pristina might seem a bit daunting at first. Therefore, we have some tips by Pristina locals from our friends at Spotted by Locals Pristina. This helps to kick off your adventure and discover all the best this rough diamond has to offer!
Best burek in Pristina?
It’s not exactly difficult to find burek in Pristina, but how about the city’s best? That’s of course subject to individual taste, but rumor has it that Burektore Picadilly is right up there. It might look old compared to some of the flashier bakeries. But, the burek they make here is “not that fatty, not doughy, perfect crust and perfect amount of meat”, according to local Vesa. Get an ayran with that and you’re good to go!
A bike café with a mission
Pristina is really suffering by traffic and air pollution. One of the solutions to this problem is the growing use of bicycles by the locals. Run by a couple whose mission is to improve the quality of life in the city. Bike Friendly Cafe has an all-around cozy, wooden, bike-themed interior which feels warm and peaceful and is perfect for a croissant and a coffee. They’re also cat-friendly, so if you’re into bikes & cats, you simply can’t miss this spot.
In touch with the past
The Jewish cemetery tells the multicultural story of Pristina in a touching way. Its historical and sociological aspects make it especially interesting to visit. Albanian Catholics, Orthodox Serbs and Jews are all buried here, although the Catholic section is the only one still in use. Local Marta comes here once per year, every November, to pay respects to those who are no longer with us. Even though the Jewish section was completely abandoned until recently, beautification works are currently underway.
Great food in a rustic environment
Are you after a restaurant that combines a perfect location and ambiance with fantastic food? Then you should definitely pay a visit to Liburnia. The inside is reminiscent of an old village house with its wood and brick, whereas the summer terrace will make you feel as if you’re in your own back garden. The lamb, grilled cheese, mushroom dishes and soups are the go-to choices, but you can’t really go wrong here.
1800 meters of graffiti in Pristina
The recent Meeting of Styles event organised by Q’art group once again brought together artists from around the world to turn Rruga B into a true street art and graffiti gallery. The artists were given full artistic freedom and, after the latest edition, the length of this open-air street canvas grew from from 300 meters to an impressive 1800!
Bar with an award-winning interior
Hamam Jazz Bar was selected in the top 5 best bar design in the world in 2013 for its earthen ceiling panels, but that’s not the only thing it has going for it, of course. Here you can listen to bands from all over the world while sipping on delicious cocktails, and the crowd is fantastic. All together they create a recipe for a memorable night out.
Pristina’s best international bookstore
Libraria Dukagjini is the best stocked bookshop in Pristina. It has a vast selection of books. Not only in Albanian but also in Italian, French, Spanish and especially English. It was the first international bookshop to open in the city after the war. The calm music, wooden stairs, compelling book covers and the smell of freshly printed books will make you forget there’s a door, or a ‘real world’ outside..
A 100% handmade design souvenir shop
Don’t you wish sometimes that souvenir shops were a little more inspired when it comes to the gifts they sell? Good news: graphic designer Ilire Lepaja and her shop IL Art e Zanat are here for you. Everything she sells in her shop is her own creation, so instead of bland touristy souvenirs you can expect beautiful hand-crafted clothes, tote bags, embroideries, pillow cases, scarves and more gifts for your family, friends and yourself, all with traditional motifs, landmarks and the cultural heritage of Kosovo and Albania.
Get your Pristina burger fix
The burgers they make in ABA would not count as real burgers by some of the purists out there. But that’s exactly the point! They use shredded cabbage, crushed red pepper sauce, gjizë (a creamy white sauce, similar to cottage cheese) and pljeskavica (a beef patty popular in the Balkans) in their bundles of yumminess, making their recipes truly one-of-a-kind. Many Prishtinites would kill for an ABA burger — you can’t get much more local than this.
Cheap coffee at a beautiful place
Prince Coffee Shop is a well-known chain in Pristina, but local Merve’s favorite branch is right in front of this amazing park right next to Boro Ramiz, the Youth and Sports center. It’s also incredibly cheap — you can get their Sunday coffee menu that has a cup of Turkish coffee (Cafe Turke), a mini glass of sherbet (sweetened fruit juice) and chocolate, all that for the grand price of 1.50€!
For local favorites in 77 cities in Europe, North America and the Middle East, check out Spotted by Locals.
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