A Vegan’s Guide to Belgrade!
When I first told people I would be visiting the Balkans, everyone seemed very concerned about what I would eat while I was there. I have many cruise ship friends from the Balkans and they just couldn’t imagine life at home without meat and cheese and they were very worried this vegan girl was going to go hungry. So, I started to get a little nervous, however, fear not vegan friends! Belgrade, Serbia (and many other places, which I will touch on in posts to come) is completely vegan accessible!
There is a grocery chain called iDEA that has organic stores in several locations around Belgrade where you can find all of your staples like non-diary milk, tofu (as well as other meat substitutes, if you are in to that) and organic fruits and veggies! You should also check out Zeleni Venac (the famous green market) and you will find everything you need to make a yummy meal. There are also a ton of (healthy/bio food stores) Zdrava Hrana all over the city. However, if you don’t fancy cooking, there are also many places around the city to find vegan friendly bites!
Burrito Madre is one of the first places I popped in for a quick lunch and I did not regret it!! One of the best Burritos I have had. It is a build your own burrito place with all kinds of veg friendly fillers. The pickled veggies were awesome!!
Wok and Republic is a small walk-up Asian Fast Food place with a few tables. They are happy to make all of their rice and noodle dishes vegan. I had the Pad Thai and Kimchi Salad and both were delicious! They loaded the Pad Thai with lots of veggies and it was perfect for sharing!
Monument is a small chain around the city that has salads and pizzas and they are very accommodating about adjusting ingredients!
Coffee shops are a plenty in Belgrade, but not everywhere carries non-dairy milk options. Two of my favorite coffee shops in the city were Kafeterija and Aviator Coffee. Both have tons of Coffee and Fresh Juice options and they are both super cool places with a chill vibe and they are also totally instgrammable!
AND last but not least, the most important word I learned when it came to finding vegan options was POSNO! Most people in the area are Orthodox and they fast on Wednesday and Friday’s, which means no meat and dairy! So, they are basically Vegan (except for the occasional fish) two days a week! This is insanely helpful when stopping into bakeries (Pekara) and buying pies, bread, and sweet treats!! So, no worries my vegan travelers, Belgrade is ready to welcome you and ensure you have a full belly! When all else fails, there is always Ajvar!!