Restaurant Skopski Merak — Restaurant in Municipality of Centar

Excellent authentic local cuisine, super fun atmosphere, great service, fair prices.

Located in the sort of “hipster” area of Debar Maalo in Skopje, Skopski Merak is usually packed full of both locals & visitors. Servers speak decent English (if your Macedonian and/ or Albanian is non-existent like mine…), English menu is also available to make things easier. There was a full band playing lively music from table to table, & the food & drink selection was great. As in most places in the region, portions are fairly huge, & seem to be designed more for sharing, so be careful not to over-order as I did (& often do, heh).

I started with a slab of firm grilled cheese (halloumi style), & this hot stuffed bread appetizer that was like a large sliced pita full of a regional cream cheese & prosciutto-like ham (Sorry, I’ve forgotten the names of what I ordered). I got a serving of grilled vegetables on the side (a MASSIVE serving of zucchini, eggplant, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes) that was very tasty & fresh. My main was a sort of veal & fresh mushroom stew that had a dollop of soft cheese in the middle that you stir in to make the dish even more creamy & rich. The flavor was fantastic, with a hearty stock/ gravy & very tender, high quality chunks of meat.

Their list of rakia/ rakije (regional fruit brandy- STRONG spirit) was pretty extensive. I tried the medovaca (softer, smoothed with added honey), as well as the grape & plum (slivovijca) varieties. Dessert was their “grandma’s cake” (spiced cake with cream & raisins inside) along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Double espresso to end the meal.

Total was around $40USD, I believe, including tip. Which is somewhat high for Skopje standards, but definitely reasonable for the number of courses, multiple drinks, huge portions (dinner fed me for 2 days, heh), all with great service & a fun/ cosy atmosphere.

Definitely worth a stop when you’re in Skopje. Try not to spend all your time around the main square, as many tourists do, or you’ll be eating far less authentic food, of lesser quality, for much more money. Do note, as in most restaurants, there is a large smoking section in the front enclosed terrace, but they did have a smaller non-smoking area, just above the terrace, & deeper inside the...

I visited this spot twice with mixed results. The first day was exceptional—plenty of fine wine, a delicious meal, and top-notch service. However, my second visit was a letdown. Arriving around 3 PM for another promising meal, I encountered a different host at the door. Initially, he suggested a table by the entrance, uncomfortably close to where the menus were displayed. When I inquired about alternatives, he reluctantly indicated a spot deep inside the restaurant, making it clear he wasn't eager to accommodate me, possibly assuming I wouldn't spend much as a solo diner—a stark contrast to my spending on wine just the day before. Other tables were clearly available and he could have been nicer, yet his lack of helpfulness was disappointing, especially compared to the warm and friendly service I received previously. What a pity as I would loved to come back...

A Sunday lunch was not crowded and service was excellent. The food was some of the best we have had in Skopje. We told the waiter what we wanted to do — share and try local specialties — and he directed us well. Highly recommend the rolled stuffed pork and the vegetable Pastramajlija (Macedonian thin crust pizza, but with local cheeses, etc). Watched other dishes going to tables of locals including stuffed tomato salad, zucchini chips, and mixed grill platters, all of which looked wonderful and a cut above the other versions of these we have seen and tried around town. While they have a wine list with better variety than others, we went for the rakia and loved it. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the baklava was a cut above and enough to share (though good enough that you...