Tezga — Restaurant in City of Belgrade

Short version: don't order spinach gnocchi unless you want to try a mix of dirt and coal.

Long version: Have been here 3 times, only one of which was positive. The first time we were there, the waiter didn't allow us to sit at a table for 4 people because we were only two even though the place was empty. When we finished our food, the waiter was openly looking at his watch and staring at us. Still the food and drinks were good.

The second time the staff was nice and very helpful. We again ordered spaghetti with dried tomatoes and mushrooms. We also tried their brownies and a salad.

After such a wonderful experience there, we've decided to visit the place again. The service was slow, although the waitress was welcoming. The mushroom spaghetti that we ordered last time wasn't tasting as good, however. Plus, the spinach gnocchi which we decided to try was just tasteless dough floating in a black substance (the sauce?), and sprinkled with small pieces of coal (burnt almonds?) and bigger ones (dried plums?). All together it tasted horrible, it was almost impossible to eat. We were planning to have a feast there but after that we didn't want to order anything else. When we told the waitress about the pasta, she said that she'd inform the chef about it.

We left hungry but with the distinct taste...

This is a bar located at the bottom of famous Skadarska street. However, it's neither a kafana nor a touristy place. It's more of a local bar, at the convenient location, where friends would meet for a catch up over a bite. They serve food all day long but they are famous for their weekend brunch. It's all you can eat buffet, inexpensive. Take into consideration that coffee and drinks are not included in the price so budget for that, too. The food is pretty decent for the money. You can find stuff that's more on the traditional side, like traditional Balkan cheese pie, gibanica, but also some fancy french brunch stuff, like delicious pastries. The downside is that the inside is not always pleasant because of the cigarette smoke. In the summer, you can sit outside which is quite lovely because you will be sitting at one of the liveliest streets in Belgrade. The place is always busy and buzzing with good energy. The staff has always been nice here. I definitely recommend their bunch, or meeting up here with friends for a drink in...

The best dining experience I have had in Serbia, outside of the many home cooked meals I’ve enjoyed with my family.

The chicken stew (pileći paprikaš) was fantastic; the waitstaff were prompt, cheerful, and pleasant throughout; there was live music playing (for lunch on a weekday!) and the al fresco area is tranquil and green.

I was told (by the waitstaff) that the venue used to be much more tourist oriented, but that the loss of tourist revue during lockdown led the owners to hire a highly experienced chef to train their staff for 7 months. Clearly this has paid off in the quality of the establishment. I hope it has also paid off financially, and that this trend continues....