Balkan Cafe — Restaurant in Jacksonville

Order: Balkan Plate (3 different kinds of meat and pita bread), grilled cheesy pita, cappuccino, daily cake Price: $32 Pros: The flavor in their meat is incredible, they definitely don’t skimp on the amount of meat you get, the owner is very nice and willing to explain or answer questions Cons: A little hard to find as it’s tucked away in the corner of an old shopping strip

Thoughts: Erin and I decided we wanted to try something new today and so we started looking through the restaurants we had listed to try. Since we both love ethnic food, and the pictures looked pretty awesome, we settled on the Balkan cafe, and I think we found yet another “favorite” spot.

We walked in, grabbed a table, and within a few minutes the owner came over to talk to us. He explained each to the different meat options to us, along with a recommendation, and told us he would give us free dipping sauces since it was our first time there. I can’t even possible do the food justice by trying to explain it; but essentially it was three different kinds of beef in-between to thick, warm pitas (almost like a sandwich, but there is no way you could have picked this thing up).

The meat was absolutely the star here and it was fantastic. It tasted freshly made, and despite the fact that it was all made from beef each of the three types of meat were easily distinguishable and all had their own unique flavor. The grilled cheesy pita is best described as a grilled cheese sandwich in a pita. While it was good it definitely wasn’t the best thing we had.

After dinner we hesitantly moved on to a cappuccino and desert. The desert changes week to week so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but…Mind Blown…not only was the cappuccino superb, the egg cake was something I’d never really eaten before and so worth it. It was four different layers of cake, each with a different texture and flavor. My wife has already decided we will be coming back here next time she wants a desert and a cappuccino, and all be sure to tag along...

An awesome spur-of-the-moment lunch! I visited Balkan Cafe after a suggestion from Google - I had searched for Mediterranean cuisine hoping for Shawarma. While this wasn't what I had in mind, I was pleasantly surprised! The gentleman who greeted me was friendly and helpful. Per his suggestion, I ordered the Balkan Mix entree. He included both the melted and vegetable spread free of charge as it was my first visit. Everything was delicious! The various meats each had great flavor and the pita bread was light and fluffy - perfect for absorbing all the juices! I would suggest ordering extra of each sauce and even some extra pita to make the dish more flexible (enough for two to eat). My only "complaint" (not really complaining) is that the mean was particularly protein-heavy. This is my own fault for ordering a meat entree, Haha! I would suggest a salad on the side to help balance out the ratio. I finished my meal off with a delicious slice of cake. I do not know what it was called but it was an egg-white based, medium-sweet layered cake. It would be in your best benefit to try anything they suggest! The entire transaction took about 7-10mins from entrance to exit. My meal and dessert with tip was just under $20 and I have too much to eat in one sitting. The restaurant was clean, the staff friendly and helpful, and the good was outstanding and appropriately portioned...

This place is absolutely amazing!

It was my first visit to Balkan Cafe and my first time trying Bosnian food. While sitting in my car nearby, googling trying to find a good lunch idea I can across this hidden gem. After reading a hand full of raving reviews it was only right for me to give it a try! Luckily it was only 1 minute from my location! As soon as I walked in the nice younger guy who was talking to a family nearby greeted me. I told him it was my first time in and I had no idea what to order. My go to line when going into a place for the first time is "Give me 2 of your most popular dishes!" After asking me a few questions he suggested the Balkan Mix, cevapi, and the cake of the day. He took his time to explain each dish and how they are prepared. I sat and enjoyed a cappuccino while I waited for my takeout order. The cappuccino was excellent! Before leaving he handed me a herbal drink, and a tropical drink to try!

Everything was amazing! The meat was seasoned well, the bread was nice and fluffy and the cake was delicious!

Thank you for making my very first visit an outstanding experience. I will definitely visit again when I am...