Local markets Belgrade’s new gastro-destinations
leave you feeling indifferent. It all began when a young Serbian chef and his part- ner decided to prepare excellent cuisine in their own way within the scope of a stall on the Zemun Market. Anoth- er stall that has also come to symbolise Zemun Market offers the original concept of enjoying artisan sourdough bread, baking (popular bajadera cakes) and champagne (under a concept dubbed bread & swine & champagne). You can also drink very good coffee in the alleyways of Zemun Market, so why not sip your first morning cof- fee right here. Apart from the fact that, when visiting markets, you’ll see people queuing up to buy specific items (such as straw- berries on Vidikovac Market), these are also places where you can find (apart from the standard offer) fresh fish, eggs, high-quality meat, chocolate, spices, good wines or even good beer. You can find a good glug of beer after a hard week at work, or the Serbian capital’s first meat concept store, at Palilula Market. And this place in the broader city centre area also has gastronomic concepts that celebrate food and good drinks, ensuring that a trip to this market will also provide indulgence for your taste buds. When it comes to good sparkling wines, we rec- ommend a place that opened recently and offers a large selection of champagnes. And why exactly would there be a champagne bar at the market? To ensure the expe- rience is truly unique and that wine lovers can get ac- quainted with these bubbly beverages in a different way, but also to dispel the prejudice that champagne is on- ly consumed at celebrations and expensive restaurants. They can really be enjoyed in the informal atmosphere of a market. This particular bar’s offer is diverse and very rich – from Portuguese sparkling wines, via Spanish ca- va and Italian prosecco, sparkling wines from the coun- try and the region, all the way to the finest and dearest wines of the Champagne region. And the only thing left for you (and us) to do is to take the strawberries from Vidikovac Market to Palilula Market. These are just a few of the places that we like to vis- it on the markets of Belgrade. We’ll let you discover the rest of them for yourselves, and to find your own unique gastronomic experiences. Famous chef and TV person- ality Anthony Bourdain said that street food is a reflec- tion of who we are, where we come from and what we like; a reflection of our history. If a specific culture has gone through great struggles and tribulations during its history, then that same culture has also learned to cre- ate wonderful things. We learn to appreciate the cul- ture of a country or city by eating its street food. And all that’s left for us is to agree with this sentiment and add that we should expand the food tasting area from the streets to the markets, to explore and rejoice in new tastes. We are certain that there will be ever-more such stalls in the capital, as well as on the markets of other cities, and until then we’re enjoying the current offer of the pioneers of change and enthusiasts who’ve altered the gastronomic picture of Belgrade.
Popular “bazaars”, covered halls and classic green markets have become top spots that combine excellent food, fun, a cheerful atmosphere, local people and the local culture M odern life is packed with short-lived ex- periences. Authentic experiences are be- coming a rarity, sometimes because they aren’t happening and sometimes be- cause we no longer even notice them. Choosing the right place to drink coffee or eat a good lunch has today become a real mini challenge. Every city has venues, in terms of restaurants and cafés, that are known to everyone and entice the largest number of people. The offer is large and diverse. However, you can now pick up a quick coffee or find a delicious lunch and high-quality wine at places that represent the authen- tic core of almost every city around the world. These are places where the metropolitan and the local come togeth- er. It is on markets that you can best familiarise your- self with the essence of a city, and over the last few years they’ve made the experience of enjoying food unique. Food prepared at stands on local markets provides motivation to come from one area of a city to another, and it also isn’t uncommon to travel to another coun- try in search of a good bite to eat. These places are dis- tinguished by their originality, but also authentic fla- vours that you’ll rarely find in classic restaurants. And the ambience of the market itself, its sounds and aro- mas, often transport us back to our childhoods, when we went with our parents, either willingly or by force, and learned about the true source of the food that ends up on the family dining table.
Top cuisine is no longer confined to world-renowned restaurants; it has now descended “to the street”, where we have direct contact with chefs and are able to watch food being prepared in front of our eyes at these “street restaurants”. We watch how the chefs “play” with in- gredients and how this dance is enjoyed by everyone, both visitors to the market and guests of these eateries. Such spots and venues have also opened in Belgrade. As a country with an interesting gastronomic scene, his- tory and offer, it was logical for several chefs and entre- preneurs to opt to embark on a market adventure. You can plan your visit to the market as also being an oppor- tunity for a family lunch, where you can also bring busi- ness partners and guests visiting from abroad, while it is not uncommon for first dates to unfold right here. These are restaurants that don’t have a classic street food con- cept, but rather menus with an offer that certainly won’t
Belgrade » Beograd | 73
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator