Curated food

A classic Skopje kafana with live tamburica music every night — tavče gravče, ćevap, šopska salad, rakija. Loud, but that's the point. Locals come here for their birthdays.

Daily 11:00–01:00; live music from 8pm.

The best-known restaurant on Macedonia Square — directly across from the Alexander fountain. A sprawling menu from local to international; the terraces are packed with tourists. You're paying for the view more than the authenticity, but the quality holds up.

Daily 8:00–24:00.

Set in a restored Ottoman house in the čaršija — the most atmospheric setting for Macedonian cooking. Specialities: lamb under the sač, stuffed peppers, house rakija. Reservations a must in summer.

Daily 11:00–24:00; book ahead in summer.

Skopje's cult ćevap — a family-run kebabdžilnica in the čaršija since the '50s. Four things on the menu: ćevap, bread, ljutenica, yogurt. You queue, there are no reservations, cash only. The best ćevap in the country.

Mon–Sat 8:00–17:00; closed Sun.

A watermill-turned-restaurant on Vodno (15 min from the centre) — fish from the Treska, lamb under the sač, terraces shaded by pines. You'll need a car or taxi; well worth it for a dinner outside the city. Book in summer.

Daily 11:00–24:00.

A restaurant-brewery in the courtyard of Kapan han (a 15th-century Ottoman caravanserai) — stone walls, wooden beams, a vine-shaded courtyard. Local cooking and Macedonian beers. The setting is one-of-a-kind, especially at dusk.

Daily 10:00–24:00.

Skopje's younger food scene — a creative menu, brunch, a craft cocktail list, and a courtyard tucked behind a palace. Where Skopje thirty-somethings eat at the weekend. Cool, not kitschy.

Daily 9:00–01:00; weekend brunch.