Crni Gruja

Crni Gruja Address: 30 Skadarska St., Belgrade Tel: +381-11-32-32-649 Website: restorancrnigruja.com Working hours of the restaurant and kitchen: from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.(kitchen open from 11 a.m. to midnight) City transportation: bus: 16, 27, 95 Credit cards: Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Maestro, Dina, Diners Garden or terrace: yes, summer, 24 seats Parking: Public garage at “Politika”, 1st zone Music: Old-town songs, live in the evening Menu: in Serbian Staff speak: English Cuisine: National Main courses: from 320 to 870 dinars Booking: advisable Available for hire: yes With its superb homemade cooking, an uncommon interior made of wood, a gallery and motifs from popular series on the walls, live music (from gipsy to old-town songs), we can tell that Gruja has justified and well deserved its place in this hall of fame. Walking down Skadarlija, on the right hand side, immediately after the drinking fountain, you come upon a small garden with wooden tables and benches, which was, at the time of our visit on a fresh, spring workday, full to the last seat. The blackboard above the entrance, except for stating the restaurant’s name, lists the offer of cooked dishes and national favorites which the waiter also pointed to: lamb sarmice, goulash, stuffed peppers and grilled meat. We decided to try the latter, but we first warmed up with the mild chicken soup and homemade gibanica, not oily at all, but a bit too salty. The aperitif arrived in the form of domestic brandy, although just one look at the earthenware with pieces of meat sticking out was quite enough to open our appetite. The excellent quality of ingredients and manner of preparing the food resulted in the best barbeque we have tried. The mixed meats plate served on potatoes (baked under hot coals) included perfectly tender pork fillets, piquant fritters and sausages, colorful kebabs with tender meat and cevapi of slightly poorer quality. After seeing the rolled, stuffed and baked dishes served at the other tables, our impression of the excellent gourmet offer of this place was confirmed. A black-white blend of freshly baked goodies, ample portions of salads and the presentation of food, where every dish is served on an authentic wooden base, contributed to the overall impression. The dry sour cherry pie was a tasteful and not too sweet dessert, and there were orasnice (dry walnut cookies) and cooked, minced wheat with sugar and walnuts. All in all, we warmly recommend this place for various occasions: from a warm lunch or happy evening with friends to showing it off to foreign guests who have, judging by the number of them sitting at other tables, already discovered this place. Meal for two, without wine, costs 1,500 dinars. Setting up shop in the best known bohemian street of the capital, amongst various legends of national cuisine (and choosing to offer the same) has to be at once a hard and brave thing to do. Restaurants Setting up shop in the best known bohemian street of the capital, amongst various legends of national cuisine (and choosing to offer the same) has to be at once a hard and brave thing to do.

Crni Gruja

Address: 30 Skadarska St., Belgrade
Tel: +381-11-32-32-649
Website: restorancrnigruja.com
Working hours of the restaurant and kitchen: from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.(kitchen open from 11 a.m. to midnight)
City transportation: bus: 16, 27, 95
Credit cards: Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Maestro, Dina, Diners
Garden or terrace: yes, summer, 24 seats
Parking: Public garage at “Politika”, 1st zone
Music: Old-town songs, live in the evening
Menu: in Serbian
Staff speak: English
Cuisine: National
Main courses: from 320 to 870 dinars
Booking: advisable
Available for hire: yes

With its superb homemade cooking, an uncommon interior made of wood, a gallery and motifs from popular series on the walls, live music (from gipsy to old-town songs), we can tell that Gruja has justified and well deserved its place in this hall of fame.

Walking down Skadarlija, on the right hand side, immediately after the drinking fountain, you come upon a small garden with wooden tables and benches, which was, at the time of our visit on a fresh, spring workday, full to the last seat.

The blackboard above the entrance, except for stating the restaurant’s name, lists the offer of cooked dishes and national favorites which the waiter also pointed to: lamb sarmice, goulash, stuffed peppers and grilled meat. We decided to try the latter, but we first warmed up with the mild chicken soup and homemade gibanica, not oily at all, but a bit too salty.

The aperitif arrived in the form of domestic brandy, although just one look at the earthenware with pieces of meat sticking out was quite enough to open our appetite. The excellent quality of ingredients and manner of preparing the food resulted in the best barbeque we have tried. The mixed meats plate served on potatoes (baked under hot coals) included perfectly tender pork fillets, piquant fritters and sausages, colorful kebabs with tender meat and ćevapi of slightly poorer quality.

After seeing the rolled, stuffed and baked dishes served at the other tables, our impression of the excellent gourmet offer of this place was confirmed. A black-white blend of freshly baked goodies, ample portions of salads and the presentation of food, where every dish is served on an authentic wooden base, contributed to the overall impression.

The dry sour cherry pie was a tasteful and not too sweet dessert, and there were orasnice (dry walnut cookies) and cooked, minced wheat with sugar and walnuts.

All in all, we warmly recommend this place for various occasions: from a warm lunch or happy evening with friends to showing it off to foreign guests who have, judging by the number of them sitting at other tables, already discovered this place.

Meal for two, without wine, costs 1,500 dinars.