I visited Tirana for a weekend in October 2026 as Albania had been sticking out as somewhere I quite wanted to visit but didn’t really have enough annual leave to make a proper trip to see mountains, lakes & beaches so I opted for a city break in Tirana instead. Tirana is slowly becoming more and more visited by tourists so you’ll find artisan bakeries alongside local restaurants, Albanian coffee chains and funky cocktail bars. I packed plenty of food & drink locations into my short weekend and there are twelve places to make sure are on your feasting itinerary for your Tirana trip. I absolutely loved tasting Albanian food which I would describe as a combination of Mediterranean flavours like baklava, peppers, spinach and feta with heavier stews and pies that are more reminiscent of Balkan or Eastern European cooking traditions and flavours. The Blloku neighbourhood is now packed with speciality coffee shops, upmarket bars and incredible restaurants.
1. Restorant Tymi
Restorant Tymi is an absolute feast for all of the senses. It has a crazy interior with neon lights, tiffany lamps and wall hangings everywhere you look. It feels like stepping into an epic disco party and you’ll find yourself looking all over to see what catches your eye. There’s also disco music playing to add to the part party, part trippy atmosphere and the staff are friendly and welcoming. When I aimed to go on the Friday night that I arrived, I had intended to come here for dinner but at 9pm the queue was looking pretty long. I came back on Saturday around 5:30pm and there were plenty of tables and I was able to get a seat straight away. I must admit that this is probably somewhere best experienced with at least one other person, if not a bigger group to be able to order lots of dishes to taste your way through. Tymi is primarily an Albanian grill restaurant with lots of meat on the menu but there are breads, salads & veggies as well. I went for chicken meatballs, pita bread & a cheese stuffed pepper and everything was so yummy. The melty cheese paired nicely with the grilled pepper and the flavour of the meatballs was 👌 lemon paired with herbs. Don’t miss coming here!
2. NÖJE Bakery
NÖJE had popped up a few times on my Insta feed and I was slightly cautious when I saved it on my Google Map pins because it was down at 4.3 star rating. I honestly could not tell you why (although I think unfortunately a lot of the lower star reviews are now quite old and pulling it down) because woweeeee this was one of the best looking bakeries I’ve ever been to. The aesthetic of the interior but specifically the aesthetics of all the pastries lined up together just looked stunning. I wish I’d had time to come back here and try more than the pistachio croissant that I ended up opting for. I love loveeeed the little details on the napkins & tableware. Of course that pistachio croissant tasted as good as it looked with its thick, creamy pistachio filling paired with the crushed, crunchy pistachios on top. Phenomenal. Enjoy a walk around the lake in Tirana Lake Park afterwards.
3. Spy Speakeasy
Spy is somewhere that you’ll need to book in advance. Don’t make the mistake I did which was to hope that there would be space at the bar. There are specific sittings and booking times for Spy because it is just the owner and one other staff member so they take bookings specifically to make cocktails in rounds as different groups and pairs arrive. What’s so fun about Spy Speakeasy is that it’s a hidden bar with a blink and you’ll miss it entrance down a set of stairs to a basement. You have to look out for the sign advertising ‘cameras fixed’ and head down to ring the doorbell.
If you’re looking for a date spot in Tirana this is definitely the one with its low lighting and cost atmosphere. I chose a Mediterranean Gimlet and made friends with the German tourist next to me who also chose the same. It was fresh and aromatic, a perfect cocktail choice if you don’t like anything too boozy or too sweet!
4. Mrizi i Zanave – Buk e gjath
Buk & Gjath is social media famous. That’s what explains the very long queue which, although it does move quickly, did see me waiting half an hour on a saturday lunchtime to make my way to the front and order. What is it that’s so popular? On paper they may sound like ‘just sandwiches’ but these are so much more interesting! A half baguette is hollowed out and loaded up with whatever filling choice you’ve asked for. They’re hot, stuffed full and extremely tasty! I had the single sausage stuffed baguette but it is also totally stuffed with yummy melty cheese, sun dried tomatoes and finished with a crispy, herby topping. They’re so reasonably priced and you can either take it to go or head round to the back to have a quick break from exploring in their courtyard.
5. Mimoza n’Qoshe
A combination of Instagram searches & Google Map review seeking led me to brunch at Mimoza n’Qoshe on my first morning in Tirana. The menu is quite fun because you get to tick your options before they’re brought out to you! I have very much been on a yoghurt / granola / porridge hype recently and chose their yoghurt & granola bowl which felt like a nice and healthy way to start the morning. Paired with a delicious flat white, I enjoyed my slow breakfast with a book. The inside has a fairly classic industrial meets cosy coffee shop vibe and its corner location gives some space on the pavement for outdoor seating. Because I’d power walked from my apartment (power walked because I seem to be incapable at walking at any other speed), sitting outside with the fresh air was what I needed!
6. Frut’za
Frut’za is a small Tirana chain of speciality coffee shops. There are three different locations in the city, all on the south side of the Lana River which runs its narrow way through the heart of Tirana. I went to the smallest one for an afternoon coffee break and they know their stuff when it comes to coffee! The menu features various different coffee bean origins and they have a trend towards V60 coffee. Frut’za has also got a fantastic All Day Brunch menu. I only had a flat white here (in the most adorable pottery mug!) so I can’t tell you if the food is also excellent but all three outlets have high reviews!
7. Nouvelle Vague
Nouvelle Vague has been named on the top 500 bars in the world, hitting the list at number 39 which is incredibly good going. I was looking at the list whilst writing about bars to visit in Budapest as I found Hotsy Totsy on the list and thought I might as well check out if there were any in Tirana to head to. It’s situated in trendy Blloku and has a slightly retro vibe with warm sepia toned lights adding to the ambiance. Their Origin’al cocktail list features all of their innovative cocktails which combine unusual flavour pairings for a hit to your tastebuds. I tend to be a gin based cocktail gal so the English Climber sounded great to me with honey, mountain tea, lemon & barley for a fresh, zingy and grassy taste fusion. Alongside the menu, they leave you with a card that describes all of the cocktails and how they were inspired.
8. Jarna Traditional Restaurant
I’m fairly certain that I came across Jarna on an Instagream reel about where to eat in Tirana so saved the reel and the pin on Google Maps! This is a great place to enjoy traditional Albanian food in a historic setting because the building dates backs to the 1920s. It did feel a little like sitting in the courtyard out in the countryside rather than being in the heart of the capital city! Jarna is definitely best experienced with a group as a lot of the food is almost like Albanian tapas and great for sharing and trying different dishes. I went for the Kukësi potatoes, rice ball fritters qifqi and milk pie, washed down with a glass of local house white wine. The staff are attentive, the vibe is lively and full of hospitality and if I had bee in the city longer it would have been great to come back and taste more dishes!
9. Bitter Bistro
It was such a struggle to narrow down my brunch options in Tirana but it was the peanut butter & jelly stuffed french toast at Bitter Bistro that swung me into their doorway! Inside is a bar / bistro area which they sometimes have karaoke at and the outside is a little courtyardy, umbrella covered area set back off a main street in the heart of the city. The pace was relaxed but with attentive and smiling staff. A fresh orange juice paired with my stuffed french toast was an absolute winner. The sweet bread was loaded up with fruit to balance out the nutty butter and sticky raspberry jam. So good and perfect fuel to get me through my travel home again!
10. SECA COFFEE
I was on the hunt for a coffee pre 8am on Sunday morning and came across SECA as I was looking for somewhere that made sense with my next location! The aim was to bring Greek coffee culture to Tirana. You’ll find a minimalist space although with a funky clay coffee cup design at the entrance area which turns into an almost Greek Island cave like space as you head further in to the counter. If you love a Freddo Cappucino then you’ll find it on the menu here and all the photos that I could see from the reviews had good looking coffee! Often how I’ll tell if I’m going to be happy with the coffee or not 😁
11. Bev’s
Bev’s is just around the corner from the apartment I was staying in and I wanted to make sure I visited at some point. It’s somewhere that has those pastel colours on their menu with Canva font type vibes. I’m not sure if you know what I mean but if you do then hopefully you’ve caught my aesthetic drift! The mains / dinners sounded so delicious but I had already ear marked Jarna & Tymi so I came to Bev’s for breakfast instead. Bev’s is situated in this lovely pedestrianised area of the city so there’s something very lovely about the way the long windows lead out to the on street area beyond. It feels modern, spacious and warm. My yoghurt bowl was excellent so next time…dinner?
12. I love juice
I love juice may seem like a slightly odd combination to this list! However, I’ve added here because fresh fruit juice is something you’ll find all over Tirana and this one is situated close to the New Bazaar making it an easy addition to exploring this part of the city. Albania benefits from a climate which allows a big variety of fruit to grow here from oranges to apples and from pomegranates to watermelons, peaches and blackberries. I love juice has a number of base flavoured drinks and then adds in a couple of other flavours if you want more of a mix. They also have detox juices which combine fruit for a health kick. And all very reasonably priced. In the UK I’ve become used to the price of fresh juice out in a cafe being £4 or even closer to £5+ which feels far less affordable than it ever has been. At I love juice, the juices are more seasonally priced and start at 170 LEK (equiv of ~ £1.70) so it felt like a bit of a treat to enjoy the benefits of freshly squeezed juices! Make the most of the huge variety of fruit available fresh and locally in Albania 😊
For more foodie content in Europe, make sure to check out my other posts below 👇
Cat x