A day of eating in Novi Sad, from burek to Fruška Gora wine

Novi Sad is the capital of Vojvodina, the flat, fertile north of Serbia, and it eats like it. The food here mixes Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak and Central European kitchens, and the vineyards of Fruška Gora are close enough for a late afternoon. This is one way to spend a day eating well, without rushing.

Breakfast from a bakery window

Start the way people in Novi Sad do: at a bakery (pekara), standing up, with something from the window.

• Burek: thin layers of pastry with minced meat, white cheese or nothing at all (prazan). Traditionally eaten with a glass of yoghurt.
• Pogačice and kiflice: small bread rolls, some with cracklings (čvarci) or cheese.
• Pita: in Vojvodina you will also find sweet strudels with poppy seeds or walnuts.

Buy one thing, eat it on the street, and walk to the centre. The main square (Trg slobode), Zmaj Jovina and Dunavska streets are a few minutes apart.

Coffee in the centre

Mid-morning is coffee time. The cafés around the square and in the side streets off Dunavska fill up with people who have nowhere urgent to be. Order a domaća kafa (Turkish-style coffee) if you want the local version.

A long lunch

Lunch is the main meal and deserves time. In Novi Sad, look for:

• Riblja čorba / fish paprikash: river fish cooked slowly in a red paprika broth, a Danube tradition shared with Hungary. Often served with noodles.
• Sarma: cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice, especially in the colder months.
• Paprikaš: a slow stew with paprika, from chicken or pork.
• Vojvodina cured meats and cheeses as a starter, with kulen, a spicy paprika sausage.
• Štrudla or palačinke for dessert.

Many restaurants along the Danube or in the lower town below Petrovaradin serve fish; in the centre, look for traditional salaš-style kitchens and older restaurants with a lunch menu.

Afternoon: up to Fruška Gora

Fruška Gora, the low wooded ridge south of the Danube, has been a wine region since Roman times. The villages of Sremski Karlovci, Irig and others are 20 to 45 minutes from Novi Sad by car.

• Sremski Karlovci is the easiest stop: a small baroque town with a main square, old churches and several family wineries and tasting rooms.
• Bermet is the local speciality: a sweet, aromatic dessert wine made with herbs and spices, associated with Karlovci.
• White wines from grapes such as Graševina (Welschriesling), Tamjanika and Riesling, and reds from Frankovka and Portugizer, are common on tasting menus.

Book tastings in advance, and do not plan to drive yourself afterwards.

Evening back in town

After a tasting, dinner can be light: a pljeskavica from a grill, a plate of ćevapi to share, or small plates in a wine bar in the centre. Novi Sad's evenings are relaxed, and the centre is at its best after dark.

How we do it

Our Novi Sad After Dark tour includes the lit-up centre and a Fruška Gora wine tasting with private transfers, so nobody has to drive. If you want a food-focused day built around this route, write to us with your dates and any dietary needs.