Coastal Montenegrin food is, broadly, southern Adriatic — closer to Dalmatia than to the Balkan interior. The good news: it is built on grilled fish, olive oil, and slow-cooked octopus. The cautionary note: tourist menus on Budva's old-town square will sell you a worse version of every one of those things.
What to order
- Crni rižot — black risotto, made with cuttlefish ink and fresh squid
- Hobotnica ispod sača — octopus slow-cooked under a metal bell with potatoes
- Pršut iz Njeguša — air-dried ham from the village of Njeguši
- Lignje na žaru — grilled squid, simple and almost always excellent
What to skip
Pasta with seafood on a tourist menu, anything described as 'international', and pizza in the old towns. None of it is bad. None of it is the reason you came.
Frequently asked
Questions guests ask before booking
What is the national dish of Montenegro?+
There is no single national dish, but kačamak (a polenta-and-cheese mountain dish) and njeguški pršut (cured ham) are the two foods most often named when Montenegrins are asked the question.
