Staple Foods
There are no true staple foods in Kosovo; various vegetables are found in most dishes
though.
Regional Variations & Specialties
Flija: thinly layered pastries baked and generally served with
cheese, yogurt, or honey
Hajvar: preserved red peppers with oil and salt
Pasterma: dried beef with pickled vegetables
Dining Etiquette
The most important thing to note when dining in Kosovo is
the ethnicity of your hosts. Generally speaking, the ethnic Serbs and the ethnic
Albanians use similar table manners, but the conversation
can be vastly different based on your host's ethnicity so be sure to note this
before saying something offensive.
On the dining front itself though, rules are similar to the rest of
Europe: wait to be shown a seat, take your host's lead on when to begin,
and eat in the continental style (knife in the right hand, fork in the left). Your
local hosts may offer you an alcoholic beverage of raki, which would be
rude to turn down; remember though that it can be quite strong, so sip carefully.
At sit down restaurants with a server, a tip of about 10% is expected.