Traditional Albanian slow food on a forest terrace with Berat & Tomorr views.

A Vlorë institution on the lungomare. The grandfather still picks the fish at the port at 5am; the grandsons run the wood grill. Sea bass and sardines, lemon and olive oil, end of story.

A no-nonsense fish house on the Durrës harbour where the boats unload at the back door. Order the daily catch by weight from the ice tray, choose the cooking method, and wait twenty minutes.

The agroturizëm that put Albanian slow-food on the map. The Veliu family farms, raises, cures and cooks everything on site — a Slow Food–recognised table an hour north of Tirana. Book a week ahead.

In a Ottoman-era house by the river. The tradita (stewed lamb) and homemade raki have made it a pilgrimage for food lovers.

A grill house where everything is cooked over open coals. The qebapa and suxhuk are legendary among locals.

Perched above Gjipe Canyon with views down the coast. Fresh pasta, local wine, and a sunset that justifies the drive.

The best restaurant on the Vlorë waterfront. Modern Albanian seafood with an Italian sensibility. Try the oysters.

A Vlorë institution since 1992. Thin-crust pizza baked in a wood oven that has been running for three decades.

A guesthouse kitchen that serves the best mountain food in the valley. The trout comes from the stream outside.