Where to Eat in Virpazar: A Local's Restaurant Guide

What Virpazar food actually is

This is lake and mountain cooking, not coastal cooking. Freshwater fish, cured meat from the Crmnica hills, olive oil from the same slopes, and wine from vineyards you can see from the bridge. Portions are large, presentation is beside the point, and almost everything is grilled or smoked.

The three dishes to order

Vegetarians are not badly served: kačamak, grilled peppers, young cheese from Crmnica and excellent tomatoes carry a full meal.

• Ukljeva — smoked bleak, the lake's signature. Dry, intense, served with onion and oil. Order it as a starter for the table.
• Grilled carp — firm, sweet, usually a whole fish for two. Ask for it with blitva (chard and potato).
• Eel in prosciutto — jegulja u pršutu. Rich, smoky, and only occasionally available. Take it when you see it.

Where to eat

The riverside terraces near the bridge are the obvious choice and deservedly so — the setting does half the work in the evening. The family konobas set slightly back from the water charge less and cook at least as well; if a place has four tables and a grandmother in the kitchen, sit down.

Expect €12–20 per person for a full meal with a glass of wine, €25–30 if you take the whole fish and a bottle.

The wine

Crmnica is Montenegro's oldest recognised wine region and it starts on the hill behind the village. Ask for Vranac from a local producer rather than the national brand — it is darker, rougher and considerably more interesting. Krstač is the white to try. Our Crmnica wine guide covers the cellars worth visiting.

Timing

Kitchens are busiest between 13:00 and 15:00 when the day boats return, and again from 20:00. If you are on an evening cruise, reserve a table before you sail — after a scenic wooden boat cruise you want a table waiting, not a queue.