Belgrade city guide

Kafana, an olden days Serbian café, has in the last decade or so become an endangered species in Belgrade. One of the last surviving originals in the city center goes by the intriguing name of 6 & 400. Don’t break your head over the meaning, it is one of those stories that is revealed only to the most dedicated regulars. I learned about its meaning only after sipping many a drink over a course of many years.

Immediately after stepping inside you will find yourself in a world of the days gone by. Dimmed lights, wooden paneling, chairs and tables, a TV set; on the walls a collection that is as puzzling as the name, ranging from a stuffed falcon to a portrait of Dositej Obradović, the leading Serbian writer of the enlightenment era (and by no means a lover of kafanas). The whole atmosphere would, however, be incomplete without the clientele enjoying their coffee with a smoke and a brandy. To top it all there is the waiter, Neša, a solid rock of a man that could carry you outside together with the table. Despite his harsh looks he is a real darling of a man, taking care of his aquarium when he’s not at your service.

In summer, you will find most of the guests on a small terrace behind the house. On the other hand, you will never find anyone in the “Non-Smokers Hall”. Amen to that!