As you walk along picturesque Kosančićev venac in Belgrade (as you ought to) take a minute and drop by in Makadam. Located in the basement of an old corner house, this little establishment consists of a bistro and a store, the latter being the focus of my attention.

The concept of the store is simple and summed up in their slogan – “Handmade in Serbia”. Okay, maybe not everything here is handmade but it is all certainly made in Serbia. In this day and age when there are fewer and fewer things produced here, it is a great and somewhat noble idea to open a small shop that will gather dozens of small producers, under one roof, who would otherwise pass unnoticed. Bear in mind that this isn’t an ordinary souvenir shop since there are but a few real souvenirs – and certainly no tacky ones. No, this is a place that presents a clever assortment of various interesting products such as (to name a few) dresses, T-shirts & woven rugs, their own candles and cosmetics, guidebooks, Belgrade-themed puzzles, wine or glasses from the stocks of the first glass factory in Serbia which has been closed for some time now. All things considered, I would be very much surprised if you don’t find one or two things that you will regret not buying.

As for their small and low-key café/bistro (which btw has longer working hours) let’s say just one thing: it would earn more attention if it wasn’t for their great shop!