Taverna Hije Prishtina

This restaurant/bar is a gem hidden in plain sight. There is only a narrow passageway separating it from Prishtina’s main square and yet until I heard loud voices of people singing coming from it, I’d never even known it existed!

I was enjoying the Christmas lights on the main square when I heard “Hit the road, Jack!” blasting from nearby. At first, I’d thought it was just playing through a speaker, but then I heard the out-of-tune symphony of people singing and was immediately intrigued. I was so pleasantly surprised to see that they were singing and dancing with drinks in their hands to two local artists, who, unlike the others, had divine voices. They’d started out with international hits and then continued on through the night with traditional Albanian music. The energy was so mesmerizing that I can genuinely say I never wanted to leave!

Since that night, I’ve regularly visited Taverna Hije during the day too. It has an antique vibe with flower-lined wallpaper and dark wood furniture, and a bar full of drinks on the side. It is the coziest spot ever! The food is pretty delicious too; each day they come up with a different daily menu and it is usually a meat & pasta lover’s heaven!

Finally, I have to mention the patio outside! There’s a mural of an old Italian town, adorned by some beautiful lamps, and no matter whether you want to write a book or socialize, this is the perfect spot!