I spent 10 days eating gluten free in North Macedonia, visiting the cities of Ohrid, Struga and Skopje. My experiences are based on observations made in all three cities, which makes it likely that it is similarly in other cities as well. I had no experiences of being “glutened” on my trip and enjoyed the food scene in the country. However, much of this is also due to me taking several safe measures (read: ordering grilled chicken/fish) instead of giving deliciously looking local dishes a try. These are some of the reasons for this:
Menus
In North Macedonia, a large portion of menus have no allergen markings. The country is not part of the EU, so there is also no legal requirement for this. However, a surprising number of restaurants do have allergen indicators that makes it easier to navigate, while still actually posing a risk.
- Ingredient listings
Many restaurants list the ingredients of the dishes. This means that you can look through a menu and easily find for instance “flour” indicated to separate the no-go meals for you. While this is a great way to find out what you cannot eat, it does not mean that those without those ingredients listed necessarily are gluten free. Many menus I saw had dishes lacking all of the ingredients (such as dishes I know have flour, but did not have this listed). This means that such menus are useful and better than no indicators, but cannot be fully trusted. - Allergen markings
Many restaurants in Skopje had allergen markings on their menus, primarily for gluten, lactose and nuts. This was an amazing discovery once I arrived, but as I flipped through several menus I also noticed inconsistencies. Dishes containing couscous and soy sauce were for instance seldom marked as containing gluten, along with other dishes where gluten seemed to have been forgotten on the allergen list. Again, this is thus useful to see what dishes you clearly cannot eat, but when ordering it would be required to ask the staff to clarify if a dish really does not contain gluten.
- Ingredient listings
General understanding of gluten
From my conversations with restaurant staff, those that did know what gluten was either knew really, really well or had a general understanding of gluten being flour, bread and pasta. As gluten free meal restrictions may not be too common in North Macedonia, I hold nothing against staff that are not fully aware and I know I have to take responsibility of ensuring my own safety.
The love for french fries
French fries is a favorite at North Macedonian restaurants, even at high end ones. This is normally included with your meal (and is not necessarily mentioned on the menu). You thus need to indicate that this is a cross contamination risk for you and order something else. I tried ordering boiled potatoes everywhere I went, but instead always got baked potatoes.
Grilled bread
Your best bet in North Macedonia for gluten free safe food is grilled meat and fish. Meat can be a bit expensive, but the fish is superb. At the same time, you should note that many restaurants offer grilled bread on their menus. This is thus a cross-contamination risk to consider if they use the same grill as for meats.
Now that you are aware of some precautions to make, here is a list of places I went to that I can recommend when eating gluten free in North Macedonia.
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GLUTEN FREE IN NORTH MACEDONIA
100 % Gluten Free
Unfortunately, there were no 100% gluten free restaurants in Skopje or Ohrid when I was there. I searched high and low, both online and in the city itself, but could not find a single such place. If you do come across one, do let me know!
PLACES WITH GLUTEN FREE ON THE MENU
These are places that have “GLUTEN FREE” marked specifically on their menus, either in a separate section or through allergen marking (always keep in mind that cross contamination could be a risk for Celiacs at any establishment that is not 100% Celiac friendly).
SKOPJE: MARKT KITCHEN
Naum Naumovski Borche bb, Skopje 1000
Fortunately for me, this cafe was located just minutes from where I was staying in Skopje, which means I went there enough times to feel at home. The menu clearly states what dishes are gluten free, with many also being possible to have made gluten free with other ingredients. It is only a cafe, so the selection is not the widest. They have breakfast and lunch offers, while being open all day for the lunch meals. They also have take out options and great coffee. Do note that you should mention that you are Celiac if that is the case. More details here.
PLACES WITH INGREDIENTS LISTED ON THE MENU
At these places, there were menus that listed the ingredients or notified which allergens were in the dishes. I have not put these under the above category simply because they do not specify gluten free dishes and the menus were not always consistent. So you will definitely need to either order safe meals or specifically ask the staff to confirm (always keep in mind that cross contamination could be a risk for Celiacs at any establishment that is not 100% Celiac friendly).
SKOPJE: CARPE DIEM
MK, Кеј 13-ти Ноември, Skopje 1000
I went to this restaurant twice, where I ended up having the same risotto (I am a sucker for risotto). The restaurant has a fancy indoor seating area but also a lovely patio by the river. The restaurant is located near Bridge of Art, so you have great views while eating. The menu here contains both ingredients and allergen marking, but you should know that it is not precise. I saw items on the menu that contained gluten but were not marked as containing this, so you do need to inform the staff if you are Celiac and ask them specifically about the dish(es) you want to order. More information here.
SKOPJE: PELISTER
Boulevard Macedonia, Skopje 1000
A restaurant located next to the Alexander the Great statue, meaning in a very touristy area. What lured me in was the allergen marked menu and good online reviews. While the meal was okay and I didn’t have any gluten issues, I did notice inconsistencies with the allergen markings on the menu. In other words, do not trust it blindly, but consult the staff. Also, service was not the best when I was there, and at that time it was off season and very few people there. You may have a different experience, though. Read more here.
OHRID: DVA BISERA
Lagadin
If you are living at the outskirts of Ohrid, along the lake towards Lagadin, this is an option for gluten free meals. The menu contains information on ingredients, but I would still recommend asking the staff to confirm if a meal is gluten free or not, as the menu may not contain every ingredient. I ate here twice, having their chicken risotto, fried chicken with rice (and fries that I did not eat, although I asked to not have this included), grilled vegetables and Greek salad. The staff was friendly and I had a good experience. Read more about the restaurant here.
SKOPJE: SQUEEZE ME
Vasil Glavinov br.14, Skopje 1000
This is a little juice and breakfast place next to Markt Kitchen. Before going there, I saw a Google review where they informed that they cannot guarantee that their meals do not contain gluten as they have such a small kitchen. I went there and ordered fruit bowl and fresh juice, while I had a smoothie another day. So for that purpose, it was safe for me as a Celiac.
Places with Gluten Free Options WHEN AskED
At these places, there menus did not have any information on allergens or ingredients, but staff was able to assist when asked about gluten free options (always keep in mind that cross contamination could be a risk for Celiacs at any establishment that is not 100% Celiac friendly).
SKOPJE: SKOPSKI MERAK
Ul, Debarca St 51, Skopje 1000
I e-mailed this establishment in advance and asked if they had gluten free options, which they confirmed. When I went there, the menus were not allergen marked and no ingredients listed, but I relied on the waiter to assist me. I decided to get a salad and grilled meat, just to be on the safe side. The food was good and I did feel safe there. The waiter went to the kitchen to confirm that what I wanted to order was indeed gluten free, which put me at ease. I actually went back again and ordered more grilled meat, and had no issues (note that I did not eat the french fries on one of the pictures above). The restaurant is located in the trendy area, about 20 minutes walk from Macedonia Square. Read more here.
SKOPJE: LA TERRAZZA
Plostad Makedonija, Skopje 1000
After walking by this restaurant and liking the ambiance, I returned and sat outside for a nice meal. The menu is not marked with allergens or ingredients, but the waiter assisted and confirmed the lack of gluten in the meal I ordered. Do note that if you eat outside, you are likely to be surrounded by a lot of smokers (as is with most outdoor seating in Skopje). I felt safe eating here, but I also ordered a pretty safe meal. Read more about the restaurant here.
SKOPJE: VODENCIA MULINO
Mitropolit Teodosij Gologanov 69, Skopje
I e-mailed this establishment in advance and asked if they had gluten free options, which they confirmed. In the end I did not end up going, as it turns out they are sadly closed on Sundays when I was planning to visit. However, reviews online show that the know of gluten and have been able to assist guests in finding safe meals. Do note that this restaurant is located a taxi ride from the center and is on the pricier side compared with other restaurants. Read more here.
OHRID: KAJ KANEVCHE
Kocho Racin 39, Kaneo, Ohrid 6000
I went here to celebrate my birthday, and this restaurant was very knowledgeable about gluten and cross contamination. This is in fact the only place where I was told to avoid french fries as they did not have a dedicated fryer. I nonetheless still got french fries with my order, which I simply left on the plate. They also checked with the kitchen what desserts I could have, and even confirmed that their ice cream was not gluten free. I can highly recommend this restaurant if you are Celiac, but remember to inform the staff of this. Read more about the restaurant here.
OHRID: SUMMER GARDEN KANEO
Kocho Racin 43, Ohrid 6000
While I perhaps should not include this restaurant as I did not actually eat there, it was on my list as it has claimed on TripAdvisor to having gluten free options. It is located in a very nice area with a great view of one of Ohrid’s main attractions, and I was there for a glass of wine before my birthday dinner next door. Thus I could recommend going here to check out their menu, and if not suitable, have a glass of wine and go next door for a gluten free meal (see restaurant listed above). Read more about the restaurant here.
OHRID: TAVERNA MOMIR
Kosta Abras No.3, Ohrid 6000
On my first day in North Macedonia I ended up choosing this place as it seemed cozy. When ordering, I asked about the dishes I had chosen being gluten free or not, since there were no allergen indicators on the menu. The waiter responded saying “Yes, yes, no Mr Gluten in those dishes”. He further explained that he always called gluten for that, and it made it evident that it was not the first time he had been asked about allergies. Some bread came to the table, and he also indicated that those of course were not suitable for me. The food was good and staff attentive. Read more about the restaurant here.
Gluten Free in Groceries/Stores
GROCERIES
In Skopje city center, there are two groceries inside a little underground mall. You will be able to find gluten free products in Vero and another grocery located directly next to it. Photos above are from Vero. Click here for location. There is also a huge grocery inside the Skopje City Mall, but I was not able to explore any gluten free products there.
In Ohrid, I had a harder time finding any groceries, and the small ones I found did not have any gluten free items. This does not mean they are not there, I just did not find them.
HEALTH STORES
Vitalia Health Store – Muesli Bar (SKOPJE) – I did not personally go in, but they have “gluten free” marked on the outside of the store. It is located in the same mall as the grocery mentioned above (ground level). Click the name of the store for exact location. There is also a branch inside the Skopje City Mall.
Healthy Food by Zegin (SKOPJE) – I did not personally go in, but I saw gluten free products from the window. It is located in the same mall as the grocery mentioned above (same level).
Markt Kitchen (SKOPJE) – Not only is this little cafe a gem for gluten free food in Skopje, but it also has a little market place (hence the name). They sell gluten free cookies, crackers, beer and other goodies.
BIOCOSMOS (OHRID) – This store was closed when I came across it, so I was only able to peek inside the window. They have gluten free products and a big gluten free sign outside. You can find the exact location by clicking the name of the store.
FINAL NOTES
Eating gluten free in North Macedonia was a little more challenging than expected, but it turned out fine and I had a great time. These listed here are just some of the many places offering gluten free meals in Ohrid and Skopje. There are many more places that can serve you gluten free meals, so get ready to explore!
