Written by Rita Serra | Published Oct 02, 2026

When I first moved to Saranda, so many restaurants closed for winter that I’d end up at Limani with a coffee on the water, because it was one of the few places still open.

A lot has changed since then. Now 13 of the 15 places on this list stay open all year.

If you’re figuring out where to eat in Saranda, the hard part isn’t finding a restaurant. It’s knowing which ones are worth it, especially along the promenade, where tourist traps sit right next to places the locals love.

I live here, and I’ve eaten my way through this town. Whether you’re here for a week in August or passing through in winter, every place on this list is one I’d send a friend to.

My Quick Picks

Best Breakfast and Bakery in Saranda

Marini’s

I’ve eaten my way through nearly everything on Marini’s menu, and it has never disappointed me. The quality and flavor are the same every single time, which is exactly why I keep coming back.

Marini’s used to be the only place in Saranda doing a proper big breakfast. More places offer breakfast now, but theirs is still the best I’ve had in town.

They do both an American-style breakfast and an Albanian breakfast, and the portions are generous for the price. My personal favorite is the prosciutto omelette. My friend always orders the eggs Benedict, and the waffle with fruit and homemade syrup is another good pick.

Honestly, though, dinner is my favorite meal here. I can make breakfast at home since I live here, but I can’t make their shrimp linguine, made with homemade pasta.

My other two go-tos are the shrimp risotto and the cod fillet, which is insane. I’ve tried so many dishes here, but I revolve around those three most of the time.

Mornings are their busiest time because everyone knows about the breakfast, and dinner gets busy in summer too. Plan around that if you don’t want to wait for a table.

I’ve never had a bad meal or bad service here. If you’re in Saranda, don’t skip Marini’s, and say hello to Gena and the staff for me.

Price range: 1,000 to 2,900 lek per person (about $12 to $35), from breakfast up to a full dinner.

Payment: Cash and card

Where: Marini’s on Google Maps

Peta Jon

This isn’t technically a restaurant, but it’s one of my favorite stops in Saranda. Peta Jon is a bakery that serves both savory and sweet food, and it’s right by the port.

They make different styles of byrek, sandwiches, and pinerli, which is like a pizza but shaped more like Georgian khachapuri. They also have amazing croissants filled with chocolate or pistachio cream.

My favorites are the pinerli and the chocolate croissant. If you want a croissant, go early. They’re the most popular place in town and usually sell out by 11 am.

They close around 4 pm, or earlier if they run out of food.

Price range: 100 to 500 lek per person (about $1 to $6)

Payment: Cash only

Where: Peta Jon on Google Maps

Best Seafood in Saranda

Fish Filipi

Fish Filipi is a great local spot with great food, fair prices, and a true local feel. Honestly, whatever you order here will be good.

My favorites are the shrimp soup, the calamari, and the prawns in orange sauce, which are amazing.

Before your food even arrives, they bring out incredible homemade fresh bread with butter, a salsa-looking dip, and a lemony sauce that is to die for. If they don’t bring the lemon sauce, just ask. I could honestly drink that stuff.

Price range: 1,000 to 3,000 lek per person (about $12 to $37)

Payment: Cash only

Where: Fish Filipi on Google Maps

Black Marlin

Black Marlin is fairly new, open for about two years now. I’ve only been a handful of times, but every visit has been a great meal.

The Black Marlin salad and the rocket salad are both amazing, and the Black Marlin paccheri is another great pick.

It’s a little pricier than the other seafood spots on this list, but still worth it.

Price range: 1,500 to 4,000 lek per person (about $18 to $49)

Payment: Cash and card

Where: Black Marlin on Google Maps

Taverna Beni Peshkatari

Taverna Beni Peshkatari is another local favorite with the freshest seafood. Peshkatari means “the fisherman” in Albanian, which fits, since they’re right on the water and get their fish in fresh every day.

My favorite is the marinated octopus, and the grilled shrimp and calamari are amazing too. If you love sardines, my friend swears by them here.

There are two Peshkatari restaurants in Saranda, so make sure you go to Taverna Beni Peshkatari, not Taverna Peshkatari. This one is definitely the better of the two.

Price range: 1,000 to 3,500 lek per person (about $12 to $43)

Payment: Cash only

Where: Taverna Beni Peshkatari on Google Maps

Traditional Albanian Food in Saranda

Taverna Laberia

I love this place and the family that runs it. The food is great, and the prices are affordable.

I always get the whole chicken on the spit with fries for 1,000 lek (about $12), and it’s more than enough for two meals. Their pork pancetta is my other favorite, and those two dishes are my go-tos every time.

I order from here at least once a week. It’s my easy option when I don’t feel like cooking, and one order covers dinner plus lunch the next day.

If you’re with a group, order the mixed meat platter. It comes in two sizes: 800 grams for 2,500 lek (about $30) or 1.5 kilos for 4,500 lek (about $55).

Honestly, the 800 grams is enough for three people to share. Add fries and their tzatziki, which is the best in town.

Price range: 1,000 to 2,000 lek per person (about $12 to $24)

Payment: Cash and card

Where: Taverna Laberia on Google Maps

Bituni

Bituni is my Saranda hidden gem. Their chicken on the spit is insane.

It comes with a lemony, Greek-style sauce of lemon and olive oil, plus an aromatic bread they bake fresh every day. Dipping that bread into the sauce is my favorite part. Their tzatziki is great too.

Full honesty, the chicken is the only thing I’ve ordered here, but I have no doubt the rest of the menu is just as good. It’s mostly run by one guy, and he’s the reason the food never fails to amaze me.

Price range: 1,000 to 2,000 lek per person (about $12 to $24)

Payment: Cash only

Where: Bituni on Google Maps

Haxhi

Haxhi is another family-owned place that has been around forever, and I absolutely adore the family and the vibe.

When I first moved here, it was a tiny restaurant with maybe 10 tables. They’ve since moved to a huge new spot that stays busy all year long.

The food is simple but great. Try the spicy shrimp. I could eat three bowls of it and dip all my bread in that garlicky, spicy sauce. Go pay them a visit, and tell them Rita sent you.

Price range: 1,000 to 3,000 lek per person (about $12 to $37)

Payment: Cash only

Where: Haxhi on Google Maps

My Family

If you’re looking for good local food, My Family is a great place to check out.

The menu has the same things you’ll find at most places here, like soup, pizza, pasta and seafood. What sets it apart is the traditional section, with Albanian dishes like tavë kosi (baked lamb and rice in a yogurt sauce), tavë balte (a dish baked in a clay pot) and stuffed peppers. All of them are very good.

If you want something a little more traditional at a good price, give them a try.

Price range: 1,000 to 1,500 lek per person (about $12 to $18)

Payment: Cash and card

Where: My Family on Google Maps

Contemporary Food in Saranda

Gastro House

I only went to Gastro House recently, and I was absolutely floored. The food, the setting, and the service are all top-tier, and the way they bring the food to your table is something I won’t forget.

I went with a friend, and the star of the night was the rosnica with octopus. Rosnica is a traditional Albanian pasta, and here it comes, tossed in a saffron sauce. I will order this every time I go back, because it was that good.

We also had the shrimp risotto and the scallop risotto. Both were amazing, but neither beat the rosnica.

Every dish came out still in its pan and was set on a little stand at the table. They served us the first portion, then left the rest for us to spoon out ourselves. It was such a fun way to eat, and the flavors were just as unique as the presentation.

The tomato and burrata was another highlight. Those tomatoes were seasoned so well we were practically licking the plate clean.

For dessert, the tiramisu comes in a moka pot, with tiramisu in both the top and bottom. I’m usually not a fan of what I call “wet cake,” but this one was phenomenal. It’s made with real mascarpone, and it tasted as good as it looked.

We also ordered ice cream, which arrived in a small wooden churn. You give it a few more turns yourself, then scoop it onto your plate.

Oh, and the wine was perfection. We left with full bellies and a great memory.

Price range: 1,000 to 3,000 lek per person (about $12 to $37)

Payment: Cash and card

Where: Gastro House on Google Maps

Sirocco

I love this place. Sirocco is only open during the busy season, from May to November, so if you’re in Saranda then, please stop by.

The menu has dishes you don’t usually find around here, which makes it a great spot when you want to try something different. My picks are the stacked potatoes, the burrata salad, the baked feta, the shrimp tempura, and the spring rolls.

Price range: 1,000 to 3,500 lek per person (about $12 to $43)

Payment: Cash and card

Where: Sirocco on Google Maps

Kristiano

I don’t get to Kristiano as often as I used to because it’s a longer walk from where I live. But when I do go, I always order the house salad and the shrimp saganaki.

It also has a beautiful terrace right on the water, and it’s perfect for sunset.

I know this sounds dramatic, but their shrimp saganaki is life-altering. It’s the best I’ve had in all of Albania, and nobody makes it like they do. If you love shrimp, go here.

Price range: 1,000 to 2,500 lek per person (about $12 to $30)

Payment: Cash and card

Where: Kristiano on Google Maps

Best Burgers in Saranda

Nomads

Nomads has the best burgers in town. When they first opened, they were the only place in Saranda doing American-style burgers. A few others have popped up since, but none are as good.

The burgers are delicious and filling. I usually order the Big Momma, a beef patty topped with pulled pork, melted cheese and bacon.

It’s so good, but I leave feeling like I won’t need to eat for a week. If you’re craving a proper burger, give this place a try.

Open: May to November

Price range: 1,000 to 1,500 lek per person (about $12 to $18)

Payment: Cash only

Where: Nomads on Google Maps

Coffee and Something Sweet in Saranda

Limani Bar Restaurant

When I first moved to Saranda, Limani was one of the few restaurants open all year, since so many places closed for winter. I came here often for a coffee on the water, some ice cream, or a pizza.

My favorite pizzas are the bruschetta pizza and the four-cheese pizza. I don’t come as often these days, but it’s still a great place to eat, and the prices are still fair.

The best part is that you’re sitting right on the water.

Price range: 500 to 3,000 lek per person (about $6 to $37)

Payment: Cash and card

Where: Limani Bar Restaurant on Google Maps

Sweesh

If you’re looking for something sweet, I love this place. The ice cream is great, but I come here for the blueberry cheesecake.

It comes in the cutest glass bowl with a glass lid. Between the presentation and the taste, it really stands out.

Price range: 500 to 1,000 lek per person (about $6 to $12)

Payment: Cash only

Where: Sweesh on Google Maps

Eating in Saranda in the Off-Season

If you’re visiting in winter, you’ll still eat well. Every place on this list stays open all year except Sirocco and Nomads, which open in May and close in November.

These are just some of my favorites, too. I also like and visit other restaurants that didn’t make this list, so no matter where you end up, you’ll usually find good food.

So even if you miss the places that close for the season, you’ll have plenty more to choose from.

What I’d Skip When Eating in Saranda

I’d love to tell you to just avoid the promenade, because a lot of the restaurants there are tourist traps. But that’s not true of all of them, so it’s not that simple.

Be a little cautious with places where someone stands outside trying to get you to come in. Sometimes that’s a red flag.

Not always, though. Taverna Laberia does it too, and it’s one of my favorite places in town, loved by so many locals. Use it as a reason to look closer, not a reason to walk away.

My other tip is to not spend your whole trip at the fast food spots, unless you’re on the tightest of budgets. The food is cheap and okay, but for just a few more dollars you’ll get a much better meal.

Tipping in Saranda

Tipping isn’t mandatory in Saranda, but it’s always appreciated. Anywhere from 10-15% is a nice tip, and even if you leave less, it’s always good to leave something.

The servers here work so hard, and they deserve a little something at least.

Cash or Card in Saranda

Most of the restaurants on this list take cards, but not all of them. Peta Jon, Sweesh, Bituni, Haxhi, Nomads, Taverna Beni Peshkatari, and Fish Filipi are cash-only, so keep some lek on you. If you need to pull cash, here’s how I avoid ATM fees in Albania.

If You Only Have One Meal in Saranda

If I could only pick one restaurant in Saranda, it would be Marini’s. It covers everything I love: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I’ve never had a bad meal there.

Go for the shrimp linguine at dinner, or the prosciutto omelette if you’re there in the morning.

Marini’s might be my pick because I love their food, but you won’t be disappointed wherever you go. Every place on this list has incredible food, so if you have more time, work your way through the rest.

And if you’re still planning your trip, my guides to where to stay in Saranda, getting from Tirana Airport to Saranda, and my 7 day Albania itinerary will help you fill in the rest.

FAQs About Where to Eat in Saranda