The Art of Eating with Rakija

So you and your friends have a bottle of rakija on the table, have had a couple of cheeky sips and are starting to feel a little peckish. 

What do foods do you reach for?  Meze.

What is meze you say?  I’m glad you asked.

Meze is a cold platter of foods usually made up of:

• Cheese: Aged, crumbly, and unapologetically salty. Perfect for softening the rakija bite.
• Cured Meats: Ham, proscutto, salami, “suvo meso” — Dried, smoked, savoury, and beautifully bold.
• Pickles & Preserves: Peppers, cucumbers, cabbage or baba’s turšija add acidity to balance the alcohol.
• Bread: Rustic, hearty, and essential.

This is your “warm-up round,” before moving to the main…or you can just continue to top up all night to keep the plate deliciously full.

If you want to move on to something more substantial, it’s time for:

• Roast Lamb or Pork: Smoky, rich, and perfectly paired with rakija. Think of it as a duet in your mouth.
• Ćevapi: Those tiny grilled meat cylinders everyone fights over. Best served with grape rakija for ultimate harmony.
• Sarma: Cabbage rolls stuffed with meat and rice. The acidity goes beautifully with a plum rakija.
• Shopska Salad: fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and peppers drizzled with olive oil, lots of vinegar and topped with cheese.  The prefect rakija salad.

As the evening winds down, sweet flavours and softer spirits take the stage:

• Fruit: Fresh or dried, ideally matching the fruit your rakija came from — grapes, plums, apricots, quinces. Poetic symmetry.
• Nuts & Honey Desserts: Baklava, orasnice, or anything sticky and sweet. A counterpoint to the rakija’s punch.
• Coffee: Technically not food, but recommended if you plan to kick on.

Rakija isn’t just alcohol — it’s culture in a glass. Paired with the right foods, it’s a celebration of flavour, tradition, and everything the Balkans do best.

So gather your meze, pour your shot, and raise your glass. 

Na Zdravje!  May your cheese be salty, your rakija smooth, and your stories unforgettable.