The 13 best Italian restaurants in Shkoder

Very clean and welcoming atmosphere at this restaurant, and prices were reasonable. I had the spaghetti bolognese which was very good! But as other reviewers said, is a small portion. The pizza was also pretty good. The oven-baked lamb was alright, not ‘wow’. Our waiter was also fantastic and enjoyable to have a conversation with. The salad was great, the rocca leaves seemed to be authentically sourced from their level of natural spiciness. Would recommend for international and halal food

Ate here together with a friend. The waiters were really kind and helped us with everything we needed. The food was very good as well! And the wine... amazing. Thank you so much! Best restaurant in Shkodër in my opinion.

The food, the service, the staff and the ambiance is 10000/5! I planned to get the salad and pasta but the salad was already big for 1 person 🥹 ceasar salad was great! It has generous serving of chicken and cheese as well as the sauce. I had yoghurt and fruits and the combination was perfect! The taste of the yoghurt is not too sweet which i liked. The staff was amazing too! I forgot to ask for his name but he was very nice! He was checking me from time to time and even had a quick chat before serving the food. Lastly, the price is very affordable for a good place like this. I will definitely go back there when I get the chance!! Highly recommended!!! 🧡 Cheers! 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭

Very good restaurant, greatly located in the city centre. They have dedicated parking spots in front of the restaurant so no problem to find a spot for our car. The staff was really professional and our dishes were quick to be served. Everything was really tasty, I recommend this restaurant and it wasn't that pricy.

My biggest disappointment in Shkodra. The pasta was overcooked and the pieces of meat were rubbery like chewing gum. The creme brulee dessert was runny, the wine was too warm. This is the first time I have encountered such terrible food quality in Albania. I strongly do not recommend this restaurant.

The worst restaurant we visited in Albania. Food was medium at best, small portions, and dry meat. Prices relatively expensive for Albania, even though cheaper than rest of Europe. Waiter tricked us with adding dishes on the invoice before we paid - a risotto we got, but not the risotto we ordered. The waiter came with the original risotto, but ended up charging us for both. We even tipped the waiter, out of habit, and ended up with tipping a rude waiter and paying for a risotto we never ordered or wanted. Can’t recommend this place to anyone, and especially to tourists. Other places nearby are a lot better and more professional. Stay away or at least be very sure what you pay for and consider carefully if you want to tip.

We had dinner here twice when we were in Shkodër. The menu is extensive and there is enough choice for everyone. I especially liked the pizza and the grilled vegetables, but the pasta’s are tasty as well. You can sit very comfortably on the terrace, but there is also more than enough space inside. Nicely decorated and very important the service is very good. Waiter Redis made sure we lacked nothing. Absolutely worth it.

Absolutely fantastic experience! The handmade pasta was the best we’ve had – especially the truffle pasta, which was truly outstanding. The appetizers were delicious as well, and the prices were very fair for the quality. Despite being busy, the staff delivered excellent service with kindness and professionalism. A place we would return to without hesitation – highly recommended for pasta lovers!

It tasted like genuine Italian food - as good as any pasta I’ve had in Rome! And gluten-free pasta too! Excellent, attentive, efficient and friendly service. Lovely ambience outside or inside. We enjoyed it so much we went both nights we were in Shkoder!

We followed all the good reviews and we were not disappointed! A helpful waiter recommended to us the truffle pasta and four cheese pasta and bacon. Both were amazing. You have to try this restaurant, the pasta was the best we have had in Albania by a long shot! Loads of vegetarian options as well.

The food was tasty and offered good value for money. We had the arugula salad, beetroot ravioli, and the spaghetti with cream cheese and broccoli. For dessert we tried the tiramisu – it was fine, though not the best we’ve ever had. The location and ambiance are okay. When we were there, the terrace next door was playing football on a big TV, which affected the atmosphere a bit. A nice place if you’re looking for something different from the standard traditional Albanian dishes you can find everywhere.

It was fantastic! They have currently two different vegan dishes - not in the menu, you have to ask for it - they are super friendly and speak perfect English. My girlfriend had spinach ravioli and absolutely loved it as well! I would highly recommend going there. Especially if you are searching for a vegan option (here mushroom noodles).

The food was absolutely delicious!! No notes, it was fresh and great! And pretty affordable (12€ each for lasagne, salad, bread and 0.5L wine).

Delicious homemade pasta. Both the fusili bolognese and the spaghetti carbonara were excellent. However, the Illyrian salad and the tiramisu I wouldn't order again. The restaurant has a lot of space inside and four or so tables outside.

This place is mind blowing! I had the shrimp ravioli and i was love at first bite. It tasted so amazing that I didn’t know how to react. Definitely one of the 10 best dishes I’ve ever had! And both staff and atmosphere is great. And the prices are incredible. Going back tomorrow for lunch and dinner.

An authentic Italian restaurant, with a great atmosphere and excellent service. Don't be confused by the large number of dishes, you will be treated and served on time. The pizzas that come out of the oven are just like in Italy.

Edmond (Blondi) is the absolute GOAT of hosts in Shkodër! If you want to experience warm hospitality and incredible food, you have to visit Pizzeria Italia. We enjoyed: • Grilled salmon with vegetables • Gnocchi alla Sorrentina • Spaghetti tonno • Truffle tagliatelle • Spinach & cheese pita (the star of the night!) For dessert, we finished with a perfectly baked souffle, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. An absolute must-visit in Shkodër!

I can say that this is the only restaurant that has authentic italian pizza in Shkoder because it looks like they use imported Italian products like the burrata. The prices are really good too for the quality and quantity. It's in the center of Shkoder so it is convenient if you can't travel by car.

I had a salad and the pasta with eggplant. Both very delicious, fresh bread on the side. Everything was fresh and the whole burrata on top was perfect. The service like in general in Albania was very fast, super friendly and very lovely. Can recommend - also as a place for a dinner for one. House wine 350lek - nice deal and good amount of wine!

Wow! The restaurant took my attention on Instagram giving a positive modern vibe. We made a reservation in advance with Edmund and when we entered the beautiful green entrance, we were welcomed by the friendly staff and Edmund immediately noticed us and welcomed us all. Our table was placed outside which I would highly recommend (but make a reservation). The restaurant is big enough so without a reservation, they will find a nice table for you as well. The menu gives you a lot of choices from local food to Italian dishes. Our waiter for the evening was really professional and kept a great eye on us all the time. Edmund checked in with all tables constantly and made sure his guests were happy. The food was the best we have tasted for a long time. The pepe verde was unbelievable but also the pastas and salads were very tasty and highly culinary.   On advice of our waiter we shared a carpaccio and a salad as these were enormous. We took a bottle of Albanian red wine which blowed us away. Fantastic. If you visit Skhoder make sure have lunch or dinner in this place. We went twice...

Great pizza, cold German beer on draft, fresh salad and nice ambiance in the outside seating area.

We visited Atelier Restaurant and enjoyed one of a kind culinary experience. The food is amazing, the ambiance and service are top notch. The Chef is at Michelin level in creativity, and flavor. The photos don’t do justice, but I added them anyway. We hope to see this restaurant in the Michelin Guide soon. Needless to say, we highly recommend it.

Small place with three rooms right in the centre/walking distance from the long distance busses. Be aware that it will get loud on a summer evening with live music from restaurants and bars. The bathroom shows lack of maintenance and poor craftsmanship (wobbly sink that was just glued to a shelf, loose screws inside the shower, wrong type of silicone which peeled off), but everything is clean. If you can live with those kind of issues you will meet staff that put great effort into making your stay pleasant, will give you advice on what to do and if you ask getting vegetarian breakfast is possible here as well.

This review is for the hotel only; we didn't eat in the restaurant. Pros: Friendly, helpful staff; nice fresh decor; AC; convenient location; excellent beds, comfy mattresses and pillows; breakfast supplied even though we had to leave very early (sandwiches to take away). Cons: It's extremely noisy at night. The restaurant plays music and the rooms are right above a courtyard full of people eating and drinking. I routinely use earplugs but the vibrations cut right through and kept me awake. The room itself also had old wooden floors which shake and wobble when you walk on them, so if you're in bed and your roommate is walking around, forget about getting any sleep. It's a shame because the hotel itself is really lovely, but I wouldn't stay again because of the noise.

Very tranquil garden setting with a stylish interior and excellent service. We had the octopus, salmon tartare, salmon fillet, and tuna fillet — all were beautifully prepared and full of flavor. The location is right in the heart of the city, with a great atmosphere as soon as you step outside. A well-balanced spot for a relaxed but high-quality meal.

We found this beautiful patio when strolling around the city, the menu looked promising so we made a reservation for that evening. To sum our evening up in one word, magnificent. The food was incredible, the portions were spot on, service was with a big smile and very professional. All in all we had a wonderful evening, so good we booked a reservation for the day after. If you find this gem, don’t hesitate and send them a message on Instagram and make a reservation!

We loved our stay. Clean room, good service and price. And the location it’s amazing. We didn’t try the restaurant. But as we need to leave super early they made a takeaway breakfast for us. And was so good. Ps: as it’s in the center, at night it’s super booze in the room.

We found this hidden gem after a long walk through all the pedestrian streets in Shkoder and loved it so much we went back on our only other night in the city. The little courtyard restaurant was absolutely gorgeous, and the food matched perfectly. Night one we had a their red wine braised steak and salmon plates, with an octopus starter. Devine and lovely presentation. Night two we went with their pastas and they were maybe even better. Duck ragu and the truffle pastas (with homemade pasta) were phenomenal. Want some wine? Ask to visit their wine wall and talk through what will work with your meal. An absolute delight all around.

Wonderful enclosed garden location with outdoor and indoor seating. Good traditional food, I really liked the vegetable soup. It has a playground for children and plenty trees for shade. But it is absolutely worth coming here to experience the impeccable service provided by the senior waiter. Flawless. A true pleasure.

This came up as a recommended place for traditional food. I had lamb baked with yoghurt which was delicious but the oven baked lamb with potatoes was pretty dry. Service was slow and lacklustre

Very simply and delicious breakfast, fresh orange juice 10/10

We ordered two lamb dishes but were served beef instead. While the food itself may have been fine, it was very disappointing not to receive what we had ordered. We hope this was an honest mistake and encourage the restaurant to take more care, as customers expect accuracy and transparency in what they are serv

Dood was just okay! I had seafood pasta which the pasta was actually overcooked! Other than that everything's good!

Food was delicious. Had the eggplant salad, Skhodra pie, meatballs in sauce, and grape leaves. Four small plates were a perfect small lunch for two of us. The best food we’ve had in ten days in the Balkans. Super clean, nice atmosphere, and good service.

Restaurant referral by our guesthouse hostess and we enjoyed the traditional fare offered. Food was yummy, service impeccable. Nice place in the heart of Shkodër. It was a quiet weeknight in October with no wait time and almost empty dining room.

Actually good tasting pizza in the heart of Shkodrë. I believe they are a bit understaffed, bc we weren’t sure for quite a bit if it’s self service or not. But the waitress was very nice and the food came quick after all. The pizza could need a little more salt in the dough, I would say.

Tasty wood oven cooked pizza (with halal/kosher everything) and lovely seating by/on the main street of Rruga Kolë Idromeno of Shkodër. Enjoy! They serve pizzas as full or in slices. First, I had 1 beef pizza slice (for 100 ALL) and It was so tasty and delicious, so ordered 2nd slice. 2 slices were enough to get me full, for my late breakfast.

Went for pizza here last night as a group of 4 girls & have all subsequently thrown up with food poisoning - please AVOID!! We shared a Margherita and a Prosciutto so think it must have been dodgy ham :/ Waitress was really lovely but had far too many tables for one person so service was pretty slow too!

We sat outside, at the main pedestrian street, it was crowded with people, staff is friendly and speaks english, but there were so many people and we waited for pizza like 40 minutes. Still, it was very tasteful, with too many olives for my taste. We didn’t ate whole pizza because of weird smell, probably olives, but still, real thing. Plus you can pay with credit card and you can choose beef or pork prosciutto.

Great pizza. We had the spicy hot salami and it was fantastic. Friendly fast service along with the food makes this a 5 star pizza place.

Amazing authentic Italian pizzeria with a great variety of pizzas. There are two sizes for the pizzas, regular and huge. The prices are good and service is great. Would visit again!

Great pizzas on a great location. Would totally recommend this place for pizza lovers. Also the prices were really good. Would like to visit again..

April 2023 Beautiful location, is a wonderful place if you want to escape the city life. Walking around or going for a walk will expand the calmness and reveal the alive landscaping postcards. The wine was ok, the service friendly, the food portions for some dishes small but the price is high so in a way balanced :) If I compare it with the food menu of 4-5years ago the dishes were way better and tastier. The traditional “carp dish” lacked the sauce and was slightly burnt. Overall I do enjoy the place. Mostly to come for drinks and enjoy the beauty of the scenery, great for live music and party. Thank you for your service!

Third time on this place. I cant finish my journey to Shkodra if i dont vizit zogaj B7. Delicious food, magic view of the lake, nice music on the background and you are lost 🧘‍♂️. Great food, sea food, traditional food. Always delicious, its worh the long road you do . Will visit again for sure .

Very nice traditional food with great view of the lake!

Well invested restaurant, nice place,nice view of the Lake. Service was ok but not exellent at all ( as usually it needs for more professionalism). Food generally was well cooked and delicious. Can't rate more than 4 stars ;)

When you are in Shkodra you should try this restaurant ! Very good service and delicious food :)

How can a restaurant in such a beautiful environment being so horrible. Worst experience I had so far in Albania (after living here 3 years). The service wasn't polite and very slow, the food wasn't fresh and cold and came 2 hours after ordering. We got things we didn't order and other things were missing, the fish was dry and like gum, while the chicken was burned. It looked like nothing we got was freshly cooked. N top of bad food and bad service it was even very expensive. You should avoid this place!

Non existent service. Waited for more than 30 minutes simply for the menu and never received it. Left the place after not being served at all. Very rude. I can't review the food as we didn't even have the chance to order. I do not recommend at all!

The service was decent, but the food was underwhelming, nothing terrible, just not impressive. The biggest downside was the wait: about 45 minutes for two fairly simple meals, which felt excessive for what was served. On top of that, the air conditioning was far too cold inside, making it uncomfortable and almost freezing while we waited.

Our favorite meal in Shkodër! We spent 5 weeks in the city and chose M’Shijon to celebrate our 7-year anniversary. The food was excellent - we especially loved the appetizer sampler and were thrilled to finally find a perfectly seasoned, thick-cut entrecote steak. What truly made the evening unforgettable was the service. The staff went above and beyond to make our celebration feel special, even surprising us with music from home and special desserts. Their hospitality, care, and attention to detail turned a wonderful dinner into our favorite memory of Shkodër. Thank you, M’Shijon - we can’t wait to return!

Had dinner here, it was so good. We shared the Albanian traditional dish as started and then had sliced beef as a main course. Both were so delicious.

What a pretty restaurant with seating indoors and out. The outdoor space is a beautiful and intimate courtyard. The prices are higher than other places as it is a 'fine dining' experience in Shkoder. The waitstaff were all warm and pleasant. The food, however, left me hungry and uninspired. I order a salad (average), beef fillet and asked that it be cooked medium well and a glass of delicious local wine. I sent the steak back 3 times to be cooked. The first time it was still bleeding and when cut into was cold to the touch from the refrigerator. The second time it took about 10 minutes to return and it appeared to not have been cooked again. The third time it took almost 20 minutes and when it arrived it had been cooked only on the outside and the inside was still rare and cold to the touch. I decided to eat the cooked areas and then take it home to cook further. The veggies on the dish were all ice cold as they never bothered to reheat/warm them each time I sent it back. My waiter happily wrapped it the steak and along came one of the many stray dogs in the area and so I gave him my beef fillet. The dog enjoyed his meal.

We really enjoyed our dinner at M’Shijon! We kicked things off with the Albanian sampler, which is so good for trying a bit of everything. Then we had the lasagna and cacio e pepe, which were both super tasty. The restaurant was cozy, and the staff were genuinely kind and attentive. Would definitely come back!

Amazing experience! The women that served us was so kind! She switched beers without a question because we didn’t like it as much. The meat was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The red wine suggestion she made was amazing. Thank you! Must try :))

Delicious food and great presentation. The staff were super friendly; the owner was lovely and gave us spot-on advice about the wine. Both the place and the terrace are beautiful, with a really nice atmosphere. We definitely recommend it and hope to come back, it’s really worth the visit.

The pizza is thin with sesame on the edge, crispy and very yummy! Although it looks from the outside like a simple restaurant, we were surprised by the super delicious pizza. Recommended! Has lots of topping options and sizes

Wonderful and delicious pizza. Staff people were very nice. They have meny on English language. Two pizzas are (30cm) 1100 lek (11 euros), beer 250 lek (2.5 euros) and coca cola 180 lek (1.8 euros). They receive euros, but they will give a change in lek's.

Four sizes of pizza, from personal (20cm) to family (60cm). Excellent chain, crispy crust and delicious toppings.

Delicious vegetarian pizza with about seven different vegetables including carrots and eggplant, which I've never had on pizza. Also, it wasn't overly cheesey.

Really it is proper pizza It extremely delicious with high quality ingredients I recommended for pizza lovers to visit

Ordered 2 large size pizza and was shocked at how big it was. The white chicken pizza was delicious but the pepperoni was a little salty. Good enough for a big meal though.

Excellent pizza, great service and a beautiful view of the old center area.

A Hidden Gem by Lake Shkodra – 10/10! One of the most beautiful places I've been to! The restaurant is perfectly located right in front of Lake Shkodra, offering a stunning view that’s both calming and breathtaking — the perfect escape from everyday scenery. The food was just as amazing as the view. I had the crab balls and ravioli filled with crab meat and capesante (scallops) — absolutely delicious! Every bite was full of flavor and clearly made with care. There’s also a unique little corner where you can leave your hat, and a “senduk” (chest) filled with old money from around the world — such a cool touch that adds character and charm to the place. My family was also very happy with their meals, and we all left full and satisfied. We took tons of pictures, laughed a lot, and just had a great time overall. Highly recommended — 10 out of 10. Can’t wait to come back!

A very charming place. Very good food. Large selection of dishes. Friendly and efficient service. The restaurant is nicely decorated. It has a beautiful view of the lake. The beach is below the restaurant.

Good view, good service and good environment. Nice local cuisine. The dessert is offered. We can pay by card. Nothing disappointing here.

Beautiful restaurant with such a taste food. Serjan was very polite and kind. Amazing view. Definitely worth visiting.

We rented bikes and rode along the lake to the old border checkpoint, on the way back we stopped at this restaurant, which is the first one when turning back from the border. It is absolutely beautiful with indoor and outdoor seating. The treatment is great, and the food is lovely. It is great value, and I would highly recommend stopping here.

Was a wonderful experience, but the service did that even better. I had a young lady with some very beautiful eyes - I want to personally thank her for the great service and I hope I see you next year again. Food was amazing- very fresh and a good portion. The view breathtaking as always.

Beautiful view, nice service, but unfortunately the seafood for dinner was not tasty, it smelled terribly, and I've eaten in other restaurants many times.

Nice place

Great pasta, great service and great spot in town. Served by a nice young man whose name started with X but I forget the rest!

"I had the Spaghetti Chicken Alfredo at fiesta, and it was fantastic! The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was creamy and flavorful with just the right amount of seasoning. The service was excellent—our server was friendly and attentive, making the whole experience even better. Highly recommend!

Absolutely superb. Highly recommend. Age is an absolute gentleman.

I really enjoyed my time there it was a wonder experience. The food was very nice and the staff was lovely definitely something i would do again.

It is sad, I wanted to like this place. I ordered the carbonara and it was really bad. Instead of ham, they used pepperoni sausage, and the pasta and cheese tasted cheap, like a cheesy spaghetti that I could easily cook at home. Maybe the rest of the menu is better, but with so many other options in town, I won’t risk it.

"Absolutely loved dining at fiesta! Cozy ambiance, excellent traditional dishes, and top-notch service. Highly recommended!"

Great iced coffee. Shaded patio. Nice big fan. Dropped in to cook off on a crazy hot day.

We ordered pizza and they came fast ,they were well cooked and quite tasty 3.5/5 . They even gave us some fruits and jam in the end and not really crowded when we went . It's worth trying for sure.

We had the marinated and grilled fish platters along with grilled shrimps, and everything was perfectly prepared. As true seafood lovers, we couldn’t have been happier, the flavors were outstanding the good Olive Critrus Taste . The service was excellent as well. Definitely a 5-star experience!

The service was simply amazing - our waiter was increadibly friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable, and he went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. He even gave us some great recommendations on what to order, and we were so glad we took his advice! The food was an absolute masterpiece. Each plate was beautifully presented, and the flavors were out of this world. We tried a few dishes that we never would have thought to order on our own, and they ended up being some of our favorites. Overall, we had an absolutely amazing experience at this restaurant. The service was top-notch, the food was awesome and we couldn't have asked for a better lunch experience. We highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in the region. Five stars all around!

If i could, the service would be 10 stars. The nicest people with genuine interest work here. Food was good, today i went back to get take away, they gave me a free drink while waiting and had a nice talk. Definitely worth to go here!

I visited this place a few years ago but I forgot to leave a review and they deserve it. Food was good, nice location in front of the lake but above all we had dinner and it got late, the waiter offered us a lift because he knew there was no chance to get a taxi back to our hotel. We appreciated so much this gesture. We didn't even ask but they understood we were in troubles. Excellent attention to the customer. We paid ofc, gave a tip let's say. We didn't want to take advantage of it and the guy deserved it because it was also far away

Tasty grilled sea pass and pasta but the shrimp unfortunately wan not cleaned ( Back dark line ) when asked the waiter why shrimp is not cleaned, he said we serve it like this we don’t remove that stuff from shrimp!.

October 2023. Location National Park Romantic Price 10euro+ Been here a couple of times and definitely coming back. Wine pizza and writing in the calmness and beauty of nature makes it perfect. The venue is great for events too. This evening we sat outside so the light was not the best to take photos of the dishes but promise I will add them next time especially the sea food dishes that are the delicacy of this place. The outdoor area was under maintenance as they were pruning the trees and redesigning the garden. We got wine, a simple mixed salad, bruschetta which came crispy and in a pizza shape out of expectation, it was biiiig. Some might prefer it a bit softer and with more pesto, so to find that balance would make up for a great starter. We did not ask for that as we were so much into the conversation, although I am sure that they would have made the adjustments. The homemade instant focaccia was so soft, warm paired so well olive oil, cheese and wine. It was so simple yet delicious, we had a smile from joy. The staff was polite and the chef is really friendly and enjoys what he does. I want to give this place five stars also for the commitment that he has set to himself and his restaurant to offer fresh, natural, organic, bio certified, slow food. So everyone can eat well and live naturally. I see it as a powerful and demanding quest and honorable responsibility. Thank you so much for your service.