Vegan in Belgrade: Tips and Tastes

Our friends back in the United States feared we would be enduring the great starvation experiment moving to the land of meat, milk, cheese and butter, where national dishes are heavy on ground and grilled meats (known as ćevapi) and egg and cheese pies.

🥩 🥛 🧈 🥚🧀

We soon learned of the practice of "posno," which translates to "fasting." The Serbian Orthodox fast for certain periods of time throughout the year--usually before Christmas (Božić), which falls on January 7th in The Balkans, as well as before Easter and certain days of the week. The fasting is done forty days prior to each holiday, and entails the avoidance of meat, dairy, eggs and lard.

Honey is considered "posno," but is NOT vegan.

Fish 🐟 (which for some reason Serbs do not believe constitutes as meat 🥩 ) and honey 🍯 are, however, permitted during lentenesque fasts, and are considered "posni," "posno, "posna," "post," "lenten," "fasting" or "ПOСНИ."

If you're vegan like me, do keep that in mind when you are ordering anything labeled "posno."

When in doubt, I print out and carry around a few copies of what I refer to as my "V-Card," and save a copy in my phone's image gallery for added peace of mind. I've shared my V-Cards with many a server, chef and tour guide throughout the Balkans and beyond; this handy trick has spared me many-a-headache and stomachache throughout the years.

The practice of fasting seeks to honor Jesus' sacrifice in his withdrawal into the desert for forty days and forty nights, setting the stage for deep reflection. Other Christians may elect to fast throughout this period, withdrawing from certain foods, festivities, entertainment, alcohol or other vices. Fasting represents the synergy of the mind and soul (pneuma) and the body (soma), and is an important spiritual discipline to guard against gluttony and impure thoughts, deeds and words. True fasting is not meant to be conducted as a form of masochistic suffering, but as a silent joy, followed by increased prayer and charity, repenting of one’s sins and reaching out in love.

Abstaining from food places our minds and bodies in a specific state, an altered or non-ordinary state of consciousness. One could say the senses are seemingly heightened; it's little wonder many holy men experienced such profound ascetic epiphanies during fasts.

Fasting is a tradition present in many cultures and religions throughout the world with about as many variations as a human mind might conceive of.

While Jesus totally abstained from the consumption of any food according to Scriptures, Orthodox Christians choose to fast by consuming simple Lenten products in moderation with great mindfulness.

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I've likely bored you all to tears with the anthropology of food, and so without any further ado, allow me the honor of being your living, breathing North American field guide to surviving as a vegan in this glorious country I've come to love so much and so well-Serbia!

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Recommended Fare and Foodstuff

We'll begin this culinary journey with one of my favorite categories-sweets. I am a sweet fiend, a sugar cat, sugar junkie, and a self-described fruit bat! I'd probably snort powdered sugar if you placed it before me in a tray given the right accoutrements! The amount of glucose fueling my brain is legendary. As a connoisseur with a lifetime's worth of taste-filled experience, I pronounce the following worthy of honorable mention for this highly-esteemed category:

🫐🍓🍒 Sweet Stuff 🍒🍓🫐

🍰 Ćao Šećeru is my favorite vegan patisserie in all Belgrade. It was the first all-vegan sweet shop I happened upon post-long run when embarking upon this grand adventure with my husband overseas. Beyond the nostalgia factor, and my loving adoration of Jelena (AKA Fibi) who works there, make no mistake, my accolades for Ćao Šećeru are given based on merit- the taste, texture, consistency, freshness, innovation, presentation and healthiness variables all factor into my ranking equation. The following images will serve as evidence undergirding my effusive love!

Čoko Limun and Borovnica-pistać cakes, and the Čoko and Manila Mafin from Ćao Šećeru.

A street view of Ćao Šećeru. A pilgrimage was made.

Scroll through the gallery above to browse through their menu.

The choco and manilla muffins in the foreground, while the choco-orange and blueberry-pistachio cake slices pose appetizingly in the background.

Čoko oranž torte and Čoko oranž kapkejk.

Vegan cookie.

Scroll through Ćao Šećeru's Instagram page for more tantalizing "food porn."

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🍰 Rock'n'Raw gets high marks from me as an exquisite vegan sweets shop. Each cake, doughnut, bar and energy ball is gluten and flour free, fully-raw and all flavor. The names of each treat are inspired by the world of Rock-&-Roll:

• The Star Man (David Bowie)

• Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

• She's a Rainbow (The Rolling Stones)

• Cheri Cheri Lady (Modern Talking)

• Light My Fire (The Doors)

• Yellow Submarine (The Beatles)

• Here Comes the Sun (The Beatles)

• A Kind of Magic (Queen)

• Baby I Love You (The Ramones)

• Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones)

• Superstar (Playboy)
  

"Here Comes the Sun" raw vegan carrot cake, Rainbow and Choco Krawfna (doughnuts) and "One Way" cake.

Rock'n'Raw sweets are made in a kitchenratory with great skill and finesse. All unaltered raw materials and an imaginative presentation, spiced with love to fill you with rock and roll energy! A magical taste, courtesy of the sweets alchemist Dejana Popović.

Unaltered raw vegan materials for the alchemy, as highlighted on Rock'n'Raw's web site.

Prepare to embark upon a stellar adventure of chocolate nougat galaxies and nebulae of wild berries. These sweets are always an epic hit with me.

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🍦 Crna Ovca, translates to "Black Sheep," and serves a small, but tasty selection of vegan ice creams, including lovely colorful sorbets and a water-based black chocolate flavor.

The edifice of Crna Ovca, with cozy cushions laid along the windowsill.

Vegan ice cream cone with vegan currant, kiwi and raspberry and vegan chocolate flavors from Crna Ovca.

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🍦 Kolibri Eismanufaktur is a newer Austrian-influenced ice cream shop with exciting, unique flavors including Hokkaido pumpkin, basil, chocolate-cherry sorbet, cinnamon, black cherry, strawberry, nettle and berry, ginger and counting! Every staff member I've encountered has been a delight to speak with--especially Sanja, who explained to me the fascinating and harrowing process of preparing the nettle and berry ice cream. The anguish of taming stinging nettle through many washings and boilings is no simple task for the faint of heart. I have a colossal amount of respect for Sanja after my first (and hopefully only!) run-in with stinging nettle while in Athens. The creativity of this ice cream shop is novel and delicious.

Kolibri's vegan waffle cone, filled with scoops of vegan handmade nettle and berry ice cream, pineapple and ginger flavors.

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🍦 Luff Gelato is another ice cream shop with some good options on a hot summer's day. The cones served are also vegan. The vegan dark chocolate sorbet, fig and pineapple-chili ice creams are splendid.

Vegan dark chocolate, pineapple and chili pepper another vegan flavor and atop a vegan cone from LUFF.

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🍰 Zdrawo Slatko has a wonderful selection of vegan cakes and other sweets, and is located on the second floor of Palilula Market.

Palilulska Pijaca (Palilula Market) from the outside.

Treats pictured above from Zdrawo Slatko:

• Malina torta

• Čoko-moko torta

• Zdrawo slatko snickers

• Kikiriki štanglica

• Bajadera

• Medenjak

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🍰 ŠecerNo features handmade unique raw vegan cakes and treats using natural fruits, such as dates for sweeteners. A fantastic place for those who are vegan, diabetic, vegetarian, fasting or looking to support a small local vendor. Located in Titel, ŠecerNo delivers to Belgrade, Titel, Knicanin, Perlez, Zrenjanin, Kikindi and Novi Sad.

ŠećerNo's Instagram gallery.

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🍰 Bemata 2 features some better-than-decent and very pretty raw vegan cakes, but we found their other dishes to be rather on the lackluster edge of the spectrum.

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🍰 Mandarina Cake Shop, while not strictly a vegan patisserie, serves mono-portions of exquisitely decadent vegan cakes from time-to-time, and is well-worth an investigative detour to check if they have any in stock for the day.

VeGun Tart made of hazelnut filled with dark chocolate, coconut, pistachio cream and blackberry jam. at Mandarina.

Deconstructing and taking a bite out of the decadent VeGun tart from Mandarina.

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🍰 Poslastičarnica Šuma (The Forest) is an in-house bakery and pastry shop located in the heart of the Bohemian quarters of Skadarlija, with some solidly nice vegan cake options, some of which are sugar and gluten-free as well. My personal favorite selection was the Lešnik torta, or broken hazelnut cake, gluten-free and naturally sweetened with dates and dark sugar-free chocolate for crust,

Forest Cake, with marzipan and forest fruit, and the Hazelnut Cake, with lots of hazelnuts and cocoa.

Another vantage point of the above vegan cakes from Poslastičarnica Šuma (The Forest).

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🍲🍴 Cost-effective, Posthaste, Toothsome 🍴🍲

In this category, you will find some delectable delights made-to-order quickly, affordably and tastefully.

🌮 La Taqueria serving up some veganized traditional Mexican tacos, pico de gallo, guacamole, grilled vegetables, beans...and oh-my-goodness-gracious, do they know how to marinate mushrooms! Honestly, the best Mexican cuisine we've tasted throughout our travels abroad.

Their menu catchphrase is more than fitting: "100% Tacos made by Mexicans."

Alambre Ortodoxo from the Veganski section of the menu.

The Vegan Taco Plate from La Taqueria.

Another day, another Vegan Taco Plate from La Taqueria.

A side of guacamole at La Taqueria.

The Veganski section of La Taqueria's menu.

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🌯🥙 Tortilla Casa allows you to create custom burritos, bowls, salads and they have an excellent Scorpion hot sauce.

The anatomy of a jam-packed plant-based vegan burrito with Scorpion Sauce from Tortilla Casa.

A hefty integral tortilla, filled with vegan goodness with double the Scorpion sauce from Tortilla Casa.

Two noteworthy cousins of Tortilla Casa are Burrito Madre and El Camión Loco, a self-described Californian taqueria on wheels. Both of the aforementioned permit patrons to customize their own burritos or bowls with loads of fresh vegan-friendly ingredients.

Some lovely packaging for our Wolt delivery of El Camión Loco. (The Cream Fresca and Cheddar Dip are NOT vegan. James is vegetarian.).

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🥔 🍟 Patatas serves fresh French fries cooked before your very eyes. I enjoy a thick smattering of spicy ketchup, and James and I always look forward to a friendly greeting by our jocular friend, Dean who works there.

One fateful and dark night in the rain, all bundled up in thick jackets, Dean recognized us from across the way, and beamed us a bright smile and hearty greeting. In spite of the other countless pedestrians strolling by, he recognized us from his perch, and committed to one of the most enthusiastic waves we've ever been on the receiving end of!

(Need I say we were FREQUENT patrons?).

Customer service: 20 / 10!

The facade of Patatas in Downtown Belgrade.

A paper cone overflowing with fresh hot French fries and spicy ketchup.

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🥔 Potato's, not to be confused with Patata's above, serves only one thing - monstrous mega baked potatoes filled with customizable toppings (olives, ajvar, mushrooms, corn, beets, pickles or other vegetables).

A vegan mega potato, filled with beets, ajvar, corn and pickles somewhere down there beneath the spread.

Be sure to request a POSNO potato to ensure olive oil is used instead of butter.

"POSNO"packaging encasing the behemoth potato.

Another delightful vegan potato, choc-full of ajvar (a tasty, and more-often-than-not vegan-friendly pepper spread).

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🌯🍚🥢 Sushirrito has some of the finest tasting rice in all Belgrade. They have many vegan options, and allow you to customize a vegan sushi roll or veggie bowl to your specifications.

A customized vegan sushi burrito, with radishes, edamame, carrots, iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, tofu and vegan chili sauce. (And, no, that little globule of rice pictured bottom right did not go to waste!).

They have a wide selection of vegan sauces which aren't at all too salty or boring. The seaweed salad, miso soup and edamame are also vegan.

Seaweed Salad from Sushirrito in Belgrade.

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🥙🥬🍲 Rai Urban Vege has some of the best vegan pad Thai and fresh spring rolls wrapped in rice paper I've ever tasted. They have other menu items too, ranging from stuffed sweet potatoes, rice bowls, plant-based burgers, sweet potato sticks, hummus, curries, salads and raw desserts.

Vegan pad Thai from Rai Urban Vege in Belgrade, Serbia.

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🥙🌯🥗 Hanan Shawarma Jerusalim is a Lebanese restaurant offering vegan dishes including customizable pita wrapped sandwiches with optional fillings including hummus, falafel, tahini, French fries, rice, salads, grilled vegetables and tabbouleh.

VEGAN FALAFEL SENDVIČ at Hanan Shawarma Jerusalim.

Falafel Sandwich meal at Hanan Shawarma Jerusalim.

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Cypress Tacos serves up some vegan Mexican street food including a vegan burrito and taco, vegan falafel salad and vegan tofu salad. If you find you need something sweet to appease your tastebuds, a few steps up the street, and you'll be at Ćao šećeru, which is an absolute, non-negotiable must-taste on your vegan tour through Belgrade.

Cypress Tacos restaurant edifice, with a vegan menu chalkboard on display.

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BašTa salata is a place where you can customize your own vegan salad bowls, with a variety of raw vegan sweet cakes (Be wary: Some do contain honey).

A Tropical Hit Raw (almost) Vegan Cake, comprising of mango, blueberry, cocoa, sword powder, almond, cocoa butter, coconut crumbs, cashew nuts, coconut milk, dates and honey.

A customized vegan falafel and tofu salad from BašTa Salata. Verdict: Not the worst and not the best.

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🍽 🍷 Fancy Schmancy 🍷 🍽

This section features some higher-end gastronomic victuals.

🫒🍷🥕 Radost Fina Kuhinjica, which my husband wrote about last year, has the best atmosphere. Indoor and outdoor seating, with a lovely secret garden, 🧚🏼‍♀️faerie🧚🏼 lights and playful 🐈 cats 🐈‍⬛. From the portions, the service, the ambiance to the taste and presentation, Radost gets high marks from me as an all-around excellent vegan dining option.

Vegan ramen with rice noodles at Radost

Soup of the day at Radost.

Fresh falafel and tofu burgers, with a colorful side salad at Radost.

James' quesadilla at Radost, which can be made-to-order vegan.

Some vegan chocolate cake, well-plated, from Radost.

Above, is a slideshow, featuring the front and back of the menu, and the final image is of the faerie garden outside.

Did I mention Radost has cats in their faerie garden!?! Black cats are said to bring happiness according to some cultural beliefs.

Radost can be a bit hard to find. Look for this open door and head inside.

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🍹🍲🍆 Homa Restaurant is a Michelin star restaurant with exceptional food. While it's not strictly a vegan restaurant, and features a sparse handful of vegan options, your taste buds will thank me.

We were introduced to Homa by our ever-helpful friend, Bojan. If there is something you need to know about Belgrade, this is the guy, and if, by some off chance he doesn't know, you can bet he knows a guy or knows a guy who knows a guy who knows!

Живели! Celebrating a happy reunion with our friend, Bojan, who espouses the belief, "Rakija connects people."

The dishes are next-level good. There are some vegan dishes you may order at restaurants and think, "Oh, this is good," or "Oh, this is really good. I would eat that again," or "Wow, this is supercalifragilisticexpiala-delicious!"

and then...

....there is THE NEXT LEVEL of the spectrum--there is Homa, which falls into the following categorization:

"I'm writing about a meal I had a year ago, and am still impressed with the memory."

A Vegan Steak in "Beurre" Blanc Sauce made of Chickpea Water with Sautéed Spinach in Soy Milk, with Jerusalem Artichoke, Hazelnuts and Leek.

Homa is THAT good.

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Little Bay is a uniquely extravagant and decadently regal fine dining restaurant designed in baroque theatre style, featuring live classical music, jazz and operatic performances.

The restaurant features a surprising array of vegan options, including Mediterranean butter beans on toast, sun dried tomatoes and olives on toast, superfood salads, beetroot falafel starters, grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, tomato and onion salads and French fries, a raw chocolate cake and raw mango and orange cake

Shakespeare once wrote, "If music be the food of love, play on."

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🥢🥗🍶 Moon Sushi & Fusion Food is a pricier asian fusion restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating.

BIG BIG Salad, with veggies and tofu.

Wakame salad at MOON.

Vegetarian sushi (Left), a pile of pickled ginger and the vegan sushi roll (Right).

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🫒🍸 Oliva, a more pescatarian-oriented restaurant, has a designated vegan section of their menu, featuring a vegan burrito, stuffed avocado, tofu kebabs, vegetable risotto in coconut milk, bean, spinach, quinoa and spelt burgers and other innovative options.

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🌽🥗🍰 VegANGELov is a newer all-vegan non-smoking restaurant serving up fresh soups, salads, wraps, burgers, piadine and a wonderfully inventive breakfast and dessert menu.

Falafel Roll at VegANGELov.

Soup of the day: Cold Gazpacho.

My favorite (So far): Magic Mushrooms Piadina, with mushrooms, tofu, olive pates, caesar dressing, salad mix, parsley dressing and lemon vinaigrette.

The vegan Jaffa cake.

Homemade kombucha.

Vegan blondie.

A tasty vegan breakfast, served until about noon.

The Vegan Eataly Piadina.

Another wonderful breakfast option.

A satisfying breakfast.

Nettle and Blackberry vegan ice cream from VegANGELov's partnership with Kolibri.

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🍷🥙🍸 Mama's Shelter is a rooftop bar and restaurant at the top of Rajićeva Shopping Center on the fourth floor at the end of the pedestrian street, Knez Mihailova. There's unique decor, chalked quotes on the ceiling, foosball, ping-pong, free arcade games, colorful umbrellas, chairs and comfy cushioned seats, and an outdoor dining arena with faerie lights illuminated at night.

They offer some vegan or veganizable options--falafel, hummus, grilled vegetables, salads, fries and a raw vegan cake.

Vegetable Poke Bowl at Mama's Shelter

Vegan hummus and pita bread at Mama's Shelter

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Cafe Lavash is a Middle Eastern restaurant, located on the waterfront is another fine dining establishment, featuring hummus, fattoush, falafel, pita bread, basmati rice, grilled vegetables, couscous and a fruit plate.

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🫖☕️🍻🍷Drinks 🍷🍻☕️🫖

🍷🍻 Monk's Bar is a nice, pet-friendly jazz and blues club, done-up retro style in a secluded garden with ambient faerie lights to glimmer the night away. Monk's made the list not only for its ambiance, but for its catiance. Yes, as you may recall, James wrote a special feature on this bar some moon's ago, and its resident mascot--His Lordship Bubi.

Bubi, the cat, sits upon his cushioned throne at Monk's Bar.

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🍷🍻🍸Boho Bar is a hidden gem jungle paradise tucked away inside Kalemegdan Fortress, with bean bag chairs, a hip Bohemian vibe, and--of course--faerie lights. Boho was recommended highly to me by one of my dearest Serb friends. You shall not be disappointed!

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🍸🍻🍷Red Bar is situated on the lovely Skadarlija Bohemian pedestrian corridor, has a lovely terrace, and not one, but two cats for you to enjoy! The prices are quite reasonable and the people-watching is magnificent from such a perch.

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Update: As of Autumn 2022, Apropo no longer exists in the capacity it once did at the physical location listed below:

🐈🫖🐈‍⬛📚 Apropo Knjižara was founded in 2003 as a bookstore on Cara Lazar Street (Number 10), and combines flavorful tea drinking (coffee and lemonade too) and four adorable rescue cats with big personalities--Mifi, Beta, Mica and Pikolina. Recently, there's been a new addition - Leia (quite skittish, and prone to hiding out in the basement, mewing in protest).

Lidija, the proprietor, is a woman of extraordinary grace, class, elegance, refinement and exquisite lovingkindness and compassion. Well-read, with a sharp-mind, curious disposition and love for books, tea and cats, she charmed her way into our hearts and we look forward to visiting Apropo every time we're in Belgrade--sometimes 3-4 times per week!

Apropo from the outside.

Mifi was rescued as a kitten and has lived inside Apropo for 10 years. Named after a bunny from a children's picture book, Mifi loves sleeping and cuddling the most. She was nicknamed "Fatty" because she's a heavy nighttime snacker.

Mifi, vigilant guardian of the areas nearest the kitchen.

Pikolina, a former street kitty who managed to find her forever home in the bookstore during the COVID-19 lockdown. Despite the scars on her eyes, I am told she sees perfectly. Her favorite pastimes include cuddles, naps, snacks and lounging amongst the books. I have yet to enter into Apropo and be denied a good cuddle from her.

My darling, sweet, cuddly Pikolina. Dream well, dear one. I hope my lap is cozy enough for you.

Mica is the guardian of the upstairs couch, and has been living at Apropo since, I believe, 2021. She can be quite persnickety and has some of the most intensely judgey eyes you will find in a cat.

Mica (Pronounced: "Meetzah"), glaring, appraising, and pronouncing judgment upon all who cross her path. She will let you know if she deems you worthy to share her couch.

I was blessed to be chosen by Mica this day and deemed worthy--although the judgment is ever-always-ongoing.

Beta was rescued as a street kitten, and named after the second letter of the Greek alphabet, as she was one among the abandoned litter. Her favorite genre is philosophy, and she can often be found napping in one of the cat beds laying around.

Beta taking a cat nap upstairs.

Apropo also sells some fun gifts for felines, cat lovers, book lovers and other genres of human.

The postcard and bookmark selection is truly top-notch.

Apropo succeeds in creating an ambiance where people can while away a pleasant afternoon tea drinking and reading fine literature corresponding to their field of interest whilst basking in the presence of cat companions.

This is my Happy Place.

I AM ABSOLUTELY BESIDE MYSELF WITH UNBRIDLED DELIGHT!

If you need a hit of oxytocin, stop in for some cat cuddles, a good read and a cup of tea. Apropo has a wide range of genres in-store, and quite a number of unique titles. If you need a quality recommendation, you can always trust Lidija's judgment. She won't lead you astray!

And if you wish to support the cats, feel free to drop some Serbian Dinar (RSD) into the kitty cup near the register before making your way out the door.

Some recommendations from my personal favorites would include:

A Street Cat Named Bob, by James Bowen.

The Secret Lives of Lawrence of Arabia, by Phillip Knightley. (Mica recommends this one too).

Beta and I enjoyed Alicia Dujovne Ortiz's biography of Eva Perón.