Thyme Street Food & Breakfast
Small, young, chef-driven — one of the founders is Nenad Atanasković of MasterChef Serbia. About fifteen seats, no reservations: breakfast or a quick lunch, not a group dinner.
04 — Eat & drink
Eat like you live here.
Zemun is a restaurant town — not because it has many restaurants, but because people sit in them for a long time. Eight addresses within twelve minutes, plus the city for those staying longer.
Lunch is included in the programme (12:30–13:30), so dinner is the meal to plan. For groups of more than six, book a day or two ahead.
Zemun
Eight addresses.
Prices are marked € (up to 1,500 RSD per person), €€ (1,500–3,000) and €€€ (over 3,000, excluding drinks).
All restaurants around Madlenianum on the map ↗
Restoran Naja
A Zemun institution in the pedestrian core, three minutes from the theatre. For an early lunch before the programme or a late one after — the closest thing to eating like a local.
Ćiribu Ćiriba
A proper kafana with a garden and daily cooked dishes. Live music, loud and cheerful — for an informal team dinner, not a business conversation.
Venecija
A renovated house on the Danube with a large dining room and terrace. First address for a bigger group: they take bookings for 20+, and serve breakfast until noon.
Stara Carinarnica
A customs house from 1723, right on the bank. The best fit for a formal group dinner: function rooms, experience with celebrations, and the river in view.
Šaran
A 120-year-old fishermen’s inn with a terrace on the Danube. River fish, cooked without invention. Closed Mondays.
Reka
A big waterside terrace, grill and live music. Evenings only — good for an easy gathering after the event, not for breakfast.
Restoran Gardoš
Beneath the Millennium Tower, with terraces and event halls. If you want dinner with a view over Zemun and the Danube, this is it — book ahead.
For groups
Where to seat twenty people.
Venecija takes bookings for 20 or more and has a large dining room. Stara Carinarnica is the best equipped for a formal group dinner — function rooms and experience with celebrations. Restoran Gardoš has terraces and halls beneath the tower.
Šaran and Naja close on Mondays; on Thursday they are open. Thyme has about fifteen seats and takes no bookings — a breakfast place, not a group venue.
Coffee and breakfast
Before the first session.
Most places in Zemun open between 07:00 and 09:00. If you breakfast at the hotel, the coffee is still better at Mlin.
Kafeterija Mlin
Its own roastery and the best espresso in Zemun. If you need one place for a pre-event meeting, this is it.
Cafeteria Gardoš
A small corner place on the sunny side of Gardoš, near the quay. For the gap between the two halves of the programme.
Rakia Bar Zemun
Serbian brandies and tasting flights, three minutes from the theatre. For one glass after the last session.
Pekara Kale
Glavna 12 (ulaz iz Preradovićeve)
A classic neighbourhood bakery — burek and rolls for the walk to the hall.
Skroz dobra pekara
Modern sourdough and pastries, opens early. Breakfast on the move.
Belgrade
If you go into the city for dinner.
Beton hala and Galerija are about twenty minutes by car. For dinner after the event — close enough, different enough.
Beton hala
Three practical things
Tipping
Ten percent in restaurants if you are happy. In cafés, round up.
Cards
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere. Cash helps at markets and small bakeries.
Booking
For Thursday evening, book a day ahead. For ten or more, two or three days ahead, by phone rather than email.