Question Mark - the oldest restaurant in Belgrade

If you want to feel the bohemian lifestyle of old Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the right place for that will be the restaurant "?", the oldest tavern in Belgrade, built in 1823. When the owner named this restaurant a question mark, it was supposed to be a temporary solution, but people soon adopted it as a regular name and this "kafana" (the Serbian name for a restaurant) became more and more popular and known by the name "?" .

Yesterday I had guests from Greece and I came up with the idea of ​​taking them to this restaurant for lunch and walking around the old part of town.

Restaurant Question Mark is more than a restaurant. It is a national cultural monument that has stood the test of time for 200 years.

When you step inside, you feel like you've entered a museum of the past.

It is located opposite St. Michael's Cathedral, so due to its proximity to the church, this restaurant was considered a place where people behaved decently. Even smoking was forbidden out of respect for the church.

This restaurant is a traditional Belgrade restaurant, where distinguished people from the city still gather, as it was 200 years ago. But this restaurant is also visited by all people who like to feel the spirit of old times and try traditional Serbian dishes. Due to its proximity to the Faculty of Applied Arts, the cafe has always hosted students and professors. There are stories that people studied and took exams in the tavern.

This is one of those places where you feel comfortable despite the rush of waiters who can hardly manage to serve all the guests and who, because of their dissatisfaction with the low wages, can be a bit rude. This should not spoil the overall impression because the ambience is very pleasant.

You feel as if you are back in the 19th century. Authentic wooden tables with simple traditional decorations give this restaurant a charm that will make you fall in love with it at first sight.

During autumn, the place is especially charming.

The courtyard offers a view of the top of the cathedral.

During the summer heat, there is always a natural shade here provided by the surrounding trees.

The food is delicious, Serbian, traditional. Our friends from Greece always eat Karadjordje's schnitzel when they come to our place. It is a rolled pork schnitzel, filled with cream, which is also a traditional Serbian product called "kajmak". And we ate mixed grilled meat.

For me, as a lover of old pictures, the pictures of old Belgrade that decorated the walls were particularly interesting.

Our friends liked the restaurant and the time they spent in the oldest house in Belgrade, which is a masterpiece of Balkan style architecture by an anonymous Greek architect. This is a fact that especially impressed them. 😊

If you visit Belgrade, this place will definitely be worth a visit.

Thank you very much for reading.

The images and article are original and mine. The article was previously published on Hive, by me.