Pazari i Ri Market

You’re now entering Pazari i Ri, Tirana’s New Bazaar, one of the most lively and iconic spots in the capital. Since the early seventeenth century, this area has been the city’s historic commercial heart. In Ottoman times, the old bazaar stretched all the way to what is now Skanderbeg Square, making Tirana a major center for agricultural and craft trade. In 1931, in the name of modernization and hygiene, it was replaced by the “new” bazaar, which continued to operate throughout the communist period before gradually falling into decline after 1991. The revival you see today began in 2017, following a major renovation led by the Albanian architects of Atelier 4, and it has since become a symbol of Tirana’s urban renewal. Take a look around you. The large glass-and-steel structure shelters the fruit and vegetable market, while the warm terracotta-colored ground echoes the roofs and walls of the city’s older neighborhoods. More than a hundred vendors offer fruits, vegetables, cheeses, fish and local products, many coming directly from the Albanian countryside. It’s the perfect place to talk about food. So, what does Albanian cuisine taste like? Albanian cooking is simple, generous and closely tied to the seasons and to local produce. You’ll often come across byrek, a crispy filo pastry filled with cheese, spinach or meat, fërgesë from Tirana made with peppers, tomatoes and melted cheese, and tavë kosi, a classic dish of lamb baked with slightly tangy yogurt. On the stalls, you’ll find djathë i bardhë, a salty white cheese similar to feta, the more mature kaçkavall, olives, olive oil, mountain honey, fragrant herbs and sun-ripened fruit. Meat lovers will recognize qofte, small grilled meatballs, along with a variety of flavorful grilled meats, while the nearby sea supplies fish and seafood, usually cooked very simply to highlight their freshness. To go with it all, you’ll often be offered a glass of raki, the traditional fruit brandy, or a local wine made from Albanian grape varieties. Pazari i Ri is the ideal place to discover, smell and taste the culinary soul of Albania, right at the source, among its producers, flavors and traditions.