The taverna's terrace with blue railings on a cobbled street in Gjirokastër

The dining room: a drawing of old Gjirokastër on the stone wall, a guitar and checked tablecloths

Trays of spinach pie, cheese pie and moussaka next to a pan of stuffed eggplants

A family-run, traditional taverna in Gjirokastër

Name: Taverna Tradicionale KARDHASHI
Address: Rruga Bule Naipi Dunavat 1, Gjirokastër, 6001, AL
Telephone: +355693667830
Price range: ALL 500–1,000

About the taverna

A family kitchen, serving traditional Albanian food.

Taverna Tradicionale Kardhashi is run by a family, and guests can taste it. The trays come out of the oven full of stuffed eggplants, moussaka and spinach pie. Every guest is welcomed with a small glass of homemade liqueur, and dessert is on the house.

Sit inside under the wooden ceiling, or outside on the terrace by the cobbled street.

The cook on the terrace holding a tray of freshly baked stuffed eggplants

Close-up of stuffed eggplants topped with onion, pepper and garlic

Our menu

Serving up Gjirokastër classics, from qifqi to stuffed eggplants, plus breakfast from 08:30. There’s something for everyone.

Inside the taverna: a drawing of old Gjirokastër on the stone wall, a guitar and checked tablecloths

Bookings

Reserve a table

What guests say

Stuffed peppers, qifqi and trays of pie on a red-checked table, with the dining room behind

Google rating4.7 ★ on Google

Rated 4.7 out of 5 in 5,628 Google reviews. Guests write about the traditional food, the welcoming staff and the free dessert.

Read the reviews

Francisco M.

“A truly wonderful dining experience that feels just like a meal lovingly prepared by your grandmother — comforting, homely, and full of flavour.”

Local Guide · Google review

The dining room with a wooden ceiling, checked tablecloths and shelves of keepsakes

Albi A.

“You can clearly feel that it’s a family-run business. They welcomed us with a small glass of homemade liqueur.”

Local Guide · Google review

From the kitchen

The dishes guests come back for

Google reviews keep naming the same plates: moussaka, stuffed peppers and eggplants, and the spinach pie.

Stuffed eggplant 600 ALL

Patëllxhane të mbushura, listed by Google as one of the taverna’s popular dishes. Baked in the tray under onion, pepper and garlic.
Moussaka 700 ALL

The dish named most in reviews, 138 times. Baked in the tray until golden.
Qifqi 450 ALL

Traditional rice balls, fried until golden.
Stuffed peppers 600 ALL

Speca të mbushura, baked in the oven. Mentioned in 100 reviews.
Lamb with garnish 1500 ALL

Mish qengji, one of the taverna’s popular dishes on Google, served with garnish.
Saganaki 500 ALL

Kashkaval cheese, fried until golden and sprinkled with oregano.