Slow Food Permet: the Best Restaurants
When I visited Permet, exploring the slow food scene was one of my priorities. I went to as many slow food restaurants as I could in 4 days.
Permet is the slow food headquarters of Albania, and I was really curious about the whole slow food concept and what the food would be like. I’d been eating at a lot of agritourism restaurants in Albania, but this was my first official slow food exploration.
What is Slow Food in Permet?
Slow Food is a world-wide movement that began in Italy. It’s goal is to protect traditional food culture, local ingredients and sustainable farming. Meals should not only taste good, but support local communities and be regionally authentic.
In Permet, slow food restaurants focus on seasonal produce, homemade dishes and traditional Albanian recipes.
Some restaurants are officially recognised by the Slow Food movement and allowed to display the logo. However, locally sourced ingredients and the farm-to-table approach is the norm in Albania. Even if a restaurant isn’t officially slow food, it probably is unofficially.
Slow Food Restaurants in Permet
All the slow food restaurants in Permet I tried were good, but some were definitely superior to others. I thought the food was better at the restaurants outside of the main promenade and tourist area.
These are the slow food restaurants I visited in Permet:
1. Te Culi
This was my favourite slow food restaurant in Permet. It has a quiet location away from the main promenade overlooking the Vjosa River.
There’s indoor and outdoor dining, and we opted for the outdoor verandah which was charming and had mountain views.
It’s just a small place, and the owner clearly takes a lot of pride in the quality of the food. We had the green salad, ‘pumpkin’ (it was zucchini) and meat moussakas, and lamb soup. Everything was full of flavour and fresh.
We had already left money for the cheque and were out the door when the owner ran to get us and ask us to come back in for a complimentary dessert. The bill, with wine, was 1800 lek ($22 USD)!
I’m really glad he did that, because it was amazing – traditional honey cookies soaked in syrup and topped with whole gliko figs. Gliko are fruits soaked in a sweet syrup and they’re a Permet specialty.
2. Restorant Familjari
I really liked this restaurant too. It’s a close second to Te Culi in my opinion, but my daughter thought this was the best one. The service was friendly, the food delicious and prices reasonable.
The menu is very traditional: lots of soups, salads, local cheeses, traditional Albanian dishes, pasta and grilled meats. Everything we ate was exceptionally good.
The restaurant in located on Permet’s main street, about a 5 minute walk from the promenade. It’s a big space, with a brand new indoor dining room and outdoor terrace. We ate inside because it was chilly that evening.
3. Bar Restorant Aned
This is one of those unofficial slow food restaurants in Permet. They don’t have the slow food designation, but everything served at Restorant Aned is local and home cooked.
My daughter found this one and made me join her for another meal here because she was so impressed. The owner gave her byrek when she came on her own, which was apparently delicious.
This is a very local spot – nothing fancy, but very clean and delicious food. We were there on a Sunday afternoon, and the place started to fill up with local families – a great sign because most Albanians prefer to eat at home.
The owners were very welcoming and seemed genuinely thrilled to have us there. At one point the mama came over and gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek.
The menu is small, mostly grilled meats and traditional dishes – but everything is fresh and locally sourced.
4. Trifilia
Trifilia is the fine dining version of Permet slow food restaurants. It’s also one of the most popular, and we needed a reservation even at the beginning of May for an early dinner.
The dining room is fairly large, but feels cozy with a fire place and lots of natural wood. Service was very attentive, with French music playing in the background.
The food was very good, all traditional Albanian dishes. The baked feta in phyllo with honey was amazing. The house specialty is a slow cooked, stuffed leg of lamb – I saw it on another table and it looked and smelled incredible.
This was the most expensive slow food restaurant we ate at in Permet, but it was also the nicest.
5. Sofra Permetare
Sofra Permetare is another well regarded slow food restaurant in Permet, and I was looking forward to trying it.
Permet was cold and miserable the day we had lunch there, so we ordered hearty traditional food – stuffed eggplant, meatballs in tomato sauce and fried potatoes. The food was very good, but not amazing. The service was also a little surly.
I did enjoy the food, but my daughter and I both agreed it was our least favourite meal. I’d give Sofra Permetare another try, but next time I’d ask the server to recommend something.
6. Restorant Antigonea
I really wanted to eat here, but ran out of time. The menu is the most inventive and extensive of the slow food restaurants in Permet, with plenty of vegetarian options (a rarity in Albania).
Antigonea even serves game (partridge, hare and boar) and frog legs. And breakfast – if you’re there early you can order an omelet or eggs.
The staff are also very friendly – I popped in one day to see about getting an early lunch, but they were still doing breakfast. They were all smiles and urged me to come back later in the day.
How to Get to Permet
I rented a car and drove to Permet from Saranda (part of an agritourism road trip I was doing with my daughter), but you can also take a bus or private transfer.
- Bus: There are direct buses from Saranda, Vlore, Korce and Tirana to Permet. Check the Gjirafa Travel website for schedules (it’s not always 100% accurate – but close enough to give you a good idea).
- Private Transfer: Almost all taxis in Albania offer private transfers between cities. For transfers from Tirana or nearby I use Taxi Landi. Otherwise I get quotes from local taxis by asking them directly.
- Renting a Car: It is convenient to have a car in Permet, so you can explore around the city. It’s one of the most beautiful regions in Albania. I always rent cars through Discover Cars.
Here’s more information on how to travel around Albania.
Where to Stay in Permet
Permet is not a big city and it’s best to stay in the centre, especially if you don’t have a car. I rented an Airbnb in Permet, which I won’t recommend because it wasn’t that good, but I did check out a few highly rated guest houses.
Villa Permet: Charming guest house with 14 rooms in a traditional stone mansion. Quiet location in the old city (narrow, cobblestone lanes), about a 7 minute walk to the main promenade. Beautiful outdoor terrace. Doubles from $100 USD, including breakfast and parking.
Mosaic House: Small, family run guest house in the old city on a cobblestone street. It’s a historic home built in the 1800s, but rooms are updated and comfortable. Rooms from $50 USD, including breakfast. Not a great street for driving (narrow roads), but parking is available.
White Villa: My daughter stayed here for 4 nights (she didn’t like the Airbnb I booked for us) and it turned out to be a great place. It’s a small, new hotel with a fantastic location on the main street. This is the best value in Permet with rooms starting at $29 USD. My daughter’s room had a big balcony with mountain views. No breakfast, but plenty of options nearby.
Last Words on Slow Food Permet: the Best Restaurants
Permet is a bit of a hidden foodie gem. The city has completely embraced the slow food movement with many restaurants actively participating.
Like most Albanian food, the emphasis is on locally sourced ingredients using traditional farming methods (no corporate farms), except the food at official slow food restaurants in Permet is especially good.
