Tomahawk Tirane - Four Visits This new restaurant is a hidden gem that will soon become very popular. Excellent quality meat, cooked to perfection, served with minimal fuss, and very clean. The service was warm and friendly, and very attentive. Beautiful outdoor dining decor and furniture, including excellent table heaters to keep you warm during the colder months. They have a great wine list, and the location is also perfect for sitting back and enjoying a long, lazy lunch—fantastic value for money.

Mullixhiu - One Visit A destination and experience restaurant, be warned you need to book to ensure you get a table. We had Mullixhiu on our Google Maps list of restaurants in Albania and decided to celebrate Sal's birthday lunch there; we were incredibly impressed not only for the warm and friendly service but also a big thank you to Bledar for taking the time to share your philosophy and wonderful experiences. The owner and executive chef Bledar's philosophy is to showcase more of Albania's traditional style of food; it truly is authentic, but never. Never have we felt so wonderful after a four-course meal. Bledar was trained at Noma, Pied à Terre, and Le Gavroche, is a member of the Slow Food Cooks' Alliance, and worked alongside an Australian chef in the UK, so they recognised us immediately as Aussies. We were also gifted a beautiful birthday dessert and homemade Rijeka - a perfect birthday lunch. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The food was excellent, and the local wines were great value. We walked out with spring in our step. The food was definitely filling but light and all-natural.

TRIBE Urban Gastronomy - One Visit This restaurant has so much going on, including its location, interior, style, live music, food, and wine list, that it should just work. But it doesn't, unfortunately, the service lets it down. With so much going on you need to be on form, so while the back of house delivers on the food, the front of house fails. The food was incredible. Walking inside, you'll feel like you're in a restaurant on the Las Vegas strip (without the level of service). The edgy decor and design were an unexpected bonus, and the live music was a bonus. We were celebrating a birthday, so we wanted this restaurant to deliver on its promise and recommendations from locals, but it failed. The floor team didn't know their champagnes or wines, and once the restaurant became busy, the servers simply got swamped, and service levels dropped. It took well over 20 minutes to deliver the wine, and there was ample staff rostered. Just to put this into perspective, we paid over €350 for dinner, which is well into fine-dining service levels. Excuse the colour of the photographs; it was the lighting inside.

Vena Vinoteka - One Visit Wine lover heaven. This restaurant/wine bar is impressive, with a fantastic French, Italian and New World wine collection. The staff was very attentive and friendly, and they were also very knowledgeable when choosing your wine. They serve tapas-style meals, and it's simply the best place to share a bottle of wine with friends while discussing life, travel and family.

Padam Restaurant - Three Visits Another restaurant that shows how great the fine dining scene is in Albania. We stumbled upon a perfect restaurant for a long, lazy lunch. The interior design is unique and attached to a boutique hotel (six rooms). Delicious fresh food and the most extensive wine list we've found in years, 500+ wines often in verticals - something for everyone's price range. The Executive Chef is Fundim Gjepali, who started cooking at 14. You'll experience some fine Italian and international cuisine. Super friendly staff went out of their way to explain the wines and food and share ideas on where to visit in Albania. A special thank you to Albi and Alfred for the outstanding service. We loved Padam so much that we have booked ourselves to stay for a few days next week. They have beautiful, cosy rooms with balconies, a great cocktail bar, and a wonderful deli.

Brutal by Flower - One Visit The restaurant's name truly reflects the dining experience at this venue. We had such high expectations for this restaurant; unfortunately, it disappointed us. There are several reasons, from the brutal design (it just feels cold) to the rushed service, where they don't listen to your requests, and the below-par quality of the food (there is no reason to serve cold pasta). The owner was busy focusing on one of the other tables (let's be honest, we're travelling during Covid, so no restaurants are busy). Maybe we caught them on an off day. There are plenty of restaurants to dine in Tirana that are more focused on the quality of the food from the kitchen. We love our long lunches; however, after being bundled within an hour, we certainly won't be coming back, which is a pity as the website's images showed a far different atmosphere and quality of service and food. Sorry for the lack of photos, it just nothing that made us want to take more photographs.

Cafe Botanica - One Visit A cool cafe and bar overlooking the main square, it has a really nice vibe. It's a great place to catch up with friends, enjoy a drink, people-watch, and have some nice casual food. The service was fantastic, warm and friendly, and the food and drinks were high quality. A few pictures of us spent the evening talking to friends and chilling. We can recommend the Negronis.

Padam Boutique Hotel - Five Nights t is a very cool art-deco-style boutique hotel in Tirana. It has a nice fine-dining restaurant and a casual cocktail bar. A very cool art-deco style boutique hotel in Tirana it has a nice fine-dining restaurant and a casual cocktail bar. Perfect central location, the rooms are nice, just the bathrooms are a little small. The only real issue is the breakfast is the same every day, so it becomes monotonous.

Padam Lounge Bar - Four Visits A busy hotel lounge bar gets busy on Friday and Saturday nights. It serves an excellent selection of cocktails. The only downside is the amount of smoke, so be warned. Everyone still smokes inside, which is fine if it's a balmy evening and the roof is open. However, in winter, you can cut the smoke with a knife.

Rea Boutique Hotel - Six nights This magical boutique hotel is in a charming coastal town, Himare, a gem of the Albanian Riviera. If you are looking for a place to check out and relax, you have found it. Rea Boutique Hotel is, without a doubt, the best in Himare. You are spoilt with untouched views, the Ionian Sea surrounded by mountains and located seconds from Prinos Beach, restaurants, and a beautiful boulevard. The rooms are absolutely stunning, spacious, beautifully designed, and furnished. You must book an ocean view with a bathtub. Taking in the view was the most relaxing experience of an evening. The highest-quality linens ensure your uninterrupted, blissful sleep. The rooms all have a sprinkle of fresh flowers in glasses and candles to create a relaxing atmosphere. We were also surprised by Arta with a bathtub filled with fresh wildflowers accompanied by champagne and strawberries (and whipped cream); we felt very special. The breakfasts were a highlight. Each morning, Arta surprised you with her homemade local delights. We loved her freshly baked donuts! She ensures your tummy is fully satisfied, and you won't go hungry for 24 hours. :-) You also dined by the seaside, basking in the morning sun. It was indeed heaven. After a few mornings of doughnuts, we did ask for yoghurt and fruit; the following day, she completely surprised us by fetching milk from a local farmer, and homemade yoghurt was on the menu! Arta and Nestoras are the kindest and most generous owners. They were a pleasure to see each day and felt like family. They should be incredibly proud of their boutique oasis in Himare. Thank you for sharing it with the world. We were also fortunate to meet the architects, who were very kind in driving us from Vlore to Himare. It was great to hear about the project and see it come to life when we arrived. It is definitely award-winning. For your dining, be sure to visit Restaurant Gonia & Arxontiko. They were a culinary delight, offering outstanding wines and the most beautiful owners and their teams. Absolutely precious; we are going to miss it in Himare and are grateful we were able to spend six nights enjoying the peaceful time before tourists arrive for Summer.