KINO - One Visit A perfect cocktail bar that makes you feel at home has a real Brunswick Street - Melbourne cocktail bar feel. The mixologist makes some mighty fine cocktails and understands precisely what you will enjoy. The team is amiable and makes you feel welcome; the bar is cosy and has some great lo. The bonus is no one smokes inside, winning. We'll be back to revisit this place.

Pastaria 2 - One Visit Fantastic fresh pasta with a menu designed for everyone; you choose your preferred sauce and pasta, with many options. The homemade pasta was delicious. The restaurant is well-designed, with a view of the kitchen and team cooking. Great decor with a modern design. Best value meals are served with a smile from the lovely team. We love finding cheap and cheerful places like this pasta restaurant. It more than delivers on its promise of freshly made pasta, a simple promise often not delivered upon.

HEAT by Calme - One Visit It is truly a restaurant that shows the up-and-coming dining scene in Tirane and a fine dining experience. A very high-quality wine list that compliments the food, with service by a new team that is eager to help, especially when the chef comes out to help with the serving. Chef Adi aims to please and you will not be disappointed, you also receive some beautiful surprises throughout your dining experience that will keep you coming back for more. The meat is perfectly cooked, and the restaurant has a nice interior and friendly vibe. We love the freshness of the meat served in Albania. Excellent value for the delicious food you will enjoy. The desserts were also exceptional treats. Thank you to the team at Heat; we enjoyed our dining with you.

Opium Sushi Restaurant - Two Visits Tirana, you keep surprising us, another restaurant that delivers on service, food, atmosphere and beautiful wine. Opium is located just off a lovely walking street near Skanderbeg Square; the restaurant is full of ambience and great design, surrounded by nature in the city's heart. The food is incredibly fresh, absolutely delicious and great sizing. You will not be disappointed; we opted for a range of dishes to sample the menu, and every dish was mouthwatering. We were surprised to receive a delicious dessert from the kitchen to end our wonderful dining experience. The team was full of personalities, great to chat with, and they provided excellent service. We enjoyed a long, lazy lunch, complemented by Japanese food in Tirane and great French wine.

Gintoneria Cocktail Bar - One Visit Wow, what a find! As the name suggests, this is a stylish cocktail bar with one of the most extensive gin collections I've seen in ages. Unfortunately, they didn't have our preferred choice, so we opted for another one which did provide sticker shock when the bill arrived, our choice was 600ALL per drink and the one we ended up with was 1500 ALL, it would have been nice to have a heads up, especially as payment was cash-only. Beautifully appointed inside and with a separate smokers area, this is a great place to kick back and enjoy a cocktail or two. They also serve bar food, which we did not try but was cheap.

Oriental City Chinese Restaurant - Three Visits Dine-in experience Full disclosure: We ordered takeaway from this restaurant twice and enjoyed the food so much that we decided to visit it. This is some of the best Chinese food we've had in years. The meat is of excellent quality, and the vegetables are freshest. The chef is from the northwest part of China, and the owner is welcoming, as he realised, we had already ordered online from this restaurant a few times. The restaurant was busy, which is always a great sign. With an extensive menu featuring all your favourites, you will want to continue enjoying it. The spring rolls are perfection, so definitely try the beef. It's always nice to mix up your cuisines while travelling, and I loved that we could find such excellent Chinese in Albania. It was a pleasant surprise to receive a dessert from the kitchen at the end of our meal: our all-time favourite, deep-fried bananas accompanied by candied walnuts. We were also impressed with the great value and high-quality wines available. With our meal, we enjoyed a delicious Barolo from Italy. Do yourself a favour and please visit this restaurant you will not be disappointed. Takeaway experience Their online ordering system makes delivery easy, and the food is fast and hot. You won't be disappointed in choosing Oriental City Chinese Restaurant; you will want to continue enjoying the whole menu. The spring rolls are perfection, so definitely try the beef. The stir-fries are very fresh and tasty, too, with high-quality meats. It was always nice to mix up your cuisines while travelling, and I loved we could find such excellent Chinese in Albania.

Luxury Apartment Taiwani 2 - Three Weeks Ideally located in the heart of Tirana, everything is within walking distance. A supermarket is right next door to the apartment. You are steps away from a great strip of essential and clothing shops, including a great selection of cafes and restaurants. It is very convenient, with Blloku only a 10-minute walk away. The apartment is located on the second floor and can be accessed by a lift for those with lots of luggage. Recently renovated with modern and clean furniture, two bedrooms would suit a family with two kids. The beds are very comfortable and have high-quality linens. Fast Wifi is very suitable for remote workers. The apartment is fully furnished, with a kitchen with everything you need to cook meals. Perfect for extended stays, the balcony and bedrooms allow you to enjoy the sunshine daily from noon to sunset. You also have a view of Tirana's hills with beautiful sunsets. Luxury Apartments and the team are a pleasure to deal with and very responsive to all your needs. Excellent value at only €40 per night; we started with seven nights and extended it to 20 nights as the apartment felt like home and was perfect for a more extended stay.

Gzona Restorant - One Visit A restaurant where the service, food, wine and atmosphere all work perfectly. The way the food is presented is unique. Make sure you try the lamb dish if it's available, let's say I'm coming back just for that dish alone. Our waiter had initially lived in Dallas, Texas, which was a surprise, and his enthusiasm was infectious. While the room may seem a bit large when you enter, the food and service remove any concerns you might have about the level of quality and service you will receive. This restaurant is one of the up-and-coming destination restaurants in Tirana. We will be back to enjoy another serving of the lamb.

Radio Bar - Two Visits A great find in Tirana for those cocktail lovers (like us!). We felt like we were back home in Melbourne, from the eclectic design, unique decor to the fabulous cocktails. Large selection of cocktails and endless spirits, definitely you will find your preferred choice, the menu was some great light reading too. The service was incredible. A special thank you, Rei. We loved the cheeky shots and the friendly team. It was a very spacious bar with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor area was also covered with log fires to ensure you were kept warm and cosy. On our first visit, we left a designer scarf behind, and, true to the wonderful Albanians' nature, on our second visit, it was hanging up on the coat rack, waiting for us a week later. It seems popular with the locals and visitors, so you will also be sure to meet some friendly new faces. An outstanding cocktail bar in the heart of the Blokku in Tirana, you won't be disappointed.

Schweizerhaus This place is always full of locals sitting outside under all the chestnut trees. Watching everyone drinking freshly tapped Budweiser Budvar in "Kaisermühlen" was fantastic. It would be best if you tried the one-kilogram of roasted pork.