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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 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.

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.