Grocery Shopping and Food Delivery in Belgrade: Supermarkets, Markets and Apps

Short answer: In Belgrade you can order food and groceries with Wolt or Glovo, shop at supermarkets like Maxi, Lidl and Idea, and buy fresh produce at green markets like Kalenić and Zeleni venac.

Food is one of the first things you need in a new city. In Belgrade you have three easy options: order with an app, go to a supermarket, or buy fresh food at a green market. This guide explains each one, how to pay, when shops are open, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Food delivery apps: Wolt and Glovo

Two delivery apps are big in Belgrade:

• Wolt (blue app). Restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies and its own grocery shops (Wolt Market).
• Glovo (yellow app). Restaurants, groceries and shops.

You may also hear about Donesi, an older Serbian delivery app. Glovo bought the Donesi brand, and Donesi users and restaurants were moved to Glovo. Today, Wolt and Glovo are the main choices.

How to start

1. Download the app and sign up with your phone number or email.
2. Enter your address carefully: street, number, entrance (ulaz), floor (sprat) and flat (stan). Add the door code if your building has one.
3. Add a note for the courier in simple English or Serbian, for example "Treći sprat, stan 12" (third floor, flat 12).
4. Keep your phone on. Couriers often call when they arrive.

Both apps show the delivery fee before you order. Fees change with distance, time and demand. Both also offer subscriptions with free or cheaper delivery. Check the price in the app; we do not list prices here because they change often.

Paying: cash or card

In Serbia, many delivery orders can be paid in cash to the courier. This is very useful in your first weeks, before you have a local bank card. The app shows which payment methods are possible at checkout. Some restaurants or order types accept card only.

Tips:

• Have small notes ready. Couriers may not have change for big notes.
• A foreign card usually works in the apps, but your bank may charge a fee for foreign currency.
• When you get a Serbian bank account, card payment becomes easier. See our guide to opening a bank account in Serbia.

Grocery delivery

Both apps deliver from supermarkets and their own small warehouses. This is good for heavy items like water, rice and oil. Prices can be higher than in the shop, so for big weekly shopping, a supermarket is usually cheaper.

Supermarkets in Belgrade

Belgrade has many supermarket chains. You will find at least one near most homes.

There are also many small shops called prodavnica or market in residential streets, plus kiosks for bread, drinks and cigarettes.

Useful supermarket habits

1. Bags: plastic bags usually cost a small amount at the till. Bring your own bag.
2. Weighing fruit and vegetables: in some stores you must weigh loose fruit and vegetables and print a price sticker before the till. Look for a scale (vaga) in the fruit section. In others, the cashier weighs them.
3. Loyalty cards: many chains have loyalty apps with discounts. They are free.
4. Bread: fresh bread arrives in the morning. Bakeries (pekara) are everywhere and open early.
5. Labels: most labels are in Serbian. Use a camera translator for ingredients.

Store hours and Sunday

Hours depend on the store. As a rough guide:

• Big supermarkets usually open from early morning until late evening.
• Small shops and kiosks keep their own hours; some work very late.
• Some stores work 24 hours, especially in central areas and at petrol stations.

As of November 2026, Serbia has no national ban on Sunday trading. Most supermarkets open on Sunday, often with shorter hours. Unions have asked for non-working Sundays in retail, and the government has discussed it, so this may change in the future. Check Google Maps or the store's website for current hours.

On big public holidays like 1 January, 7 January and Orthodox Easter, many shops close or work short hours. See our list of public holidays in Serbia and shop the day before.

Green markets (pijaca)

A pijaca (PEE-yah-tsah) is an open food market. It is the best place for fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, cheese, honey and herbs. Prices change with the season and you can often buy small amounts.

Well-known markets in Belgrade:

Most municipalities have their own local market too. Ask a neighbour: "Gde je najbliža pijaca?" (Where is the nearest market?)

Market tips:

1. Go in the morning. You get the best choice. Many stalls pack up in the afternoon.
2. Bring cash in small notes. Some sellers accept cards, many do not.
3. Bring bags.
4. Ask the price before the seller weighs: "Koliko košta kilo?" (How much per kilo?)
5. Taste is normal. Sellers often let you taste cheese or fruit.

Receipts, prices and VAT

Every shop in Serbia must give you a fiscal receipt (fiskalni račun). Since the new fiscal system, receipts have a QR code you can scan to check the receipt with the Tax Administration. Always take the receipt; you need it to return or exchange goods.

Prices in shops include VAT (PDV). The standard VAT rate in Serbia is 20%, and many basic foods have a lower rate of 10%. You do not need to calculate it; the shelf price is the price you pay.

Bottles and recycling

Many newcomers from Europe ask about bottle deposits. As of November 2026, Serbia does not yet have a national deposit return system for plastic bottles and cans. The law allows one, and reports say a national system could start in 2027. Today, only some glass bottles are returnable, mainly for certain beer brands; the shop tells you if a bottle has a deposit (kaucija).

Recycling bins exist in many neighbourhoods. Look for coloured containers for plastic, paper or glass.

Halal food and special diets

Halal meat is not in every supermarket, but you can find it in Belgrade.

• Look for a halal certificate logo on meat packaging.
• Learn the words "svinjetina" and "svinjsko" (pork) to read labels, and "mast" (lard).
• Some butchers and shops in Belgrade sell halal meat. Ask in your community or at the mosque.

For full details, read our guide to halal food in Belgrade. Vegetarians will find beans (pasulj), cheese, eggs and many vegetables easily; vegans should read labels carefully because milk and eggs are common in bakery products.

Saving money on food

Food is a big part of a newcomer's budget. A few habits help:

• Compare chains. Discount stores and store brands are often cheaper for rice, flour, oil and pasta.
• Watch weekly offers. Most chains publish leaflets (katalog) with weekly discounts in their apps.
• Cook in groups. Many workers share cooking with flatmates, which cuts costs.
• Buy seasonal produce at the pijaca. In summer, fruit and vegetables are cheap and very good.
• Order delivery less often. Delivery fees and restaurant prices add up fast.

A first-week shopping plan

1. Install Wolt or Glovo and order your first meal with cash payment.
2. Find the nearest supermarket and check its Sunday hours.
3. Visit a green market on a weekday morning.
4. Buy a reusable bag.
5. Learn ten food words: hleb (bread), mleko (milk), jaja (eggs), pirinač (rice), piletina (chicken), voda (water), so (salt), šećer (sugar), ulje (oil), voće (fruit).

The Hello Serbia app shows halal shops and groceries near you and can translate labels when you are unsure.

Last checked: November 2026. Store hours, delivery fees and payment options change; check the store or app before you go.

Official sources

• Wolt Belgrade
• N1: Glovo announces purchase of the Donesi brand
• Tax Administration of Serbia (fiscal receipts)
• NALED: Serbia still awaits the deposit system for packaging
• Beogradske pijace (Belgrade green markets)

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules, prices and phone numbers can change. We last checked it in November 2026. Always confirm with the official source before you act.