Between the two world wars, Knjaževac had five thousand inhabitants and about fifty cafes. One coffee shop per 100 people! This tradition is still kept in the municipality of Knjaževac. Clean natural environment, fertile soil and a traditional form of agriculture, give a firm base for healthy local cuisine and quality local wines.
The cuisine of the municipality of Knjaževac is a mixture of flavors. The manu on the table has been extended throughout the centuries of experience and it traditionally carefully balanced and energetically valuable. Moreover, the local food of the municipality of Knjaževac seems to be able to “breathe and smell” itself. Regardless of the part of the day or the meal time, the local custom is to prepare a “feast” for a guest.
Our hosts will do their best to meet all of the guests’ wishes. Do not miss the opportunity to taste our homemade cheees pie “gibanica” corn bread “proja” with cebbage. The surrounding area of Knjaževac is also famous for exceptional cheeses ( homemade “cottage cheese” and “hard cheese”) and quality “rakijas” of homemade brandies, so be sure to try them and experience their “charms”.
On the table there are rolls called “gužvice” made of herb patience, wild garlic salad and, inevitably, a local fresh cheese speciality called “belmuž”, as a must. Nowhere will you find the roast lamb as delicious as the one prepared and served here. After a delicious appetizer and a high-calorie main course, comes a dessert, a traditional pie with cherries or walnuts (“orešnjak”), traditional biscuits cookies with homemade jam (“vanilica”) and many more sweet delicacies that will complete your pleasure.
Pour all this with some of the quality wines from Knjaževac, assume a comfortable position and together with what you prefere, either the sounds of music or birht chirping, enjoy the sunset, fresh air and local stories, which the hosts will be happy to tell you, of course, if you are eager to hear.
If you visit one of the restaurants, it will offer you grilled specialties, homemade soups, roast lamb and pork, fish specialties and freshly made meals. The whole pleasure will be accompanied and enlarged by pleasant music performed by one of our local bands.
Also, in the gastronomic offer of the Knjaževac region, a special place is occupied by prežolj – a rich patty made of beef served with two slices of toasted bread coated with oil and allspice.
Wine in area of Knjaževac is inseparable from history and tradition. Vineyards are grown with love, and indigenous grape varieties are grown in them, such as prokupac, vranc, plovdina. Burgundy, Smederevka, Italian Riesling, Chardonnay, Semin, Sauvignon are also grown… In the winery “Jović” in Potrkanje, a unique fruit wine made from cherries, named “Višnjica” is designed and invented.
In Knjaževac, there is a belief that when everything is over, God and wine will remain, so its cellermen decided to found the Association of Winemakers so as to take care of the “drink of the gods” together. To foster the spirit of the old times and its traditions, the Wine Museum in Ravna was opened in cooperation with the local Town museum. It owns barrels with the best varieties of wine, a wine shop and antique equipment for storing and cooling wine.
The people of Knjaževac were engaged in viticulture and under Turkish rule. At that time, Knjaževac wine was especially appreciated, and was considered the best Serbian wine under the name “Timočko”.
In 1927, the Viticultural and Agricultural Cooperative was founded here, the third in Serbia at that time. The direct successor of the mentioned cooperative was the company “Džervin”, which was renewed in 2013, and today has been a respectable company of great significance for the entire region.
