# What should you buy at a Montenegrin supermarket or market, and which local cheeses, hams and wines are worth it?

> Montenegro sells Njegusi prsut, Plantaže wine and Niksicko beer. What to buy, what kacamak is, and why the mountain shelf differs from the coast.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/what-to-buy-at-a-grocery-store-in-montenegro
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-03-31

Montenegro is small enough that the supermarket shelf changes noticeably between the coast and the mountains. **Voli** is the biggest chain, with **Idea**, **Aroma** and **HDL** alongside, and local markets sell produce and cheese by weight. The two regional specialities — **Njeguški pršut** and **Plantaže** wine — are genuinely good and genuinely cheap here.

## Njegusi prsut and the mountain shelf

**Njeguški pršut** is the smoked, air-dried ham from the village of Njeguši in the mountains above Kotor. It is a protected product and it is the thing to buy.

Heavily smoked and saltier than Italian prosciutto, it is served thinly sliced with cheese and olives, or with bread.

**Njeguški sir** is the cheese from the same village, usually a hard sheep cheese kept in oil. Together they are the standard mountain platter.

**Kačamak** is polenta cooked with cheese and cream, and the cornmeal and cheese to make it are both on the shelf.

## Wine and beer

**Plantaže** is the big state winery, based near Podgorica, and its **Vranac** red is the national grape. The premium ranges are better than the entry-level bottles and still inexpensive.

**Krstač** is the local white grape, and it is worth trying if you want something you cannot get at home.

**Nikšićko Pivo** is the national beer, brewed in Nikšić since the nineteenth century, and it is on tap in almost every café inland.

**Rakija** — **loza** (grape) and **kruna** — is the household spirit, often homemade.

## Coast versus mountains

On the **coast**, markets sell fish, olives, figs and citrus, and the supermarket shelf is oriented to seafood and tourists.

In the **mountains**, the shelf turns to cheese, cured meat, potatoes and cornmeal. This is where the pršut and the hard cheeses are best and cheapest.

**Fish** is best bought at a coastal market early, and it is worth knowing that much of what is sold as fresh in summer is farmed.

## Practical notes

**Euros are used**, which makes Montenegro unusually simple for a non-EU country — there is no currency exchange to think about.

**Cards** work in supermarkets and larger shops. Markets and small village shops are cash.

**Voli** has the widest coverage and the largest stores; smaller shops in the mountains carry a narrower, more local range.

The [Nikšić guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/niksic) covers where the beer comes from, and the [Balkans road trip guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/balkans-road-trip-itinerary-croatia-montenegro-albania) covers the regional route.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Njeguski prsut?

A smoked, air-dried ham from the village of Njeguši above Kotor. It is a protected product, saltier and smokier than Italian prosciutto.

### Does Montenegro use the euro?

Yes, the euro is used as the everyday currency even though Montenegro is not in the EU, which removes any need to change money.

### What is the local wine in Montenegro?

Vranac is the main red grape and Krstac the local white, with Plantaže the largest producer.

### What is kacamak?

A polenta dish cooked with cheese and cream, eaten mostly inland and in the mountains.