Kaffana is a small bar with the biggest of hearts.

Situated along one of Adelaide’s reinvigorated “laneways”, it is a family-run enterprise where the owner, Peter Vujic, operates the bar and Mum runs the kitchen.

Initially opened only as a Serbian bar specialising in the national drink slivovitz (plum brandy), Kaffana has carefully expanded to be one of Adelaide’s must-eat places.

It is a compact venue. A well-stocked bar and high bench-style tables greet people upon entry, while an even smaller room, which could hold about 20, serves as the dining room. Floating wood floors and industrial-type furniture, crafted by the owner himself, are offset by dark artwork and low-hanging lights.

It is groovy and relaxing, with the sheer smallness of the place creating an intimate atmosphere.

On the weekday lunchtime when we visit, it is not busy. However, the owner says it has been steadily gaining popularity with the lunch crowd, and Friday is normally booked out.

The menu is quite large with a heavy emphasis on meat. Cevapcicis, steaks, goulash, burgers and, of course, potato salad are all there, with mains ranging in price from about $20 to $63 for the 1kg steak. There is also a small but decent wine list which even features a Serbian red wine and a vast range of slivovitz.

As a lot of the menu is in the Serbian language, the ever-smiling staff offer to guide diners in their choices.

We choose from a selection of tapas – priced about $10 a plate – some corn bread (proja), fish (riba) and the quail (prepelica).

The riba is delicious – a dense crispy batter coats a juicy and piping-hot nugget of white fish – while the corn bread, which could easily be cake if it were iced, is a simple yet great contrast with the sour cream.

The quail, described as “Mum’s specialty”, is delicious. A coating of lemon, smoke from the grill and a hint of garlic flavours the rich, moist flesh; it is as good as quail gets.

The food is served simply on wooden boards, each dish coming just as the other is finished.

For main, the beef goulash is a humble and warming combination of shredded beef and a paprika-infused broth. As well, a heap of cevapcici is served on a bed of white onion with a side of delicious potato salad, bread and a cabbage salad.

The minced pork and beef is delicious – a slight smoky flavour from the grill is a nice touch, and the onion and cabbage add some acidity.

All the food is extremely well balanced and seemingly true to tradition; it is cooked with care and served simply. It is also apparent that “Mum” and the kitchen have been cooking these dishes for a long time. This is honest, almost homely food from recipes passed through generations.

The service is outstanding; staff are happy, attentive and well versed in the menu. They are all too pleased to guide diners with their choices and take great pride in the food being served.

Peter, who seems to be the glue that binds Kaffana, has the sort of personality that makes you feel like you’ve have known him for years even though you have just met. The food and staff, as well as the small-scale nature of the eatery, make diners feel like they are actually in someone’s home, not a restaurant.

In all, Kaffana is a unique and rewarding journey of generally unheralded home-cooked Balkan cuisine and a unique dining experience not to be missed.

Four out of five

Kaffana
23 Peel Street, Adelaide

Lunch: Weekdays
Dinner: Tuesday – Saturday