Dodona Cafe Introduce
## Introduction / Overview: A Culinary Gem for Authentic Albanian Flavors in New Jersey
For New Jersey residents eager to explore the rich, traditional flavors of the Balkans and the wider Mediterranean region, **Dodona Cafe** in **Cliffside Park, NJ**, is a true local treasure. While categorized broadly as a **Mediterranean restaurant**, Dodona Cafe specializes in providing an authentic taste of **Albanian cuisine**, a rich culinary tradition that is often overlooked. Patrons consistently praise the food for its fresh ingredients, traditional preparation, and depth of flavor, often noting that it surpasses even meals they have enjoyed in the Balkans themselves.
Dodona Cafe is more than just a place to eat; it's a window into Albanian culture. The atmosphere is **Casual, Cozy, and Quiet**, creating a welcoming environment that feels like a traditional, mini-museum. This is a restaurant where the simple things are done exceptionally well. Their menu features regional specialties that are difficult to find elsewhere in New Jersey, including savory clay pot dishes (**Tava**) like **Muskuj Vici Ne Avull**, and traditional pastries (**Brumrat**) such as **Leqenik**, **Pite**, and the coveted **Fli** and **Mantia**.
Whether you're stopping by for a quick, flavorful **Lunch**, a comforting **Dinner**, or a hearty **Breakfast**, Dodona Cafe serves up dishes that are considered true **Comfort food**. The commitment to quality and authenticity, from their perfectly grilled meats like **Qebapa** and **Mixed Grill** to their rich, flavorful **Great coffee** and delightful **Desserts** like **Baklava**, makes it a highly recommended spot for local families and **Solo diners** seeking a unique and satisfying culinary experience.
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## Location and Accessibility in Cliffside Park, NJ
Dodona Cafe is conveniently located at **529 Anderson Ave, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, USA**. Anderson Avenue is a central and easily navigable street in Cliffside Park, making the cafe highly accessible for residents throughout Bergen County and surrounding Northern New Jersey towns. Its placement allows for straightforward access for those traveling by car or on foot.
For New Jersey drivers, the restaurant provides flexible and convenient parking options, which is a significant plus in a dense area:
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
- Paid street parking
This variety of parking ensures a visit to the cafe is convenient and stress-free. The restaurant's atmosphere is relaxed and accommodating, making it a good choice for all ages, including being **Good for kids**. While specific comprehensive accessibility features are not fully detailed, the environment is welcoming and the focus is on a quiet, comfortable experience for every customer.
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## Services Offered
Dodona Cafe provides essential services that prioritize customer convenience and a high-quality dining experience. Their service model is simple, traditional, and efficient:
- **Flexible Dining:** Offering a warm, inviting space for **Dine-in** service, perfect for enjoying a **Cozy** meal, as well as easy and quick **Takeout** options.
- **Delivery:** Providing **Delivery** services, allowing New Jersey patrons to enjoy their authentic Albanian meals and comfort food in their own homes.
- **All-Day Service:** Serving a full menu for **Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner**, catering to morning commuters, midday break-takers, and evening diners alike.
- **Traditional Offerings:** Specializing in **Small plates** and quick bites like **Qebapa** (skewered ground meat), various **Appetizers** such as **Ajvar** and **Speca Me Gjizë** (peppers with cottage cheese), and daily **Soup Of The Day**.
- **Simple Payment:** Accepts all major forms of payment, including **Credit cards** and **Debit cards**.
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## Features / Highlights
Dodona Cafe's key features revolve around its deep connection to authentic Albanian culture and its high standard for traditional food and beverages:
- **Unmatched Authenticity:** Consistently praised by customers for offering the most authentic Albanian food in the region, with dishes that truly "melt in your mouth" and taste incredibly fresh.
- **Traditional Savory Pastries (Brumrat):** Featuring hard-to-find regional specialties like **Fli** (layered pancake-like dish), **Leqenik**, and **Mantia** (small, folded dumplings), which are local favorites.
- **Clay Dish Specialties (Tava):** Excelling in slow-cooked, rich dishes prepared in traditional clay pots, such as **Sarma** (stuffed cabbage rolls) and **Fasul** (bean stew).
- **Exceptional Beverages and Coffee:** Known for its **Great coffee** that is flavorful and rich, often served with a traditional touch (like accompanying nuts) and recommended with traditional black tea. This is a major highlight for morning and afternoon visitors.
- **High-Quality Meat and Grill:** Serving perfectly seasoned and grilled meats, including **Mixed Grill**, **Grilled Veal Cutlet**, and **Suxhuk** (sausage), which are generous in portion size and high in quality.
- **Cozy, Traditional Atmosphere:** The cafe's environment is described as feeling like a "mini museum," providing a **Cozy** and traditional backdrop that enhances the Albanian culinary experience.
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## Contact Information
To experience the highly rated authentic Albanian cuisine at Dodona Cafe, New Jersey patrons can use the following information:
- **Address:** 529 Anderson Ave, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, USA
- **Phone (Primary):** (201) 793-2612
- **Phone (Mobile/Direct):** +1 201-793-2612
For quick questions about daily specials, the soup of the day, or to place a takeout order, contacting the friendly staff by phone is the most direct method.
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## What is Worth Choosing: The Authentic Albanian Difference
For New Jersey residents, **Dodona Cafe** is unequivocally worth choosing because it provides an **Unparalleled and Authentic Albanian Cultural and Culinary Experience** that is simply not replicated elsewhere. Patrons who have experienced the food both locally and abroad confirm that the quality here is superior—a rarity for specialized, international cuisine in the state. If you are looking to try **Albanian food**, this is the definitive local spot.
The **Traditional Specialties** are the primary draw. The opportunity to enjoy expertly made **Brumrat** like **Fli** and **Burek**—dishes that require skilled, authentic preparation—and deep, comforting **Tava** dishes, sets Dodona Cafe apart from all generic Mediterranean competitors. It’s a genuine taste of the Balkans right in Cliffside Park, offering unique **Comfort food** that is praised for being fresh, high-quality, and worth every penny.
Finally, the entire experience, from the rich and flavorful **Great coffee** served in cute, traditional cups to the incredibly **Friendly workers** and **Cozy, Quiet** setting, contributes to an amazing, well-rounded visit. For a truly satisfying meal that feels like a discovery and a journey into a rich culinary tradition, Dodona Cafe provides the perfect local escape.
Dodona Cafe Menu
Desserts
- Sheqer Pare $7.00
- Baklava $7.00
Grill
- Grilled Veal Cutlet $19.80
- Qebapa (5 Pieces) $9.90
Traditional grilled veal sausages.
- Qofte (3 Pieces) $16.50
Traditional grilled veal flat meatballs.
- Qebapa (10 Pieces) $17.60
Traditional grilled veal sausages.
- Mixed Grill $22.00
Mixed platter of qebapa, qofte and suxhuk.
- Mishi Bardhe Pule $15.00
Grilled chicken breast.
- Mixed Grill Platter $36.00
Qebapa, qofte, suxhuk, chicken, veal cutlet.
- Suxhuk (3 Pieces) $16.00
Traditional Albanian beef sausage.
Tava (Clay Dishes)
- Sarma $17.00
Cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef.
- Fasul $16.00
Soup like traditional dish with beans and onions served with beef or traditional beef sausage.
- Muskuj Vici Ne Avull $27.00
Veal muscles and vegetables cooked on steam served with potatoes and carrots.
- Gullash $16.50
Stew of meat and vegetables served in clay dish.
- Mantia Në Tave $15.00
Traditional Albanian beef stuffed dumplings served with sour cream on clay dish.
Soups
- Soup Of The Day $8.00
Brumrat - (Savory Dishes)
- Leqenik $7.70
Soft cornbread with spinach or cottage cheese.
- Pite $10.00
Burek like savory dish with cheese or spinach.
- Kaçamak $15.00
Kind of corn porridge.
- Fli $8.80
Traditional Albanian crêpe like layers.
- Mantia $8.80
Traditional Albanian beef stuffed dumplings.
- Mixed Brumerat $31.90
Fli, leqenik, mantia, pite.
Appetizer
- Sausage Dip $8.00
Tradicional sausage on creamy sauce.
- Ajvar $5.00
Red pepper spread.
- Pepper Dip $7.00
Sautéed peppers on creamy sauce.
- Patate Te Skuqura $5.50
French fries.
- Speca Me Gjizë $7.15
Pickled peppers stuffed with cream cheese.
- Djath $5.50
Tradicional Albanian cheese.
- Krofne $10.95
Airy homemade doughnuts served with honey and feta cheese.
- Kos $4.40
Homemade yogurt.
Salads
- Sallate Lakre $7.70
Iceberg lettuce, white vinegar and a touch of black paper.
- Sallate Fshati $14.95
Tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell peppers, red onions, black olives and feta cheese.
- Sallate Shope $10.00
Tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and feta cheese.
Dodona Cafe Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Great coffee
Popular for
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Offerings
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Quick bite
- Small plates
Dining options
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Quiet
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
Children
- Good for kids
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
- Paid street parking
- Parking
Dodona Cafe Photos










Dodona Cafe Location
Dodona Cafe
529 Anderson Ave, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, USA
Dodona Cafe Reviews
albanian cuisinehomecevapitraditionalmixed grillturkish coffeebyreksausagedesignbaked
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1If you’re looking for a place to try Albanian food, this is the one. I’ve tried restaurants in Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro, but nothing beats the food here. Every single thing they brought out, me and my family enjoyed to its fullest. Everything was fresh and melted in your mouth. We got a little bit everything on the menu The Burek, leqenik, mix grill, coffee, desserts, all were amazing. I grew up with this food and I can say I’ve never had it as good as this. The service is also incredible, friendly workers, didn’t wait long for the food to come out, and a cozy, traditional atmosphere. Good pricing and worth every penny. Restoranti më i mirë në botë!! Faleminderit shumë
September 23 · Adelina MustaficMy friend and I truly had a great experience here. We had the mixed appetizer and the donuts. Oh and also the sausages. The portions were generous and bread was just high quality. So fluffy and not heavy. The worker was so friendly and even suggested we get the black tea along with the coffee. So yummy and it came with nuts. The coffee is so flavorful and rich. If u go here get one of their drinks! It was nice experiencing Albanian culture. The place felt like a mini museum and we actually went again a few days later😄 Also the cups were the cutest things ever! I recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a gem.
September 22 · Jiye ChoiI have never had Albanian cuisine, so I have nothing to compare. The food was very tasty. The lentil soup was nice, a good onion taste and just the right amount of oil/fat in the broth. I had the mixed grill which was good but I wasn't crazy about the beef sausage. It tastes like a Slim Jim to me. But the veal sausage and meatball was very nice. The bread was sort of a sour dough thick pita mix. Finished with a Turkish coffee. Service is attentive and unrushed.
May 23 · Rob GThis place is a true hidden gem!Best albanian restaurant I even been in entire Usa!The staff are kind, and every dish tastes authentic. The byrek was perfectly flaky, the qebaba were exellent , and the trilece was the sweetest finish. A true taste of Albania 🇦🇱 highly recommended!
September 20 · Nereida AliajIrecently visited Dodona Cafe on Cliffside. While I loved the ambience of the place—cozy, welcoming, and with a beautiful setting—and the staff was genuinely friendly and attentive, the food, unfortunately, didn’t quite meet my expectations.It was my first time trying Albanian cuisine, so I wasn’t sure what to order. We started with the sausage dip and yogurt. The sausage dip was actually pretty good, especially with the hot bread they served it with. However, things went downhill from there. We ordered the mixed grill, and the meat tasted like frozen sausages you'd get from a grocery store. Everything on the plate had a very similar, processed flavor.We also tried the Gullash. It was just okay—nothing special, and there were only a few pieces of meat in it, which was a bit disappointing.On a more positive note, I really enjoyed the berry tea and the Turkish coffee. Both were nicely done and offered a good end to the meal.Overall, while the setting and service were great, the food just didn’t do it for me. Maybe I didn’t order the right dishes, but based on this experience, I’m not likely to return.
June 08 · Yolanda Rodrigues
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