Where to Eat the Best Pishi (Mekitsi) on the Road to Ohrid? Mekicite od Straza, Gostivar, North Macedonia

Who would have thought, “One day, while driving from Skopje to Ohrid in North Macedonia, on the left side of the road, you will eat the best and most unforgettable bake of your life”? Nobody told us until today, we swear. However, when we shared it on our social media accounts, many people said, “Oh, it’s the only place we can’t forget in North Macedonia!” or “I’ve never eaten a better pishi (they call mekitsi in North Macedonia) in my whole life.”

But here we are telling you now. If you do what we say and confirm us, you will understand that a “pishi” has united us despite all our differences. This is what we mean by the unifying power of food at all times!

Now, dear friends, if you have read our previous North Macedonia articles, you will immediately remember that people here love dough, pastry, meatballs, and dumplings and that these dishes are the national dishes of North Macedonia. This mekitsi maker, which took us by surprise one morning with our low expectations, is one of the central and unforgettable dishes in North Macedonia.

In North Macedonia, pishi is called “Mekitsi“. As you can appreciate, even though the common name in Turkey is “pişi, pishi,” it is called by different names in different regions. (For example, pishi is called “Çığırtma” in Kırşehir, “Gödek” in Çanakkale, “Delikli Börek” in Aydın) “Mekicite od Straza” means “Street Pishi Maker” If the place is starting to evoke emotions, we will tell you. This brand was founded in 1942, so it probably started its life as a street cooker, and now they have turned into a “Pizza Hut,” so to speak, on the Gostivar, Ohrid road.

In this self-service restaurant, the whole scenario is based on these deep-fried doughs. The place has been modernized and turned into a fast-food chain. But it has also preserved the complete traditional allegory. If you ask what this allegory is, we will tell you it is the holy trinity of pishi, ayran, and cheese. The mekitsis are big in volume, flatter than Turkish pishis, slightly crispy and juicy inside, but highly delicious. It’s like they are double-fried. If you order a slightly salty cheese, reminiscent of Turkish cottage cheese but less sour, you will be even more cheered. And if you order ayran (not like Turkish ayran, more like yogurt with a reduced consistency) with it, you get the holy allegory and understand what a simple North Macedonian meal can be.

Of course, we took all of the above and were astonished. As soon as we took the first bite and turned the morsel in our mouths, we realized that we had never eaten such a pishi before and would not forget the flavor we had eaten here for the rest of our lives.

It turns out that we’ve accumulated so many mekitsis inside us… None of them were of this caliber. Phew!

Now, dear reader,

If you accept what we have told you as a recommendation, pay attention to what follows. For years, we have understood who/what is the master of a business in food and beverage. We were commissioned for this (Praise be to the Lord of the worlds and all the micro-macro heavens), making us who we are. And this is the master of the science of “Pishi.” If someone says, “I make pishi,” or “I make pishis very well!” or “I’m going to open a bakery. No one does it better than me!!!” they should get up and go and eat a “pishis” – “mekitsis” here first, and then reconsider their ego-based arguments in life.

Yes, that’s it. That’s all for today.

Peace be upon you.

Price: $

Mekicite od Straza
Prevoj Straza, Magistralen pat Kicevo – Gostivar, Kichevo, North Macedonia
Tel: +38975251244