Family winery & kitchen
Mifol · Vlorë

Kantina Balaj, Mifol near Vlorë We make wine We set the table

A bunch of ripe white grapes held up in the vineyard at Mifol

A family kantina, wines with character

Kantina Balaj is a family winery and farm-to-table kitchen in the countryside at Mifol, just north of Vlorë. The wine comes from our own vineyard, and the cellar sits inside a former communist-era tunnel.

We make natural wines from local grapes. Our Plithurë, a Shesh i Bardhë from 20-year-old vines on the Plithurë hills, 160 m above the sea, spends 30 days on its skins, ferments on wild yeasts and is bottled without filtering or added sulphites. At the table we keep it simple: fresh, seasonal dishes from high-quality local ingredients.

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Tasting Wine tasting with lunch Tue–Sun, 12:00–17:00 · cellar tour in the old tunnel
Bottle of Balaj Shesh i Bardhë 2022, white wine from Vlorë Shesh i Bardhë 2022 Back label of Plithurë, Shesh i Bardhë 2022 from Vlorë Plithurë 2022 Bottle of Balaj E Kuqe 2019 red wine E Kuqe 2019 Marinated anchovies and fish arranged on a blue-rimmed plate Marinated fish Grilled prawns around half a lemon on a green plate Grilled prawns Grilled meat on a wooden board with salad and red wine From the grill Cured meats, cheese, olives and fried bites on the table Meze board

Come and taste

Join us for a wine tasting with your lunch, then walk down to the cellar in the old tunnel for a tour of the winery. The winemakers pour, explain and pair each glass with something from the kitchen, and our hosts speak several languages.

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From the cellar
& the kitchen

There is no long printed list: the table follows the season and the harvest. This is what usually comes out of the cellar and the kitchen. Ask us what is fresh today.

Ask what's on today
A glass of red wine, cured meats, cheese and olives on an orange tablecloth

From the cellar

Natural wineGlass · bottle
  • Shesh i Bardhë 2022 white, Vlorë
  • Plithurë 2022 Shesh i Bardhë, 30 days on the skins, unfiltered
  • E Kuqe 2019 red
  • Wine tasting with your meal
  • Cellar & winery tour in the old tunnel, with wine pairing
Tomatoes, white cheese, olives and a salad by the window

From the kitchen

SeasonalFarm-to-table
  • Meze plate tomatoes, white cheese, olives
  • Cured meats & cheese on the board
  • Marinated anchovies & fish
  • Grilled prawns with lemon
  • Meat from the grill served on the board
  • Fresh salads & seasonal vegetables
  • Something sweet chocolate cake, fresh fruit, figs in season
Glass-walled veranda with tables and a view of the wooded hills

How to find us

We are in the countryside at Mifol, just north of Vlorë, off the Vlorë–Fier national road. There is no sign at the turn: follow Google Maps to plus code HFWM+G8 and turn onto the gravel road where it tells you to.

Opening hours
Tue–Sun 12:00–17:00 · Monday closed
Phone & WhatsApp
+355 69 295 5247
Address
Mifol, Vlorë County, Albania
At the kantina
Tasting with lunch · cellar & winery tours · wine pairing
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Guests say

“Exceptional kantina! The food, the wine, the ambience and hospitality of the owner were all amazing.”

Suzanne H. · Google

“Food was fresh, simple and delicious with high quality ingredients… And the wine — outstanding!”

Samuela C. · Google

On Google

4.9 4.9 ★ on Google · 184 reviews
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