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Cka Ka Qellu - Bronx

4.4 (206 reviews)
Open • 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated 1 month ago

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CKA KA QELLU - BRONX ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Intimate
Romantic
Moderate noise

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Najwa G.

I never tried Albanian food, but I am really glad that I finally did because it was absolutely delicious. First and foremost, the bread that they give you complementary is absolutely delicious with a little bit of olive oil, it is perfect. Second, I got the manti which I have had variations of before, but not with yogurt and baked at that. It was delicious and on top of that the service was great. I'm glad to see that they have more locations as I am not typically in the Bronx and would frequent those as well.

Mixed grill platter of sausages with a yogurt cream and vegetables
Hades P.

Walking into the restaurant makes you feel like you're in Europe. Very cozy and rustic yet elevated. The staff was very friendly and helpful and service was excellent throughout the meal. We have never had this type of food before and the waitress provided some recommendations and after looking over the menu, we tried a few dishes. We started off with a meat dumpling that was very flavorful and served with a yogurt dip. Our main courses were white beans with smoked meat serve with fresh baked bread, and the other dish was a mixed platter sampler of three different meats served with yogurt and a side of vegetables and cabbage slaw. The spices were unique and extremely flavorful. The yogurt added a nice creamy element. For dessert, we tried their traditional homemade cookie covered in a lemon syrup with walnuts and that was a little dense but tasty. An excellent meal. Highly recommend trying.

Top is the sausage dip, bottom is the pepper dip
Fernando F.

From start to finish, this restaurant did an incredible job of preparing the food, making us feel incredibly comfortable, and also giving us a sense of the Albanian culture to the extent that we could establish that over in the Bronx. Our group of six ended up having a little bit of everything from sausage dip and pepper dip to Albanian dumplings to the Mix Grill Platter, and everything that we ordered was delicious. I don't think that we were able to finish everything, and we ended up taking some stuff home. However, it truly felt authentic and It felt real. We also paired that with some Albanian wine, which was delicious as well. it was a very homey location for people to come try some new food and have a hilarious and great time. I'd also be remiss if I don't call out that the bread that they gave was delicious, so light, so airy and that we were begging for more after the first round. They pair so well with the dips that we got and trust that I'll be back for more of that alongside the entire menu.

Cheese Burek
Sandy L.

Packed on a late Sunday afternoon but spacious interior. They were able to seat a group of 7. Entire restaurant is decorated like an old style European cabin. Very cozy and the service is equally warm. The food is great. On the heavy side, a bit oily but not greasy. The complimentary bread is incredible. Crispy crust and an unbelievably soft interior. Their manti is good. Lots of variety in their mixed grill. Burek is good. Their sausage dip reminded me of a no pepper rotel dip

Dessert
Scott B.

It might take an act of congress or a $50 Uber to get to Cha Ka Qellu, but my recommendation is to do whatever it takes to get there. This Albanian restaurant is in Little Italy Bronx, and I'm sure that if you check it out, it will wind up on heavy rotation for you!! You literally can't go wrong with any of their selections! To start, we got the Sausage Dip (with the BEST bread), Mantia, and the Shop Salad. All of these are HIGHLY recommended. See the photos accompanying this post for some mouth watering images of these dishes. For mains, we shared: (1) the Sarma (cabbage leaves stuffed with seasoned ground meat, rice, and fresh vegetables); this is a must; and (2) the Skenderbeg (a crispy veal filet mignon roll stuffed with melted cheese and smoked meat); wow... just wow!!! Note that they don't have cocktails at CKQ but do carry yummy Albanian wine. The red was super tasty and went well with all the food. As for the wait staff, they were all super friendly and knowledgeable about the selections. Final Thoughts: I really, really enjoyed my visit and will definitely return... as soon as I can. I highly recommend you check it out, too!

Albanian coffee
Kawal J.

Excellent service and food. This was our second visit and would visit again. The ambiance is also worth going!

Inside restaurant
Tinesi P.

Want to go to Albania without hopping on a plane? Take the train to this restaurant. I've been to Albania and this restaurant did not disappoint. As soon as you walk in, it has traditional clothing and it just feels like you're in Albania. Unfortunately, I wasn't very hungry so I didn't get to try different things on the menu but what I did have was delicious even warmed up again at home. Our server was knowledgeable because she was Albanian herself and gave us tips on what we should order. I would love to go again. And I do highly recommend it!

Sesame baked cheese
Sarah B.

This place was absolutely incredible. We will definitely be coming back here. They also have two other locations (which we haven't been to, but will definitely go to). First off, stepping into this restaurant was like stepping into an old world restaurant. There's a really rustic, charming vibe that is absolutely transportive. We went for dinner in the middle of the week, so we were the old table while we were there, but the staff was so lovely and attentive. They definitely have a lot of pride for the restaurant and food and I get why. Now on to the food. Wow. The food was amazing and the price was so wildly reasonable. We started with the sausage dip, the pickled pepper, and the sesame baked cheese. The pickled pepper had the perfect bite to it and was a little spicy (think how a banana pepper is spicy) with great flavors for the veggies inside the pepper. The sausage dip was both familiar and interesting and so perfectly delicious. It came with these warm bread roll things that were steaming when we tore them open. The cheese was also nice, especially paired with the bread. We also had the Fli which is kind of like a baked layer pastry dish served with a feta cheese and was so good. Then we had the fasule with suxhuk. It's essentially a white bean stew/soup with a type of sausage in it. This was so hearty and comforting. I could eat a bowl of it in front of the fire on a winter day. It was simple with a depth of flavor that was on point. We also had the grilled octopus, which was cooked well and very delicious. Overall, the meal was an absolute delight and we truly had a great time. Everything from the ambiance to the service to the food to the price point made this place an absolute must visit.

Marinated olives and Mantia
Adriana E.

Went here after work with a few coworkers and ordered a little bit of everything and it did not disappoint. We sat near the front at a beautiful round wooden table. They had cool leather-bound menus and a rustic vibe. The mixed meat platter was flavorful and perfectly seasoned. The grilled octopus? Absolute perfection. The mantia was the STAR of the night for me, along with the olives! so fragrant with orange peel and herbs that I could have eaten them by the bowl. We also tried the Albanian beer that was smooth, crisp, and refreshing. The service was very attentive and provided some great recommendations. Would definitely come back.

Kyle A.

Cka Ka Qëllu is an Albanian restaurant by Arthur Ave in the Bronx, previously well-known as Bronx's Little Italy but in recent years with a more prominent Albanian community. It was my first Albanian dining experience - the restaurant seemed traditionally set up with Albanian decor and (what I'd imagine) music. It was quite easy to get a table for evening dinner though they do take reservations. They have a large dining room in back with numerous tables and decor hung up. The staff were warm, welcoming and quite attentive throughout the meal and helpful for recommendations. The menu offers nice descriptions of dishes and of cultural significance for certain ones as well. I started off with a yogurt dish and bread - the bread seemed fresh out of the oven in being hot and steamy when cracked, revealing a soft interior. The yogurt was light and refreshing and helped balance spices in the mains. For starter I got the Fli- a multilayered pancake slice with layers of crepe that was primarily buttery. It didn't have a strong taste but went nice with yogurt. For the main I got the skenderberg - veal filet mignon stuffed with cheese, a crispy potato exterior wrap and covered in cream paired with potatoes and sliced peppers. This dish was excellent and very filling with strong flavors - tender, juicy meat, creamy hot cheese and cooler vegetables to balance the hot temperature and strong flavors. I was so full I deferred dessert though they have a few options. Overall a great meal with a large menu and great dining experience, I would definitely return! They have a location in Manhattan I haven't checked out, but per the staff that location is basically identical in menu but more expensive.

$23 - gulash
Ashlyn K.

My friend and I decided to check out Çka Ka Qëllu on a Saturday after doing a NYBG trip. We made a reservation for 1:30, and I would recommend making a reservation if you are going at a popular time. The interior of the restaurant is unique, almost like you're in a stone cottage. The decor consists of Albanian artifacts, which is always a cool touch to the dining experience. Our server was extremely helpful guiding us through the menu, as neither of us had a ton of experience with the cuisine. We got the smaller order of the mantia ($11), which were veal dumplings. The dumplings were good, I just wanted a touch more flavor on the meat and a thicker consistency of the yogurt sauce. My friend got the tava kosi ($24), which is a lamb dish. This dish is flavored well, but it is on the saltier side! I got the gulash ($23), which I had a similar critique to the tava kosi. Once I ate the meat and potatoes, the rest of the gulash felt like I was eating flavored oil rather than a soup or stew, so I didn't wipe the bowl clean. The homemade bread helped to balance out the saltiness and sop up some of the liquid. Overall, I thought everything was very tasty, and I would return to try other dishes. Service was exceptional. From the moment we walked in, we were treated with the highest level of hospitality. Because we went on a hot day, we drank a lot of water. There was never a point where our glasses went empty! There were also multiple checkbacks. I would highly recommend checking out Çka Ka Qëllu if you're in the area at the garden or the zoo!

Mixed Grill Platter
Andrew K.

I'd been wanting to try this place for a while and ultimately there were parts I did enjoy but some that I wasn't a huge fan of. -Started with the sausage dip: I don't know the typical texture for this dish but this was much thinner than i would have wanted for a dip. The bread was great, but it was fairly hard to scoop the dip onto the bread. Fair amount of sausage, I guess. - Fli: We were torn between this and the borek but the waiter very much recommended the fli. I'm probably just not a fli fan because I found this to be extraordinarily dense and difficult to eat without much flavoring to compensate. - Tava kosi: The meat of this was nice but the egg texture was similar to Korean steamed eggs but much less firm. The egg to meat ratio also was a bit off. - Mixed grill platter: Easily my favorite dish of the day. I enjoyed all three meats and the yogurt on top, while sparser than I would have wanted, was nice. - Can't say enough about the bread, definitely order seconds. The service was super nice. We walked in easily for a table. The decor was super interesting, quaint but well put together. Ultimately I think it's an interesting place to try for this cuisine.

Mixed Grill Platter
Aldo Q.

This was a surprising experience, as we had expected Mediterranean fare but discovered Albanian cuisine instead. Everything was fantastic - the food, service, and location. I recommend ordering a few plates to share so you can try a little bit of everything.

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15 days ago

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There is a lot a block and a half away. Other than that, it's street parking.

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The Healthy Kitchen

The Healthy Kitchen

4.0
(142 reviews)
1.9 mi
•$$

My love and I came here looking for a healthy afternoon meal. This small eatery is apparently known…read morefor its wraps and juices, so we gave them a try. For drinks, I had the Legally Blonde with oranges, lemon, pineapple, and ginger root. It tasted healthy and not too sweet. I personally wished I tasted more ginger in it. She had the Crush with apple, lemon, orange, peach, pineapple, and a ginger shot. Hers had the ginger and flavors mine was lacking. I went with the Captain Jack wrap with an impossible burger as the protein, vegan mozzarella, sweet potato french fries, lettuce, and bbq sauce. This wrap blew my mind. As soon as I pulled it apart the cheese just stretched across both wraps. The i.possi ke burger and sweet potato fries blended beautifully, and it had just the right amount bbq sauce to not feel over-saturated. I highly recommend it.

I finally stopped in and checked out The Healthy Kitchen. Originally came across THK on Uber Eats…read more While in the area one Saturday morning , I decided to place an order for pick-up. Once alerted that my order was ready, I pulled up and grabbed a metered spot right in front. As I entered, the shop it was empty but the staff was busy working on online orders in the open kitchen. Seating is available at a couple tables and counter top. I grabbed a seat as I waited because my order wasn't actually complete. Staff was pleasant but clearly behind on orders. Once completed I grabbed my order and headed out. I went with the #5. Breezin- strawberry, pineapple, peach, w/ orange juice base and I added banana. Overall a local spot offering healthy options on the go. Just A Note: They are on Uber Eats but they also offer online ordering and you can get 15% off your first order when ordering directly from them.

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Seating
Seating
The Healthy Kitchen
The Healthy Kitchen

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Tasty Choice

Tasty Choice

4.3
(39 reviews)
1.3 mi
•$$

My person rating is two stars. My husband brought home some take out from Tasty Choice. We used to…read moreorder from here regularly. I can tell you that will never happen again because they seem to short patrons. We all ordered rice platters and everyone got decent-sized portions. My lamb kofta was abysmal. They gave me three small, dry ass pieces. Everyone else's platters were full of proteins. If they ran out of kofta they should have given something else or let my husband know. My daughter had a full piece of salmon filet, my husband received lamb and chicken mixed grill and it covered his rice portion, and my son had a full serving of lamb kebab. What they served for my order was obviously missing meat. They don't even give the actual "white" sauce - it's like a low-budget ranch and the hot sauce is probably bottled Red Hot brand. The rice was decent and there was a lot of red onion, cole slaw and tomato salad - much more than there was meat. If they're sending food to the same home, they should do a better job of ensuring that the meals are comparable. This was a terrible thing to come home to, after a long day working with patients. Never again.

This place makes amazing shawarma. The chicken shawarma wrap is my favorite, but I have tried other…read moredishes here, and I must say the quality is excellent. BTW, the wrap makes the shawarma less hefty and helps you taste the meat and sauces rather than get overwhelmed by the bread. So much more interesting a sandwich. Less hefty. More of a delicacy. Their sauces are just great. The side dishes (Hummus, Yogurt, Baba Ghanouj, etc.) are also of high quality and taste great. The baklava is also excellent. I wholeheartedly recommend this place. The place looks like a fast-food restaurant, but the friendly staff and good food make it worthwhile.

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Counter [place orders/rendering]
Counter [place orders/rendering]
My kofta rice platter wurh three small, skinny and dry pieces of crap
My kofta rice platter wurh three small, skinny and dry pieces of crap
Lemon pepper wings

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Lemon pepper wings

Cka Ka Qellu - Bronx - modern_european - Updated July 2026

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