Really enjoyed the ambiance at our team's first visit to Cka Ka Qellu. It's a well-hidden gem, filled with historical artifacts and authentic music/dishes. Definitely appreciate the staff recommendations on portion sizes, plates to share for the table, and wine pairings. We enjoyed a little bit of everything: dips/salads, traditional grilled meats, roasted vegetables. It's hard to imagine not being able to find something for any type of diet/preference. Would come back again for sure, as they have an extensive list of options to try. Great spot within walking distance of downtown Stamford hotels. read more

I really want to love this restaurant. The atmosphere and music are wonderful, and the interior feels almost like a museum -- beautifully designed with gorgeous decor. The shareable small plates and desserts were both excellent. I think I dream of the cheese pickled peppers, burek, and baklava. Unfortunately, service has been the consistent issue across both of my visits. On each occasion, it was incredibly slow and inattentive, to the point that we skipped entrees altogether after waiting roughly 1.5 hours just to receive our first shared plate. Ordering a bottle of wine felt disorganized, as it seemed to have been forgotten both times. The space and food have so much potential, but the pacing and attentiveness put a damper on the overall experience. read more

Great waiter, great food and great ambiance I went with a large group and they accommodated all 12 of us. I'd definitely visit again read more

Fantastic restaurant! I love the ambiance here. Came here around 4 pm and it was very quiet but started to fill up around 5. Great service. I had the: Village salad- love the dressing Grilled Octopus - amazing Cheese pickled pepper - very good. I really liked it but not as much as the other two read more

See all

Two couples on a friday night at 6. Quickly seated as it wasn't very busy, although by the time we left around 7:45 is was definitely hopping. We loved the decor, the ambiance, even the leather-bound menus. Food was outstanding - starting with the warm bread. The we had the pepper dip and the baked cheese for apps. Among us we had the lamb meat, the Tava Kosi, and a salad. The lamb was so tender and full of flavor. You have to stop in for something different! read more

See all

Fantastic find! The waiter was very nice and helped me pick out an appetizer of the sausage cheese dip and a main of the mantia dumplings. Everything was super delicious and the vibe is seriously fun and almost medieval. I would definitely come back and bring friends for this experience! read more

See all

The food was great and the ambiance was beautiful. I left 4 stars instead of 5 as it was a bit more expensive than expected, but otherwise a great meal. read more

I had dinner at the Stamford location of Çka ka Qëllu (they also have locations in New York), when I was visiting Connecticut with some friends a few weekends ago. We had been eating a lot of seafood and pizza (when in New Haven/Connecticut...), so I'm so glad we did something dinner for dinner one night of our trip to try some Albanian/Kosovan food at Çka ka Qëllu. The restaurant is beautiful - rustic, traditional, charming. It feels like you're walking into a restaurant in another place. I completely forgot I was in Connecticut. The service was great, also - the servers were friendly and helpful (happy to talk you through items on the menu if you're not familiar with Albanian/Kosovan food). We shared several dishes: pepper dip (a pepper and cheese dip), village salad (romaine, tomatoes, red onions, crunchy cucumber, feta cheese, and olives); mantia (golden-baked dumplings filled with ground veal and aromatic spices, served hot with traditional yogurt); leçenik (cornbread made with spinach and three cheeses, served with a rich pepper sauce); tava kosi (a classic Albanian baked dish featurting lamb in a creamy, tangy yogurt and egg custard); and a burek (they offer cheese or meat-filled, and we got the cheese). All the food was good. Delicious, really. I will say that it was a heavy meal. So if you're interested in checking out Albanian/Kosovan food, bring friends! Bring family! It definitely has the atmosphere for a group dinners, and you'll be able to share/try more dishes! We also had some drinks (wine and cocktails), which were good as well. We had a great time at Çka ka Qëllu. It's definitely made me want to try/learn more about Albanian/Kosovan cuisine, and I'd be happy to eat here again or at one of their New York locations! read more

See all

This was truly some of the best food I'd had in 2025. Every single dish that we ordered was incredibly delicious and unlike food you can find elsewhere. I'd most highly recommend the Fli, to share as an appetizer, as well as the Mixed Grill and Skenderbeg as entrees. Service is a bit inattentive and cold, but the atmosphere is nice and the food more than makes up for it. read more

Cka Ka Qellu - Fli - Modern European Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

My first visit to this location was when my in laws came to visit. We had a nice time over lunch with some delicious food. We ordered a little bit of everything. I came here again months later for my birthday celebration with friends over lunch. It was the best time ever. Everything was so good. The food, the cocktails, the energy, all of it. The staff was all friendly and helpful. It was a day to remember :) read more

See all

Great ambiance , waiter and waitress were helpful with what to order as it was our first time there and the cuisine was new to us. We tried a bunch of different items for appetizers & main course which me and my two friends shared everything was delish with our favs being the sesame cheese toast appetizer & the goulash main course. Prices are reasonable. Try it read more

The restaurant and ambience are pretty good! However, the Albanian cuisine itself isn't probably for me. We ordered the stuffed eggplant, a couple of dips. Great experience but not something I look forward to visit again. read more

Visited the Cka Ka Qellu in Connecticut, beautiful interior to the restaurant. Food was delicious salad was perfectly seasoned and dressed. Burek was also good although I asked for a well done Burek it was still soft maybe just a bit too oily. Also got a tres leches no picture of that tho lol. It was classic traditional and very good not to sweet but debatable for $12 a piece. My only complaint and it's probably just a cultural thing waiters never checked up or asked if I needed anything. Stared at them for 5min sitting on their phone before I had to call one over to order dessert. Anyway craving a good Balkan/albanian meal definitely visit if in the area read more

Visited this restaurant before the Trevor Noah Show at the Palace Theater in Stamford, CT. I've got to highlight the restaurants incredible decor and ambiance. It took me back to some of the beautiful old restaurants I've had the pleasure of visiting all over Europe. Great for any adult occasion, but special for date night. Servers were friendly and helpful with the menu. The food is traditional Arminian which I was surprised to find in CT. Will say that getting the food took some time, so bring someone you can enjoy a drink or two and some good conversation with. My buddy is on a high protein diet these days, so we ordered the Mix Grill Platter with basically a variety of meats. We most enjoyed the sausage because it came with a dollop of yogurt based sauce similar to a tzatziki sauce. We enjoyed the other meats but felt that they could also benefit from some sort of sauce or maybe additional spice. Overall, the location and venue was spectacular, but the dish we ate could have benefited from some additional spice or accompanying sauce. Would definitely try again and explore the menu. Cheers! read more

See all

Never had Albanian food before but I quite liked it! The restaurant itself is kind of tucked away but it has a very interesting decor with stone-it was almost castle like. It was a beautiful day so we sat outside and enjoyed the warm weather with music in the background. We tried a sampling of several different things and enjoyed it all. It was fresh, rich and tasty. read more

Cka Ka Qellu - Pepper Dip - Modern European Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

See all

I couldn't be happier that Çka Ka Qellu exists! Walking in felt like being back home. The decor is lovely, and the staff is super friendly. Speaking my native language made the experience even more special. The food? Absolutely delicious! Each dish was fresh and bursting with flavor. I honestly can't pick a favorite because everything was so good. If you're looking for a great meal, I highly recommend checking this place out. You won't leave hungry or disappointed! read more

See all

This was a great dining experience from beginning to end!! The waitstaff was friendly, attentive, and very helpful with selecting the best appetizers and entrees. We always had someone there to help, and never felt rushed. The food was absolutely amazing, and we tried several appetizers and entrees between the five of us. The decor was beautiful, and made us feel like we were on vacation abroad. The stuffed cabbage was out of this world, the cucumber yogurt dip was dreamy, and the filet mignon was tender and delectable. The tres leches dessert was also delicious. I can't pronounce or spell anything else, but it was all exceptional.100% recommend!! read more

We went for lunch since I had rare Saturday off. The location and interior with all of the antiques was stunning. You feel like you're in a castle or special room with these amazing doors! The first waiter was not too helpful and attended to a more crowded part of the room. But then a nice young woman came and greeted us. She helped explain how the dishes were made. This was our first time eating real Albanian food. We loved the Shop salad and the large breads were to die for --hot and delicious! One of the savory dishes with cheese was a little heavy. We also got the Grill plate and the round one which had a little bit of spice was absolutely delicious. For desert, we had a Baklava which was a little different than the Greek version--we preferred this Albanian one. read more

See all

I loved the atmosphere!! Truly amazing decor!! And the food was amazing!! It's was my first Albania experience to my remembrance and I'll will be back for sure!! I asked for recommendations and the server was spot on in everything he suggested. I ordered enough food for five people but I had to try everything!!! read more

See all

Everything was so amazing. We went for Valentine's Day Lunch, and all of our food was to die for. The restaurant is very medieval style and there is a lot to look at while you're there. Definitely a unique and cool experience. read more

See all

Really good food and the seasoning is perfect. Service gets confusing when you have a big table, they brought out some things to the wrong people and seemed to not be able to keep track of who ordered what. The interior is super unique and traditional/vintage, however the bathroom kinda smelled like sewage haha. read more

Cka Ka Qellu Stamford again provided us with another wonderful culinary experience with their excellent Abanian dishes, superb service, and attention to detail in a magnificent setting. We started with the Mantia appetizer (4 pieces) which are rich in flavor. This is also offered as a main course. The Tarator appetizer we had ordered and loved our last visit here, and it may have tasted better this visit. For entrees we chose the Tavi Cosi, a creamy and tangy yogurt with egg custard topped with veal. Such a delicious and unique dish! Quite filling and the lamb was so tender and flavorful. We simply could not ignore the waiter's recommendation, his favorite dish, the Skenderbreg. The meat was tender with a smoky flavor, with cheese and an outer crunch. A parking garage is directly across from this location and reservations are highly encouraged for this popular establishment visited by large groups, couples, families and people of all ages and backgrounds. read more

See all

We had a wonderful time at this restaurant & was really impressed with the ambiance, food, drinks and service. Defrim was our server and he provided great suggestions for our meal and he made the best drinks! Very friendly, attentive and kind. The restaurant is beautiful with a lot of history and artifacts from Albania. We enjoyed the sesame baked cheese, Mantia, Burek, Skenderberg, Mixed Olives and Baklava. The drink I wanted was not on the menu but Defrim was happy to make it for me & did an excellent job. We had a really great experience here! read more

See all

Nice lunch spot in Stamford! The vibe and decor were super cool. I got the Paloma, which was really good--though not sure if it actually had any alcohol. We tried the grilled chicken, grilled meat mix, french fries, and the chicken soup. The bread and soup were the standouts, but the meats were pretty good too. Service was okay. Overall, a very good experience! read more

Cka Ka Qellu - Modern European Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

Service needs to improve. I should not have to wave down wait staff like a crazy person every time I need something. They forgot one of my dishes. Very disappointed read more

I can't believe how good this food is. When it seems like every restaurant is the same these days ("bowls," "flatbreads," "hand-helds"), Cka Ka Qellu is truly different and special. The flavors are intense and exciting- especially the suxhuk (spicy veal sausage) and the Skenderbeg. read more

Cka Ka Qellu - Suxhuk (left) and Sekenderbeg. - Modern European Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

I've never tried Albanian cuisine, and am glad I did. This is a meat-heavy menu, so if that's not your thing, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant. Walking into the restaurant, I was impressed with the décor. The owner invested quite a lot in the space ... more than I would have expected ... making the atmosphere truly inviting. After cocktails at the bar, we were seated upstairs (equally well appointed) and ordered some wine and starters. We shared the Sausage dip and Ajvar, which arrived with freshly baked (and very dense) bread. The dips were lovely but the Mantia (veal-stuffed dumplings) were outrageously tasty. Our server recommended Tasqebap (basically, veal meatballs in a rich sauce), which was delicious, along with Skenderbeg (essentially a friend meat roll), which we also loved. Among the entrees, these were the standouts. We shared the Berxolle Dukagjini (pounded veal and cheese with a dense mushroom gravy), which we liked but not as much as the prior two. Service was good but not exceptional. We ran out of water a few too many times, and even though various servers frequently passed our table, I would have appreciated a little more attentiveness. It was a busy Saturday night so I cut the team a little slack. With three glasses of wine and two cocktails (but no dessert ... to stuffed) the total was $240 (including 20% gratuity) for three of us. Price-to-value ratio was about where it should be. read more

Amazing place! The decor and service were excellent. We were seated right away. Highly recommend the Suxhuk ("Flame-grilled, handcrafted blend of ground veal and beef sausage, served in mazë [like a thick, cheesy bechamel], and with our leçenik cornbread made with spinach and three cheeses, complemented by a rich pepper sauce"). We also tried the Fasulë (white bean stew), which was a bit bland for my tastes. A little too much like canned baked beans. Still, not bad if you're ordering a bunch of dishes to share. The bread that came with the meal was wonderful - hot and crusty, with a chewy interior. The wine list was pretty comprehensive, but beer choices were meager. Just 3 domestic choices that included Bud Lite. The waitstaff is on-point and our food came quickly. The serving sizes were adequate for the prices, which were reasonable. This is the kind of place I would go with a bunch of friends to sample a lot of the dishes. read more

This is a must try hidden gem in Stamford! The venue feels like you are at a friends house for dinner. The menu offers a great selection of traditional Albanian dishes, and everything we tried was flavorful and well-prepared. The lamb and the "byrek" were standout dishes, rich in taste and expertly cooked. Their menu highlights veal in many ways, so be aware if you are not a meat eater, but they do have options for everyone. Their bread was one of the best I've ever had. Service was friendly and attentive. Overall, a great place to try out. read more

See all

I never had Albanian food. The ambience of this place is an amazing, you almost feel like you're not in CT. The service was great and attentive . I had a lamb dish in a roux. We had some tasty apps and fresh hot bread at the table. It's a must try read more

Cka Ka Qellu - Modern European Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

Really special place. Absolutely stunning building made to look like a medieval castle. The waitstaff greeted us and made us feel very welcome. They were helpful to explain the menu to me since this was my first time here. Started off with sausage dip appetizer which came with some magical bread! Next we had the veal dumplings which are soooo delicious. I will be craving this place and will happily drive the 1.5 hours to go back! Lastly we had the Qofte Shari Traditional Albanian ground veal stuffed with kashkaval and kacamak. Truly amazing and unique. Loved the food so much! Had no more room but took a baklava to go! The drinks were made perfectly as well. Run, don't walk! read more

See all

Love this place. So unique and tasty. Good for big parties or date nights. Service is good too.

Very unique spot! The decor is really neat, like in a castle. The food is a bit tricky to understand, as the menu is light on descriptions. Have eaten here 3 times, each time very pleased with the outcome. read more

Great food and ambiance. Unlike other places it's not noisy which is a huge plus! The service was average. The waiter seemed almost disengaged. The food took a long time to come. read more

Beautiful interior, makes you feel like you're out of the country. The vibes were also good, it was a Saturday night and they had live music playing. All of the food came out hot & fresh! The fresh out the oven bread was delicious and huge. Apps were yummy, especially the olives. I loved the stuffed cabbage, it felt like comfort food. Overall I would come back here again, make sure to make a reservation, it gets really busy! read more

See all

This is a restaurant you walk in to and hope the food is as great as the building and decor. It was. The space is open and well decorated. Service was excellent. We split Ajvar to start which is a red pepper spread. It was thick and had great flavor. The bread it came with was amazing. We also split Branzino which we had them filet. It was slightly overcooked so the thinner parts of the fish was a bit dry. But the flavor from the oil and herbs was great. Wine list is very good and well priced. read more

Terrible Experience - Do Not Recommend Our group had a reservation at Çka ka Qellu with clear confirmation that we'd be seated on the main floor, and we even paid a cover charge in advance. When we arrived, nothing we agreed on was honored. The owner Ramiz was completely unacceptable--rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. He spoke to us in a harassing tone, clearly because we were a group of females, and even told us, "If you like it, stay. If not, you can leave." This ruined the night before it even started. We were also misinformed about multiple details, and it was obvious we weren't the only table treated this way. Several other groups looked equally frustrated. The food was terrible, and although our waiter genuinely tried his best, he had no control over how poorly Ramiz and the management handled everything. Absolutely horrible experience. I do not recommend going here, and we will never go again. read more

Awesome in every way. I asked them to swap out a side and they said no. Love when restaurants are so confident in their food they don't even change it. Also, the atmosphere is great. Total Eastern European vibe. Can't wait to come back! read more

Such skill in preparation! All workers were particularly helpful. You can feel comfortable about the hygiene here. The kitchen team clearly excels. I had a delightful experience. read more

Went for the first time last night after stumbling upon it recently. The food was outstanding! The spices, the flavors just incredible! The ambiance is fantastic We felt like we were in another country. The only drawback was the service was a bit slow. Other than that it was an excellent dining experience! read more