From morning breakfast to dinner and a glass of wine, AMADO is conceived as a place that follows the rhythm of both the city and the guest. Behind this new Podgorica address are a thoughtfully designed interior, a team-developed gastronomic concept, a strong reliance on local ingredients and a wine list featuring 56 Montenegrin labels – all with the idea that AMADO should not be a restaurant people visit once, but a place they return to.
Podgorica has gained another new restaurant address, but from the very beginning AMADO, located on Baku Street, has aimed for something more than the novelty effect of a new place in town. The idea is for it to be a restaurant that fits naturally into different parts of the day and different occasions – from a leisurely breakfast and business lunch to a family gathering, dinner for two or a glass of wine with friends. Its founders started with a very simple idea: to create a place where they themselves would enjoy spending time. With good food, a pleasant atmosphere and a relaxed enough rhythm for guests to feel just as comfortable in the morning over coffee and breakfast as they do in the evening over dinner and wine. And the name almost summed up the whole idea on its own. Amado means “beloved” or “dear” in Spanish. A short word that is easy to remember, but carries exactly the emotion they wanted to associate with the restaurant. Because their goal is not for AMADO to be a place people visit just to see what is new, but one they begin to return to. A place that, over time, becomes – their place.
At the heart of AMADO’s concept is the phrase “More than food”. It could easily remain just a well-crafted slogan, but here it reflects a very concrete idea. Food is the foundation of a restaurant, but the experience neither begins nor ends with the plate. It is made up of people, service, wine, music, interior design, lighting, sound and the way a guest feels from the moment they enter until the moment they leave. If one of those elements does not work, the whole story is incomplete. That is why the interior had an equally important place in the project from the very beginning. The concept was designed by architect Anto Brkanović of LU&KA DESIGN studio, while the indoor dining room and terrace together cover approximately 200 square metres. The interior accommodates 60 guests, while the terrace seats another 80 guests. Walls rising to 4.20 metres give the interior a striking vertical dimension and a sense of spaciousness, but the goal was not to create a space that would simply look good in photographs. Great attention was paid to materials, lighting, furniture, wall surfaces and details, while certain elements were custom-made specifically for AMADO. They wanted a space with character – distinctive enough to be remembered, but above all pleasant and functional for everyday use.
A special part of the restaurant’s visual identity is formed by the wall and plaster artworks created by Nataša Bojović. The idea was not for them to serve merely as decoration, but as a kind of tribute to Montenegrin women – their stature, beauty and presence, which, as the AMADO team says, attract attention and win hearts around the world. But just as much thought was given to what guests may not notice immediately.
Acoustics and sound were treated as an important part of the restaurant experience. The aim was for the space to remain pleasant even when completely full, because, as they explain, a beautiful restaurant makes little sense if you cannot have a normal conversation at the table. It is precisely such seemingly small decisions that best explain their “More than food” philosophy.
AMADO was not designed for just one type of guest or one kind of occasion. The idea is for the restaurant to change its rhythm naturally throughout the day: from morning breakfast and coffee, through business lunches and family gatherings, to dinner for two or an evening out with friends. They do not want it to be a place reserved for special occasions. Quite the opposite. Their goal is for guests to be able to drop in spontaneously, eat well, receive good service, feel comfortable and leave with a smile. If that happens, they believe the team has done its job. The ambition to raise the standard of Podgorica’s restaurant scene is there, but they do not want to build it on comparisons with others.
“You do not raise standards by saying you are better. You have to prove it through the quality of the food, service, hygiene, organisation and consistency,” the restaurant team says.
Podgorica is developing and expanding geographically, and guest expectations are growing along with it. Today, diners know very well what a quality ingredient, a good wine and a properly prepared dish are. That is why AMADO pays great attention to the needs and preferences of its guests.
AMADO is not easy to place within a single gastronomic style. Its menu brings together Montenegrin tradition, Mediterranean cuisine, Italian food, dishes inspired by Asia and a contemporary breakfast offering. They did not want to define the restaurant as Italian, Asian or traditional simply because it would be easier to communicate. The breadth of the menu actually reflects the breadth of the entire concept: if AMADO is intended for different types of guests, then each of them should be able to find something for themselves. The foundation is a quality ingredient, a clear flavour and a dish that is not unnecessarily complicated. That is why priganice, homemade pasta, lamb or an Asian-inspired dish can all coexist on the same menu without the need to artificially connect the entire offer through the same sauce or decorative signature. The AMADO style is visible in the quality, presentation and approach to each dish.
The gastronomic concept was created through the joint work of restaurant manager Budimir Andrić and Chef Luka Tomović, who developed the menu as a combination of their experience, knowledge and different perspectives on gastronomy. Together, they tested and adjusted ideas until they arrived at an offer that represents what they want AMADO to be.
Budimir Andrić has been building a career in hospitality for almost two decades, with the last ten years focused professionally on F&B management. He began his career in Podgorica while studying at the same time, and gained significant international experience working in the cruise line industry from 2017 to 2023. He particularly highlights the two years he spent in Croatia at the plant-based restaurant The Botanist, where, he says, he further developed his relationship with ingredients and his understanding of how their quality should be presented to guests. He considers AMADO the largest and most serious undertaking of his career so far. With the trust of owners Ilija and Novak Kaluđerović, he was involved from the very beginning in different aspects of creating the restaurant – from the gastronomic concept and menu development to service organisation, the wine selection and the many details that now shape the restaurant’s identity.
The kitchen’s operations are led by 26-year-old head chef Luka Tomović, a professionally trained chef who graduated from the “Sergije Stanić” Vocational School, specialising in culinary arts. He gained experience at Adriatic Catering, Astoria Lux and Dukley Hotel before taking on the position of head chef at AMADO restaurant. The restaurant describes him as a disciplined, formally trained young chef with a serious gastronomic career ahead of him. Working alongside him are sous chef Miloš Kontić and pastry chef Nina Boljević. A broad menu and a large number of techniques require precise organisation by stations and people who are not limited to just one type of cuisine. It is especially important for the team to function as a whole, because without good organisation a broad menu quickly stops being an advantage.
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Much of what reaches the guest is made directly in the restaurant kitchen. They prepare their own pasta, bread, sauces, ajvar, kajmak and jams, as well as numerous other items, while all meats undergo double heat treatment. This approach is more demanding, but it gives the team greater control over quality and flavour. And that, they believe, is where the difference begins. There is no compromise when it comes to the products that define a dish. Sometimes that means a more expensive ingredient, sometimes more complicated sourcing, and sometimes simply more work in the kitchen. Their philosophy is simple: quality does not and should not require compromise.
Local sourcing is one of the key pillars of the gastronomic concept. According to the restaurant, around 90 percent of the ingredients they use come from Montenegro, except for products that do not grow here or for which there is no domestic alternative of the required quality. Behind that percentage are specific places and producers. Cured meats and dairy products come from Cetinje and Herceg Novi, meat from Nikšić and Bijelo Polje, and free-range eggs from the Sekulić farm in Danilovgrad. Fruit and vegetables are sourced through Voćar Kalja – “Sve što valja”, while olive oil and homemade juices come from Ulcinj, from the Katana farm. The list of domestic suppliers is, they say, even longer, and they plan to give them additional attention in the future. Their position is very clear: there is little sense in talking about local gastronomy while sourcing most products from outside Montenegro. Still, domestic origin is not an end in itself. Imports are used when a certain product is not available locally or when a domestic alternative cannot provide the quality the kitchen requires. Local is the first choice, but quality remains the main criterion.
Special attention has been given to plant-based guests. They did not want the vegan offer to be reduced to one salad or a dish created simply by removing several ingredients from an existing recipe. That is why AMADO has a separate vegan menu. Their position is that if they offer a plant-based option, those guests should also receive genuine choice and a complete, high-quality dish. They believe such an offering is no longer anything unusual, but a standard part of a contemporary restaurant.
Desserts were not conceived as just a few items added at the end of the menu, but as a separate and seriously developed part of the gastronomic offer. They are created by Nina Boljević, AMADO’s pastry chef, whom the team believes already belongs among the leading names of Montenegro’s new pastry scene. One dessert in particular stands out – “Patišpanj by Nina”. It was created within the team and quickly developed an identity of its own. The idea is for it, over time, to become one of those desserts guests automatically associate with a particular restaurant. Not just a dish, but a signature.
If the kitchen builds much of its story around domestic products, the wine list reinforces that philosophy. AMADO currently offers 56 Montenegrin labels from 12 domestic wineries. These include Bogojević, Radević Estate, Rajković, Rakčević, Vukićević, Monte Grande, Brajović, Krgović, Patrimonio, Keković Estate, Priča and Ražnatović. From the beginning, they wanted Montenegrin wines to have a serious place on the list, not merely to serve as an addition to the international selection. They believe Montenegro has enough quality producers for domestic wine to become an important part of the restaurant’s identity. At the same time, the list also includes international labels so that guests have enough choice to suit their own tastes and budget.
Special attention is paid to wines by the glass, using the Coravin system, which allows guests to try several different labels without having to order an entire bottle. The local focus continues through the rakija selection. The list includes Bogojević, KAP, Moračka riznica, Zlateš and Radević Estate. And when it comes to beer, the choice fell on Podgoričko pivo. At AMADO, they see it as a quality local craft product, alongside a selection of bottled and draft beers, once again applying the same rule as with food and wine – the quality of the product matters more than the size of the name on the label.
The restaurant’s philosophy is that service carries the same weight as the kitchen. You can prepare an excellent dish, but if the guest receives poor service, that is very likely what they will remember. Staff are therefore expected to know the menu, ingredients, preparation methods and wines, and to know how to recommend something that suits the guest. But without being intrusive. Service should be professional, but natural. They do not want a stiff relationship with guests or a sense of excessive formality.
When asked whether the ambition is for AMADO to become one of Podgorica’s best restaurants, management’s answer is clear – yes. But with an important qualification. Such a title, they say, is not something a restaurant can award itself. It comes from guests and is confirmed over time. For them, being a good restaurant primarily means being consistent. A guest who comes today and one who sits at the same table six months from now should receive the same quality of food and service. Their long-term ambition goes even further. They believe that within a few years AMADO could become a kind of guide for young people entering hospitality – an example of how a restaurant should be organised and what kind of service a guest should receive from the moment they enter until the moment they leave.
The menu development process involved extensive testing and numerous changes. Some dishes remained very close to their first versions, others were changed several times, while some were discarded entirely. The criterion was very specific: would they themselves order that dish again, and could they prepare it every day to the same standard? Because the breadth of a menu only has value if there is an organisation behind it capable of ensuring consistency. The most demanding part of creating AMADO was not one dish, one piece of furniture or the choice of one wall colour. It was bringing a large number of different elements together into one functional whole. Because a restaurant is not just its interior and it is not just its kitchen. Behind it are people, procurement, procedures, equipment, service, hygiene, organisation and hundreds of small decisions that guests will probably never see. The fewest compromises were made precisely where guests feel the result most directly – in the quality of ingredients, food, space and service.
The first reactions from guests, the AMADO team says, have been very positive. Comments particularly highlight the ambience and service, but also specific dishes, breakfast, desserts and the wine selection. What matters most to them, however, is when a guest says they will return. Because that means they remembered not just one dish, but the entire experience. At the beginning and at the end, the guest has a plate in front of them and one very simple question: Do I want to come back? From its name to the final detail, AMADO was created with the desire for the answer to be – yes. Not simply a restaurant to visit. But a place created to be loved.
