By Ashley Topham
Taking an international trip with your partner isn’t in the cards for everyone this summer. That’s why I recommend ditching the long flights and hefty costs by traveling the globe from your kitchen with an international date night. Gwinnett is home to a variety of international shops, including Euro Gourmet Cafe & Grill in Lawrenceville, where you can embark on a thrilling foodie adventure.
Euro Gourmet Cafe & Grill is located just outside downtown Lawrenceville and specializes in Eastern European food. One side of the building functions as a sit-down restaurant where you can indulge in delicious dishes and desserts. The other side features a charming market where you can shop for international frozen meals, fresh meat, dairy products, canned goods, teas, drinks and snacks. My husband and I took a trip to Croatia a few years ago, so for our date night, we decided to find a couple of the treats we enjoyed there, plus something new.
Every couple plays by their own rules, and for us, we decided to stick to drinks and dessert for our global feast. First up, we headed to the frozen section and found traditional apple burek, a Bosnian delicacy featuring hand-rolled Balkan pastry filled with apples. You can also find Ćevapi in this section, which are savory sausages typically served with flatbread, onions, kajmak and ajvar. They should have all the ingredients at the store for you to DIY this tasty Balkan dish and trust me, it’s worth it. Then, we hit the dry goods aisle to find Napolitank, thin wafers stacked with different fillings. We picked our favorite hazelnut flavor, as this was one of our favorite treats to enjoy in Croatia. Last but not least, we grabbed some nostalgic beverages called Cedevita Naranča, which are Croatian fizzy vitamin drinks. They’re refreshing and nutritious! I’ll admit, our selection of goods is a bit all over the place, but they remind us of our fond memories and that’s all that matters.
The next time you’ve got the itch to travel but don’t have the funds, head over to Euro Gourmet Cafe & Grill for a fun Eastern European experience. Take your taste buds on a flavor journey by either dining at their restaurant or exploring their market!