In Albania, June is called Qershor, and it is the month the whole country seems to exhale. School lets out, the Riviera fills with the sound of laughter and music, and tables move outside for the first time since winter. Summer has not just arrived; it has announced itself.

At Çka Ka Qëllu, our Mediterranean restaurant, June is one of the most spirited months of the year. The warmth in the air carries us back home, and every dish we send out carries a little piece of that Albanian summer with it. This month, we want to take you there.

Albania in Qershor

June in Albania is widely considered one of the best times to experience the country. The weather is warm and generous, temperatures hovering between the mid-70s and low 90s, with long golden evenings that stretch well past 9 p.m. The Albanian Riviera, from Durrës down to the Ionian coast at Sarandë, is at its most beautiful in June, still unhurried, still uncrowded, the sea a perfect shade of turquoise.

In cities like Tirana and Gjirokastër, the café culture is in full swing. June 5th is observed as Martyrs Day, a national moment of reflection and pride. And through the month, local summer festivals begin to appear, outdoor concerts, village celebrations, food events rooted in centuries of Albanian tradition and Mediterranean culture.

What Albanians eat in Qershor

June is when Albanian food sheds its winter layers and leans fully into the land. Cornbread baked with spinach and cheese, pickled peppers stuffed with vegetables preserved from the season before, roasted pepper spread thick with garlic and smoky depth — these are the flavors of a culture that has always known how to eat well with what the earth offers.

Albanian cooking shares deep roots with the broader Mediterranean table, and in June those roots feel especially alive. Cheese features in almost everything, fresh and tangy, balanced against the heat of peppers, the sweetness of corn, the richness of olive oil. It is food built for sharing, for eating slowly, for long evenings with people you love.

At Çka Ka Qëllu, our Albanian Mediterranean restaurant in New York, we honor these traditions every day. This June, here is what we are bringing to your table.

June on the menu at Çka Ka Qëllu

Famous Albanians born in Qershor

At Çka Ka Qëllu, bringing Albania closer to you means more than just the food on your plate, it means the culture, the history, and the people who shaped it. June has given the Albanian world some remarkable ones.