Balkan Treat Box

 “Take me here using Metro Transit”

Balkan Treat Box is a celebrated Webster Groves restaurant specializing in authentic Balkan cuisine. Chef Loryn Nalic and her husband Edo, a Bosnian refugee, started out as a food truck with a distinctive wood-fired oven in 2017 and became one of the most popular dining options in the region. In 2019 they brought a beautiful wood-fired oven inside and opened a brick and mortar on Lockwood in the heart of Webster’s Green Dining District.

Loryn’s culinary journey was influenced by her immersion in Balkan culture. She traveled throughout southeastern Europe, learning traditional recipes and cooking techniques from locals, which she adapted for the St. Louis community. The menu features dishes like cevapi — grilled beef sausages served on somun bread with kajmak and onions — and pide, a wood-fired flatbread topped with ​fresh herbs, crispy dressed red cabbage and your choice of protein. Most items can be made vegetarian or vegan.

All of Balkan’s breads are baked in-house in the wood fired oven. They make nearly everything from scratch and source Missouri beef (sourced thorough Bolyards) for the sausages and local produce, eggs and dairy whenever possible. Even the wood for the oven is local, and they grow many herbs themselves. They partnered with Urban Chestnut for a custom Balkan-inspired lager. The main kitchen downstairs is all electric. Staff are well-versed in food waste reduction and keep a tight inventory to limit waste in addition to composting.

The restaurant’s acclaim has been widespread, with chef Loryn Nalic earning four James Beard Award semifinalist nominations. They’ve been featured in national publications like Food & Wine, Zagat and Eater, solidifying its reputation as a culinary gem in the midwest. Check our their food truck, their Webster shop or their sister location, Telva at the Ridge, also located in Webster Groves above Rolling Ridge Nursery.