Kalaja Restaurant & Burek

Best Burek «savory meat, cheese or spinach pie» in town. First time in was yesterday, the owner Albert was very friendly, and professional.
I ordered a whole meat burek pie for my family and half gal plain yogurt.
It was excellent the meat has an incredible taste
Can’t stop eating it and the yogurt is really good on the tart side. Will definitely go back. Nice job !

1^st burek I had a slice of meat and one cheese. tasted great .the only thing that sucks it was next to a smoke shop so yiu can smell peoples cigarettes

I was excited to try Albanian food for the first time and I was not disappointed. The cheese and meat bureks were delicious and the portions were huge. I was disappointed not in the food but the atmosphere. The cashier was friendly but I noticed shortly after sitting down that we were enveloped in cigarette smoke. I am extremely sensitive to cigarette smoke and suffer from bronchitis if exposed to large amounts. I’m not sure if someone was smoking in the back or the cigarette smoke came from the front door from the people standing outside but either way, it was off putting. I may just get my food to go next time.

Yeah, let me give Kalaja some love too. You will enjoy this if you liked the old Bosnian Specialties in Hamtramck, or Balkan food in general. This place is great because it’s uncomplicated, the food is satisfying and delicious, and there aren’t a whole lot of these types of eateries around. The woman that serves the food is a hoot, and she will talk your ear off. Her husband prepares the dishes. The food is Kosovan/​Albanian and with chicken and beef shish kebobs to choose from as well. Grilled meat tastes unusually good in Balkan restaurants, and this one is no exception. The portion sizes are just right, a bit smaller, more European, but we’ve never left hungry, and it’s not expensive in any case.
They’ve stripped down their menu to just the essentials, and it’s all excellent. Highlights include: Burek (meat, cheese, and spinach), Qebape (cevapi), a fantastic Pljeskavica, and homemade soup, bread, three simple but exceptional salads, and a couple of other things. The inside is almost stark, but the welcoming service and hearty cuisine warms up the experience perfectly. This visit we had the Burek, (eat it with your hands, It’s awesome!) and the Pljeskavica, (which is an amazing beef patty, with perhaps salt, pepper, paprika, onions and other things, fizzy water and a touch of another meat, maybe.) It’s grilled and it’s fantastic. We savored every bite.
Come here for lunch or dinner, talk with the owner (s), you will really enjoy this place and probably return because you may start to crave Balkan food.

Yummy and super nice people serving up food I’ve never tried. The burek are pies kind of like greek spinach pies, but heavier. We had cheese, meat and spinach, all were awesome. The Qebape is like a sausage with no casing, kind of like kafta but the texture and flavor are different. ALSO delicious. Super friendly great service. And the customers and staff got a great kick out of the fact that we were not Albanian and knew nothing about the food.

Sure, you know the Detroit area has great Middle Eastern fare, notable Halal restaurants, and a bangin’ new BBQ scene. But did you know that you can find amazing, home-​cooked authentic Albanian food in an assuming location in the Madison Heights area? Did you even know that there exists a national cuisine of Albania? No? Get thee to Kalaja and discover this wonderful fare.
Albert and his wife operate Kalaja, which translates as «castle», as a small cash-​only eatery with about 8 tables and a healthy to-​go operation. The interior is sparse, but very neat and clean, with tastefully-​placed Albanian flags and décor.
Albert treated my friend and me to a delightful feast of epic proportions, for a pauper’s budget. The menu is simple, hearty, and well laid-​out for the first-​time Albanian cuisine explorer as well as for the native diner looking for home-​like favorites.
Kalaja is known for their «burek,» or savory pizza-​sized pies that have spinach, meat, or cheese fillings, and are more than enough food for two people at only $ 14 for a whole, or purchase by the slice. They’re like spanakopita, but on a whole new level. «Qebape», or the Albanian version of Lebanese kafta, are sold in 5 or 10 pieces, and are delicious little sausage-​like beef concoctions and are served with sheep’s milk feta. Definitely indulge in the fresh, warm bread that is served with the meal, along with the legit cucumber and tomato salad with white vinegar and sheep’s milk feta. One can’t forget to order a container of the fresh yogurt for dipping the Qebape and soaking up with the bread! They also have baklava and rice pudding for dessert in the case by the cash register.
Mr. Albert and his wife will treat you like family here, and you’ll eat like royalty for far less than you would imagine. Bring your cash and your appetite!

Great place fresh food. Placed a carry out order was ready in less than 10min. I had the cheese burek with kehbob tasted great!!!

Beautiful little hidden wonder in Madison Heights. Hands down the best Burek and Spinach and Cheese pita Iv had in the area. The homemade yogurt is also super delicious. My only downfall of this place is they are a little unorganized when it comes to calling in and picking up an order. They never ask for the name and I have to spend 20 mins explaining what I ordered.

I love this place for its Bureks and homemade yogurt! I haven’t tried anything else on the menu yet, but their Bureks are the best! My favorite fillings are the meat and white cheese. They make their own cheese. I’ve had family and friends come here to try these! All have been satisfied with these yummy bureks. The owner makes everything himself and it’s great food!

I’ve walked past the sparsely furnished storefront at least once a week for the last few months and, though long intrigued by the prospect of a new food adventure, only recently stopped in to try the burek advertised on the door. I cheated myself out of a bit of the experience by looking burek up on the internet; the cabbage edition came highly recommended on several forums.
The cabbage were unavailable when I stopped by, though the waitress thought there was a good chance they could be made for me if ordered in advance. I settled on a meat burek and a cup of yogurt, which I quickly realized was more of a kefir style drink than a viscous dip. The meat style tasted fantastic, similar to a pasty but much lighter, brighter, and easier to eat. The yogurt was nicely tart contrasted with the slight sweetness of the burek.
The interior is bare and straightforward. I got the feeling that the place was really more of a carryout operation but the tables and chairs still sit awkwardly there if you choose to dine in; I did and the service was acceptable, if not true restaurant quality.

Whenever we are on that side of town we always stop by here. We get one whole meat burek and one cheese burek. As soon as we get in the car we start trying to eat them even though they were just cooked. Our happy bellies make up for our burned fingers and mouths.
Also, don’t forget CASH!

Popped in for some burek and was pleased with the flakey crusted pie. The cabbage version takes a day notice ahead of time. They no longer have Italian food but added goulash which is served over mashed potatoes by the way. (added photo of new menu) They are still looking for help

One of the things I remember most longingly about my time in the Balkans is my morning/​lunchtime/​evening burek. Thanks be to Maria for shining a light on Kalaja. Their bureks are the authentic article. They taste exactly like the homemade Albanian bureks I’ve had a few times this year, and also reminded me of those I’d eaten years ago overseas. The spinach and the cheese are excellent. The portions are large, and more than worth the $ 3. The yogurt is a worthwhile side order. Pro-​tip (by way of a very cultured burek-​a-​teer I know): mix the yogurt with a little honey, and dip the burek. My god it’s too good. Service was friendly, and parking is easy. Yet another precious gem camouflaged in a nondescript strip mall. Cash only.

Kalaja is a fantastic local find. I saw it when I was on the way to a checkup for my puppy at the vet. I decided to try it, since I’d heard about bureks recently. I also wanted to try the qebape, but it would have taken about 10 – 15 minutes and I didn’t want to leave the puppy in the car that long, even though it was a cool day.
I tried a meat and a cheese slice of burek, and a cup of the jogurt. Wow — fantastic stuff. I liked both, they are quite different, even though only the filling varies. The meat was savory and tasty, and the cheese is creamy with feta or some similar cheese. The jogurt was also amazing — I guess you’re supposed to drink it (and I did after my bureks were gone), but I used it on the pie. It tastes like Olga’s sauce used to taste, and added a lot to both slices.
I’ve since been back to try the sausage. It was OK, but my first love will be the burek. They also, for some reason, have Italian food on the right-​hand side of the menu. It’s an odd combo, but I’m sure that food is good as well. I’ll have to try some next time I’m in the area.
This is certainly something different and I don’t know of any other local restaurants that have this cuisine. I wish them a lot of luck in their business, it’s only been open a few months. One tip — if you are thinking about getting food to go, call ahead. The wait can sometimes be 10 minutes or so, and they are happy to time the food being ready for when you get there.

Don’t be discouraged by the sparsely decorated interior, Kalaja (pronounced Kalaya) has a treasure trove of fantastic handcrafted Albanian specialties waiting at your fingertips!!!
This husband & wife tag team via NYC via Albania, cook up a fresh batch of Balkan cuisine every morning. How ‘authentic’ is this food you may ask, well we’re usually the only non-​Albanian (that’s ALL-​banian for all y’all Emericans who’ve been pronouncing it AL-​banian) customers. There’s always a seemingly endless carousel of people coming in to pick-​up or place their take-​out orders. So, why all the take-​out orders??? Well, the chef’s better half (fittingly named Gabby) will talk your ear off. Some may find it entertaining, while others might be deterred by the excessive ‘gab’…lol. Anyways, the two primary reasons to keep coming back: Bureks & Qebape.
Are these items THAT good??? HAIL YES!!!
What makes their Burek (a savory Balkan pie) so incredibly addictive & fantastic:
1. The delectably delicate phyllo is carefully crafted & rolled out by hand.
2. Each airy layer is then buttered up for a crispy golden finish.
3. Fantastic fillings! Cabbage, Cheese, & Spinach (yes, in that order) are my favs!!!
4. The end result is pure perfection!
5. Believe the hype people, their Bureks really are THE BEST around!!!
As for the Qebape, equally excellent! Succulent. Flavorful. Savory. Fantastic. Similar to other Balkan variations (e.g. Cevapi), the Qebape served up at Kalaja are skinless sausage links made from lamb & beef, and served with a refreshingly delicious Cucumber/​Tomato Salad & a side of some delicious Bulgarian cheese (a salty crumbly cheese similar to Feta, but a bit more tart).
All around excellent Albanian cuisine! :)