In the heart of Belgrade Shkadarlije there are places that seem like they have always been a part of that space – not only catering establishments, but small time capsules of memories, atmospheres and stories. Their names indicate not only the address, but also a whole feeling, mood and almost musical atmosphere of the city. Among them, the cafe “Ima dana” stands out…
The house at the sound address Skadarska 38 actually entered history even before it became a legendary tavern. Right there, in her yard, in 1910, a part of the first Serbian feature film “Karađorđe” was filmed, written by the scriptwriter and director of the Czech Ilija Stanojević. historizabanik.rs
After the Second World War, Belgrade is engulfed by a wave of modernization – new neighborhoods are being built, old houses are being demolished, urbanization is underway… That wave threatened to engulf Skadarlija as well, but thanks to the architect Uglješa Bogunović, that did not happen! It was he who created the project that created a protected cultural and historical entity and gave birth to Skadarlija as we know it today.
Work on the revitalization of the neighborhood began in 1966 and was completed two years later. Bogunović managed to ensure that the street was turned into a pedestrian zone, the cobblestones were returned, street lighting in the form of stylized lanterns and candelabra was introduced, the facades of the old houses and cafes that existed there were renovated…
Tavern “Ima dana” was created in that period in a building formed by merging apartments on the ground floor, where actors Milorad Gavrilović and Jovan Antonijević Đeda once lived. The restaurant, which was supposed to connect the old with the new, preserves the authentic spirit of bohemia, but with the modernization of the space, it was opened in 1969.
It got its name from a famous old town song, and painter and bohemian Mario Mascarelli painted its walls with portraits of famous former residents and visitors of Skadarlija.
In a short time, the new/old Skadarlija and the “Ima dana” cafe became a favorite stop of everyone passing by and coming to Belgrade. The Bohemian Quarter was visited by the British Queen Elizabeth and the Spanish King Juan Carlos, politicians George Bush Sr. and Margaret Thatcher, actors Gina Lollobrigida and Burt Lancaster… The “Ima dana” tavern was such an impressive part of the Belgrade bohemian scene that it even ended up three times in the “New York Times”, which wrote about it in superlative terms.
However, perhaps more importantly, this place entered the hearts of the people of Belgrade. Over the decades, the tavern has become a gathering place for artists, actors and lovers of Old Town melos. It was often visited by Pavle Vuisić, Dragan Nikolić, Momo Kapor, and legend has it that Tito himself once “banned” it unannounced!
The famous tavern “Ima dana” is now back on the map of Belgrade’s bohemians – not as a new point in the city’s bedekers, but as an old heart that starts beating again. Arranged with measure and taste, without destroying the old charm, it returns and hopes that the spirit of the bohemian capital has not yet weakened.
Mascarelli’s portraits on the walls have been refreshed. The kitchen remains homely. Music is playing live. And perhaps most importantly – not only the cafe is coming back, the idea is coming back that Belgrade can have a soul that is not sold for speed and profit.
Because as long as there are days, there is hope that Skadarlija will breathe to the fullest!
