With the premiere last week of Angelina Jolie’s film about the Bosnian War, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” conflict in the Balkans is once again making headlines. Last week, Serbs in northern Kosovo voted against that region’s autonomy four years after its declaration of independence from Serbia, a country that is vying for E.U. status. Clearly, the past has left divisive wounds for many in the region, but in the East Village, Vladimir Ocokoljic, a Serbian ex-pat who has made the neighborhood his home for the past 21 years, says that all are welcome at his restaurant, Kafana.

Mr. Ocokoljic describes himself as a proud Serbian, but he says that many of his customers come from across the Balkans. Watch The Local’s video to find out more about the “little piece of Belgrade” that he has carved out on Avenue C.