Bad to eat in Sarajevo,
you have to make it first!
Thank you, but I really can't take any more!
I don't know how many times I've said this phrase in Bosnia. It's probably one of the most common, because if there's one saying that applies to Bosnia, it's this: Love goes through the stomach. And I actually also developed a love for Bosnia through food - or through the pleasure with which Bosnians prepare food, talk about food, sit together and eat...
Eating badly in Sarajevo is something of a feat. So far, I've only had excellent food - whether it was burgers, Italian or Bosnian cuisine. The city thrives on small, stylish bars, restaurants and cafés.
In many restaurants in Sarajevo you will only find one or two dishes - there are restaurants for pita, restaurants for the famous cevapcici or restaurants for stews. So it's no wonder that what you eat there tastes amazing - because everyone has their favourite dish.
I can't do justice to all the restaurants and bars and haven't tried them all. But here are my favourite restaurants and cafés that you should definitely visit in Sarajevo!
pita heaven
Sač
The Sač restaurant is named after the pot in which the pita is cooked over an open fire, similar to a tajine. This keeps it nice and juicy on the inside and the crust is grilled to a crisp from above and below! My favourite is and always will be the cheese pita, in Bosnian Sirnica.
Bravadžiluk mali 2, Sarajevo
Bosanski Burek
If you take a walk through the Grbavica neighbourhood, which was badly damaged in the war (and is a must!), you should stop for a snack at this small, inconspicuous shop right next to the FK Željezničar football stadium. insert.
You're guaranteed not to bump into any tourists here and you'll eat real Bosnian pita at an unbeatable price.
Zvornička 27, Sarajevo
Nagib
The pita here is hot and greasy and always fresh. If it's sold out, there's nothing left for the day. The shop is off the beaten track, but for me it's a must on any visit to Sarajevo!
The fact that Nagib has been around since 1978 and has even survived the war is another sign of how good the food is!
Envera Šehovića 11, Sarajevo
Bosnian national dish Ćevapi
Hodžić
For Ćevapčići, or Ćevapi for short, you traditionally go to one of these three shops in Sarajevo. One of them is Hodžić.
Here, the small minced meat sausages are served in the classic way with bread and kajmak, a type of sour cream, fresh from the grill. The atmosphere is a little quieter and more relaxed than at the second, well-known Ćevabdžinica of the city, named after the football club
Bravadžiluk 34, Sarajevo
Željo
Is a Google rating of 4.6 with almost 2,000 reviews a lie? Certainly not! Zeljo is the Ćevabdžinica of the city and the second shop where Bosnians traditionally go to spend either 5 or 10 Ćevapi to squeeze out.
You can't make a reservation, it's always full. But no one sits for long, you're always seated at a table with someone else and quickly strike up a conversation over fresh bread and hot sausages!
Kundurdžiluk 19, Sarajevo
Ferhatović
If Hodžić's is full, no problem: Ćevabdžinica Ferhatović is just a few doors down! In addition to the traditional minced meat rolls, they also serve burgers, which are called pljeskavica in Bosnia, and steaks.
And then, well fortified, we continue sightseeing in the old city centre, the Baščaršija.
Bravadžiluk 21, Sarajevo
stew 4 life
The Aščinica:
Aščinice are traditional Bosnian dishes. Roughly translated, they are called Spoon dishes. Aščinica traditionally only serves such dishes, i.e. stews, soups and vegetables stuffed with minced meat such as onions, peppers or vine leaves. Boiled lamb or beef and Bosnian ravioli, klepe, are also on the menu here. Bosnians come here for a quick lunch - and when a dish is sold out, it's gone. There is no re-cooking during the day.
Hadžibajrić
This aščinica is the oldest in Sarajevo's old town centre, Baščaršija. All the dishes here are still cooked according to the old, traditional recipes and taste just like at grandma's house.
As in many very traditional Bosnian restaurants, no alcohol is served here, but freshly squeezed juices are available in season - perfect with a savoury stuffed pepper.
Ćurčiluk veliki 59, Sarajevo
Moščanica
A little off the main roads and tourist spots in the city, but definitely worth a visit!
Hearty soups, hot stews and fresh bread await you here in the Malta neighbourhood. If you want to try authentic Bosnian cuisine, you've definitely come to the right place - and as it's off the beaten track, the food is also unbeatably cheap!
Paromlinska 37a, Sarajevo
ASDŽ
Back in the city centre: This slightly more modern aščinica is the best place to sit with friends around a round table, with lots of small tapas-style plates to share the delicacies and then baklava for dessert.
ASDŽ is definitely a hotspot for tourists and locals alike.
Ćurčiluk mali 3, Sarajevo
coffee, coffee, coffee
What's so special about Bosnian coffee?
In Bosnia, drinking coffee is not just about sitting down and getting a caffeine kick. The whole Bosnian culture revolves around drinking coffee and the term is much more an equivalent for sitting together, meeting up, exchanging ideas. It is an expression of hospitality to be invited for a strong, sweet coffee - even at eight in the morning.
The kava is savoured in small cups, a discovery of slowness and enjoyment. Add something sweet and the bitterness of the outside world becomes a blur a little in the sweet, black drink, dissolves and weighs less. I love the Bosnian coffee culture and can hardly wait to meet up with friends for a coffee in Sarajevo every time.
Ministry of Ćejf
The hotspot for coffee in Sarajevo - and I'm really strict when it comes to coffee. But the atmosphere, the view, the owner's hospitality and of course the coffee itself make this place a real must!
A little digression: Ćejf, like hygge, is a word that simply cannot be translated. It's the little things that bring joy - the enjoyment of life, so to speak. Here is a detailed explanation.
Kovači 26, Sarajevo
Sevdah Art House
The Sevdah Art House is a real little oasis in the middle of the lively old town and when the hustle and bustle gets too much for me, I really enjoy going here for a coffee.
A small, hidden courtyard with a fountain and lots of greenery - you no longer feel like you're in the city!
Attached to the café is a museum dedicated to the Sevdalinka, traditional love songs and their singers. I wasn't there, but the music also plays in the café and gives the place a very special atmosphere.
Halači 5, Sarajevo
Čajdžinica Džirlo
Finally something for you too, tea drinkers!
In addition to traditional Bosnian coffee, Džirlo also serves really good tea. You sit on cosy poufs and cushions on the floor - all oriental-inspired.
The coffee is served directly from the owner on copper trays. The tea comes on small wooden trays. More Ottoman heritage is not possible.
Kundurdžiluk 19, Sarajevo
sweet tooth
To be honest, I'm not a big fan of Bosnian sweets - too sticky, too sweet, too sugary. But I would still like to tell you about a few restaurants for your sweet tooth - not tested by me, but recommended by my husband, who of course took me to most of the places here in Sarajevo that you can find in the list and that I love.
Baklava Saraybosna
Contrary to the name, there is not only baklava here, which I'm sure everyone knows from Germany, but also cakes and lots of Bosnian sweets such as tufahija - apples stewed in sugar water and filled with walnuts, hurmašice - small cakes soaked in sugar, which are traditionally eaten with bajram, or ružica - puff pastry filled with nuts and soaked in syrup.
If you try it out, you can skip dinner without any problems.
Gajev trg, Sarajevo
Slastičarna Egipat
The best vanilla ice cream in town, they sayEgyptian vanilla, which can only be bought from May to October.
The patisserie is also famous for its cakes and desserts based on traditional Bosnian recipes. I didn't eat there, but the interior alone makes it worth a visit:
Communist tiled walls, old pictures on the counter and a small wooden entrance door.
Ferhadija 29, Sarajevo
Many thanks to the Sarajevo Food Dictionary for the great pictures. I did not pay and was not paid to use them.
But I can highly recommend the Sarajevo Food Dictionary if you are looking for restaurants in the city!
Book your food tour in Sarajevo
I have been living permanently in the heart-shaped country in the Balkans since May 2021, have explored it from the north down to the Croatian border, from the west to the wild east and can say that I now know Bosnia-Herzegovina like the back of my hand. And that's not all: I also want to make it accessible to anyone who is in the mood for adventure, authenticity, nature and hospitality. That's why I founded .Cheyf Reisen with my Bosnian husband - a boutique travel agency for #mindfultravel in Bosnia-Herzegovina! Have a look at our website 😊
