Are you looking for the best restaurants in Mostar? Whether traditional Bosnian, vegetarian or street food - here are my favourite restaurants, collected over the last three years.
I have been living in Bosnia and Herzegovina for over three years now and while I love the nature here in the country, the the historical capital Sarajevo or the waterfalls, in the end it is the food that has really won my heart - a mix of Mediterranean, Eastern and Western influences.
You will come across familiar names and dishes everywhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Burek, pita or Ćevapčići, for example. But each region gives a meal its very own twist. You'll also find ingredients or food everywhere that you won't find in other parts of the country.
In Mostar, a Mediterranean city, I could just fall in love with the fresh fruit - the fertile fields around the city offer watermelons, figs and pomegranates. Of course, the fresh fruit is also used to make traditional desserts, such as the fig semolina cake smokvara. Another traditional dish in Herzegovina and Mostar is freshly caught freshwater trout or Hercegovačka Tava, a kind of stew with pork and vegetables.
Good to know: If you want to eat Bosnian cuisine in Mostar, you have a wide choice of restaurants. During our numerous visits, however, we have found that you have to be a little careful when choosing - especially around the old bridge, Stari Most, there are now a few overpriced tourist traps.
But enough explanations now. Here are, in my opinion, the most delicious restaurants in Mostar.
No time for the whole article? Here's the most important information at a glance:
Mostar offers plenty of delicious dishes and Mediterranean cuisine - you just have to be careful around the old bridge so you don't end up in a tourist trap.
🐟 Don't miss: Fresh freshwater trout from the Neretva or one of the many other rivers
🛏️ Best accommodation: Hotel Kriva Čuprija
📱 Stay connected: For mobile data you can use the Airalo Bosnia data package get
🍮 Typical Herzegovina: Smokvara is a cake made from corn flour, figs and syrup - and is typical of the region
🥘 Something special: do a Bosnian cooking class in a medieval restaurant.
My favourite restaurants in Mostar
Hindin Han
In the centre of the UNESCO-protected old town, Hindin Han offers an extensive menu with numerous traditional Bosnian dishes. From soups to Ćevapčići and fish.
The restaurant also has a lovely outdoor area, but it can get crowded, especially in the summer months. So if you are a larger group, I would recommend making a reservation - you can also do this on the day itself, just pop in and book.
Podrum
This restaurant is always a hit - especially if you're hungry for fresh trout. It's always freshly caught here and is served with potatoes and blitva, a type of chard.
For those with a sweet tooth Podrum is also perfect – they make a mean chocolate walnut cake there. Moist and fluffy, it's best soaked in a shot of walnut liqueur (Orahovača) for an extra kick.
Crveni Han
I haven't eaten here myself, but friends of ours have had superb dolma – stuffed vegetables. In general, this small restaurant offers a small selection of different Bosnian dishes every day and when they are sold out, they are sold out. So it's best to come here for lunch.
Craft Beer Garden imaimože
Every time I got to imaimože , I get to try a new type of beer, whether it's a special IPA or Russian stout. The bartenders here are always happy to advise you and help you choose a beer to suit your taste. And if you don't like beer, don't worry: they also serve local Herzegovinian wine from my favourite winery, Marijanović.
imaimože is also one of the places in Mostar where you can find good vegetarian dishes - which can sometimes be a little more challenging in meat-loving Bosnia.
Von Herzog
No visit to Mostar is complete without a trip to Von Herzog - because honestly, these are the best burgers I've ever eaten! The guys behind this cool steampunk shop started out with a barbecue in their garden and at street food festivals.
Fortunately, their friends encouraged them to open a shop and now Von Herzog serves fantastic burgers with unusual toppings, for example kimchi. What I also like about the shop is that the range is very seasonal and not every burger is available at every time of year.
They don't take reservations, but if you're only two or four people, there's a good chance you'll get a table for dinner. And if necessary, you can always order the burger to go.
Restoran Megi
They serve solid Mediterranean and Italian-inspired cuisine if you don't fancy Bosnian food. I find the salads here particularly delicious - and after all that savoury food, sometimes you just need those vitamins!
Megi is located outside the old town in the western part of Mostar. Although it is located on one of the city's main traffic arteries, it has a cute little garden, so the traffic doesn't bother you too much. However, I wouldn't go there during rush hour, but rather for a slightly later dinner.
Pekara Lučki Most
We come here when we just want a quick snack or need provisions for the journey home to Sarajevo. Lučki Most offers the typical pastries of every Bosnian bakery, but has particularly delicious sirnica - pita with cheese. They still taste good cold and are therefore the perfect snack to take with you.
Romanca
The name says it all - the restaurant is located just outside Mostar, romantically nestled among the vines. The large terrace is a wonderful place to sit, especially in summer, but the large dining room is also cosy in winter. Romanca has plenty of space, so you don't need to make a reservation for a small group - it can only get full at the weekend.
The classic Herzegovačka Tava is served here, but the extensive menu also offers other typical dishes (I think the Wiener Schnitzel here is phenomenally good) and a really good selection of Bosnian wines from the region.
Timber & Stone Tavern
This restaurant has recently opened and is on my to-try list: In the Timber & Stone tavern , traditional Bosnian dishes are served in a medieval ambience - even on the antique crockery that was used in the past.
Portraits of the old Bosnian kings hang on the walls and the stone walls of the old city of Mostar give the dining room a very special charm. I am excited to try it soon!
Lokma House
Whenever I have a craving for something sweet in Mostar, I come here. Lokma are yeast dough balls with cinnamon that are deep-fried and then soaked in various sauces and served with chocolate or fruit or both. But believe me: order a portion to share, it's easily enough for two.
If you don't fancy fried food, Lokma House also serves fresh pancakes with a variety of sauces and fruit.
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Which of Mostar's best restaurants will you visit first?
Although my favourite in Herzegovina is the fresh fruit and vegetables, you'll find plenty of dishes worth trying here. Whether you're looking for something sweet or savoury, a snack or a full meal, you can't go wrong with these restaurants in Mostar.
If you want to delve even deeper into Herzegovinian cuisine, then I can only warmly recommend a cooking class. And don't forget: a rakija is of course a must at the end of the meal!
