While Sarajevo is not somewhere that is known as food destination, it does have a very decent smattering of restaurants. More than this, on the most part, and depending of course on your personal circumstances, restaurants in Bosnia are not expensive. Most importantly, Bosnian cuisine is actually very good. I would argue that the traditional restaurants offering Bosnian food easily trump the international restaurants when visiting the city. In any case, as they say, when in Rome...
So long as you are not vegetarian, the Bosnian cuisine available in most restaurants is diverse and delectable enough to serve you a different dish for every meal for at least a week. However, if you are vegetarian it can be a bit of a macho meat-fest nightmare (though you won't go hungry). Check out our Bosnian food explainer to orient yourself before you’re faced with a menu in the wild.
Three things to note: (i) as mentioned, vegetarian options are very limited (even an understanding of what it means to be vegetarian can also be limited); (ii) don’t expect great service (it can take five minutes before you get the chance to inform a waiter you would like a menu); (iii) people will very likely be smoking in the restaurant (this can be intolerable in winter when doors and windows are closed because of the cold). On this last point, as far as I understand, there are regulations in place to prohibit smoking in restaurants, but they are not enforced. At the same time, given the number of Bosnians who do smoke, if a restaurant chooses to enforce these regulations itself, its customers will simply go elsewhere, so take it easy on the restaurant owners.
Fancy checking out some tasty Bosnian dishes? Most places will offer a decent and well-cooked range of traditional fare, but click on the link below to read about restaurants that stand out.
We've tried to select restaurants to provide for a range of price points and a range of desired atmospheres and styles. I'd hate to use the word "authentic", but if I did, it would be in this section.
Sushi San, one of the best international restaurants in Sarajevo
International cuisine is not Sarajevo’s strong point, but there are a handful of restaurants of note (including my favourite restaurant, though I won't say which one it is).
In general, most international food in Sarajevo is some form of Italian, but you can also find Indian and Chinese cuisines, among others. Check them out if you don't find Bosnian cuisine tempting enough for every meal.
Don’t expect too much here, at least not this decade. Vegetarian restaurants and even vegetarian options in restaurants in Sarajevo are few and far between.
I've ordered vegetarian pasta to then be served pasta with chicken (some don't count chicken as a meat...). I've ordered vegan soup, that was cooked with cream. You get the idea.
Not to say that there aren't a couple of very good options (hint: there are). Read on to find out where they are and what to expect.
Cafe chairs and table in the street in Baščaršija, Sarajevo
Bosnians love their coffee. The country apparently ranks 9th globally in terms of coffee consumption per capita (according to a source I didn't scrutinize too thoroughly).
You’ll struggle to find a flat white in Sarajevo (there are a couple of places if this is an absolute must), but you will find some truly charming spots for a coffee more or less all over the place.
You'll also tend to get a glass of water and possibly some turkish delight (rahat lokum) or a biscuit along with the coffee, though not always.
