There is no denying it. Sarajevo, -- and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole -- lacks international restaurants. At the time of writing, Italian cuisine aside, there were essentially just a handful of international restaurants in the capital.
In any case, if you're just in Sarajevo for a few days, you should definitely stick to Bosnian cuisine. It's more than diverse and delicious enough. If you feel a bit lost about what to order, check out our Bosnian food guide.
The above said, a number of the international restaurants in Sarajevo are actually really very good. You'll not have a bad experience at any of those listed below. Of course, as always, this is not an exhaustive list and there are other places of note in the city: in particular, many of the Italian restaurants serve good quality food.
Sushi San
Sushi San in Sarajevo
Number one on our list is Sushi San. This restaurant gets off to a great start with a punny name: San is a title of respect added to a name in Japanese; San means dream in Bosnian. As you would expect, this is a sushi restaurant and it is genuinely excellent.
The owner and chef is exceptionally passionate about sushi and really cares about making good quality food with top ingredients. The location is small and cute; it only has room for about five people and it's a very, very good idea to call in advance to check available space and to arrive promptly.
Sushi San details
Sushi restaurant
Fresh clean vibe; very small restaurant
$$$$ Relatively expensive, but good value
A slight walk up the northern slopes of Sarajevo, but easily walkable
If I'm not mistaken, this is the only Indian restaurant in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The food is what you would expect and is good quality.
Similarly, the decor and interior are quite typical of an Indian restaurant in say the UK, for example, with white table cloths and fabric covered chairs. There is also an outdoor space in the warmer months.
Taj Mahal details
Indian cuisine
Semi formal, yet relaxed vibe
$$$ Good value
Located slightly out of the centre; depending on where you are staying, you might want to take a taxi or the tram
This, for me at least, is the best Italian restaurant in Sarajevo. They have all the staples and they do them well. The pizza here is cooked in a big stone oven and the pasta is al dente.
The restaurant is not pretentious, the tables are packed in tight, covered with a classic gingham tablecloth, and it looks like it could be located in a small Italian town somewhere.
Trattoria Boccone details
Italian food
Very cosy vibe, classic gingham table cloths, with much of the kitchen in view
$$$ Good value
Located in the centre of Sarajevo just off Trg oslobođenja
This is a lively burger and cocktail bar and it delivers on both of those fronts, doubling down on the latter with a very generous happy hour.
If you want a meal in a lively environment to set up a good night of drinking, this is a good place to start. Plus, the burgers are genuinely very good. They even offer beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian burgers.
Blind Tiger details
Burger and cocktail bar
Energetic vibe for the start of a good night
$$$ Good value
Located in the centre of town just of Marsala Tita street
Probably Sarajevo's finest fish restaurant. They will present you with a platter of the fresh fish available that day, or you can order from a very decent menu.
This is the fanciest and most expensive restaurant on this list, but the food and service are both high quality.
Luka details
Classic fish restaurant
Traditional vibe with white table cloths
$$$$ Relatively pricey
Located centrally, close to the river, just Obala Kulina Bana
Likely the most elegant restaurant in Sarajevo, this place offers international food in a relatively glitzy setting. It is definitely where they spend the most time laying out the food on the plate.
BistroNomie
This is one of the more experimental or aspirational restaurants in Sarajevo. They make international and European fusion food and the restaurant is definitely worth checking out.
Fancy a pizza?
If you just fancy a take out pizza, I would recommend either U2 or Spazio Gourmet. Both make very good pizza, the former is cheaper and quicker.
Fancy a kebab?
If you just fancy a take out kebab (or falafel), I would recommend Pirpa. They have a small window onto the street and you can pick up a decent kebab on your way.
