Traditionally, local Sarajevo food is partial to meat and potatoes. Unfortunately, the choice of food for vegetarians is rather limited. Even the so-called traditional vegetarian dishes like beans may be cooked along with bacon or smoked meat. Vegetarians can opt for rice and stew which does not contain meat. There are now some great Sarajevo Vegetarian Restaurants.
Most of the popular restaurants in Sarajevo serve either traditional or Italian food. A traditional Bosnian meal typically consists of dishes such as sarma, begova corba (chicken stew), filled peppers, teletina (veal) and sitni cevap (veal stew).
Rice and pasta dishes are popular. Trahana is a traditional sourdough soup which is hand made and a staple food during Ramadan. Cevapi is another
traditional dish in Sarajevo made from grilled minced meat served with bread and chopped onion and is a very popular local fast food. Pita is also a popular dish and is basically a filo pasty pie with different fillings such as meat (burek), cheese (sirnica), cheese and spinach (zeljanica), spicy potato (krompirusa) and pumpkin (tikvenica). Pita eaten with yoghurt sauce is a nice combination. Fast food places serving pita are very inexpensive and prices range from 1-3 Euro and are often charged according to weight. Other fast foods such as pizzas, hamburgers, hotdogs and Pannini sandwiches are also available at fast food restaurants and kiosks in Sarajevo.
Visitors must try the strong Bosnian coffee, which is reminiscent of Turkish coffee. There are many coffee shops in Sarajevo serving "Bosanska kafa" presented in traditional handmade coffee sets, especially in the old town. Surprisingly, many Bosnian restaurants serve limited Bosnian specialities and the cuisine eaten at a typical Bosnian home is quite different from what is served at a restaurant.
Lately, restaurants with other types of cuisine are opening up in the city. These include cuisines such as Continental, Dalmatian, Chinese, and Indian. There are restaurants in Sarajevo which specialise in dishes made from fresh and salt-water fish. You will not be disappointed if you place an order of any dish made from pastrmka, which is the local trout.
Another Bosnian culinary speciality is the dish called Janjetina which is lamb roasted whole on a spit. This is traditionally cooked by families to celebrate special occasions and is considered a treat. The lamb is rotated over coals until it is well cooked and juicy. Janjetina costs around 25 km for a kilogram and this can serve many people.
The staple accompaniment with any dish is the ubiquitous bread that is commonly consumed by all. Soup and salad are an integral part of a Bosnian meal. They are usually served with entrees. For instance, chicken and beef soup are often served with noodles and egg dumplings. Tossed salads consisting of tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and capsicums are popular. Feta cheese is often added to it to make it more interesting. Balsamic vinegar and olive or corn oil are commonly used as dressing in salads.
Pickled foods such as pickled peppers, onions and cucumbers are used as accompaniments with the main meal, and this makes the eating experience tangier and tastier. Ajvar and Kajmak are popular spreads to be used with all types of breads. Ajvar is made from roasted peppers & eggplant. These are then ground and seasoned with pepper and salt and finally slow cooked before they are used. Kajmak is a delicious dairy spread made from salted milk fat, and is very like cream cheese.
The Kajmak from Travnik is a popular export food item and is even exported to milk-producing countries like Australia. Desserts such as baklava or tufahija (an apple cake topped with walnuts) are an instant hit anytime. A glass of sljivovica (plum brandy) or loza (grape brandy) makes a good aperitif.
Alcohol is readily available and Sarajevo is a good place for pub crawlers. Even the Muslim areas have bars. The legal age for alcohol consumption in Sarajevo is 18. The best wines are produced in Herzegovina and include Zilavka (a white wine) and Blatina (a red wine). Sarajevsko, Tuzlansko or Preminger are types of local beer that are popular in the country. Alcohol is not expensive as the taxes levied on it are quite low.
The service in most Sarajevo restaurants is above average and while tipping is not required, customers do place a tip at the table. An average meal along with drinks costs anything from 6 to 12 Euros.
Visit our range of Sarajevo tours and Sarajevo hotels in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
