Quick answer
Bosnian food is built on grilled meat, savoury pies, slow-cooked stews and Ottoman-style sweets. The dishes to try first are ćevapi, burek, begova čorba, klepe, dolma and tufahija, finished with a Bosnian coffee. In Sarajevo and most Bosniak-majority towns, traditional restaurants usually serve halal meat.
Fifteen dishes in one table
| Dish | What it is | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Ćevapi | Small grilled minced-meat rolls in somun bread with onion | Ordered by number: 5 or 10 pieces |
| Pljeskavica | A large grilled meat patty in bread | Bigger and more filling than ćevapi |
| Burek | Spiral pie of thin pastry filled with minced meat | In Bosnia only the meat version is called burek |
| Sirnica, zeljanica, krompiruša | The same pie with cheese, spinach or potato | Sold by weight in bakeries (buregdžinica) |
| Begova čorba | Creamy chicken and okra soup, "the Bey's soup" | A classic first course |
| Klepe | Small meat dumplings with yoghurt and garlic | Bosnia's answer to manti |
| Dolma / sarma | Peppers, onions or cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice | Home cooking, often in winter |
| Bosanski lonac | Slow-cooked pot of meat and vegetables | Traditional in old-town restaurants |
| Ćufte | Meatballs in tomato sauce | Served with mashed potato |
| Japrak | Vine or chard leaves rolled with meat and rice | Summer favourite |
| Kajmak | Rich clotted cream, salty and soft | Eaten with bread or on ćevapi |
| Tufahija | Poached apple stuffed with walnuts, topped with cream | Ottoman-era dessert |
| Baklava | Thin pastry with walnuts and syrup | Often served with coffee |
| Hurmašice | Small syrup-soaked biscuits | A Bajram (Eid) classic |
| Bosanska kafa | Coffee boiled in a copper džezva, served with sugar cubes and rahat lokum | Drink it slowly — it is a ritual |
Where to eat
- Ćevabdžinica — a ćevapi grill; Baščaršija in Sarajevo has many side by side.
- Buregdžinica — a pie shop; best in the morning when pies are fresh.
- Aščinica — a traditional cook-house serving ready-made dishes such as dolma, klepe and stews.
- Slastičarna — a sweet shop for tufahija, baklava and ice cream.
Tips
- Lunch is the main meal and restaurants serve it all afternoon.
- Portions are large; one ćevapi portion often feeds a child and an adult.
- Tap water is generally drinkable in towns.
- Card or cash? Many small grills take cash only — keep some marks with you.
Planning a family trip? Read Sarajevo with kids for child-friendly places to eat.
Prices, timetables and entry rules change. We checked the facts on this page on the date shown; confirm time-sensitive details before you travel.
Sources and further reading
- Bosnian cuisine — Wikipedia (checked 24 October 2026)
