Where to eat in Sarajevo

A short list. Sarajevo has plenty of restaurants. The ones below are the most commonly cited in Bosnian and English-language press, grouped by what they do.

Ćevapi (the four classics)

The four institutions, all within five minutes’ walk of the Sebilj. Each has its own page on the site.

Željo, Kundurdžiluk 19. Opened 1968. Two locations facing each other; both are the same family. The most famous of the four.
Petica Ferhatović, Bravadžiluk 22. Opened 1957. The oldest still-operating ćevabdžinica in the city.
Mrkva, Bravadžiluk 13. Opened 1963. Argentine charcoal gives a slightly darker char.
Hodžić, Bravadžiluk 34. Three-time Golden Crown winner. Quieter dining room, slightly more refined.

If you only eat ćevapi once, eat at Željo or Petica. Order 10, not 5.

Burek & pite

Buregdžinica Sač, proper sač-baked phyllo. Open early.
Bosna, beloved for the cheese sirnica.
Pekara AS, locals’ choice. No atmosphere, perfect bread.

Old Bosnian cooking

Inat Kuća, historic, riverside, traditional dishes done right. Begova čorba is the order.
4 Sobe Gospođe Safije, five tiny rooms, slow food, a love letter to a grandmother’s kitchen.
Park Princeva, for the view as much as the food. Book the terrace.

Coffee

Dibek, the only café in Sarajevo where the beans are still pounded by hand on a stone mortar.
Morića Han, Bosnian coffee in a 1551 Ottoman courtyard.
Ministry of Ćejf, third-wave specialty roaster on Kovači, with a terrace over the bazaar.
Čajdžinica Džirlo, 53 teas in a tiny room above the Sebilj. Bosnian coffee here is excellent too.
Café Barometar, the best-looking interior in the city centre.
Caffe Tito, Yugoslav memorabilia inside, a real Yugoslav-army helicopter outside.

Sweets

Slastičarna Ramis, baklava and tufahija (poached apple stuffed with walnut and cream).
Hadži Bajrić Pita, hot pita straight from the oven.
Egipat, the ice-cream institution.

Wine bars & modern cooking

Pod Lipom, small plates, smarter than the average tourist menu.
Mala Kuhinja, chef-driven. You tell them what you like and they cook.
Karuzo, vegetarian, run by a former sea captain who cooks every plate himself.

A drink

Zlatna Ribica, the best-decorated bar in Europe. Tiny, weird, perfect.
Pivnica HS, Sarajevo’s brewery. The dark beer is good.
Kuća Sevdaha, coffee, music, intimate atmosphere.

A note on reservations

Friday and Saturday nights: book ahead. Otherwise just show up. If a place is empty at 8 p.m., that’s normal. Sarajevans eat late.