The short version: Sarajevo is all about ćevapi – charcoal-grilled minced-meat fingers in a puffy somun bun with onion and kajmak – eaten in the Ottoman Baščaršija bazaar. Around them come burek and pita pastries, begova čorba (bey’s soup), stuffed dolma and sarma, and a slow Bosnian coffee with baklava. It’s warm, cheap and hospitable.
At a glance
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ćevapi | Charcoal-grilled minced-meat fingers in somun bread with onion |
| Burek | Flaky pastry coiled with minced meat (cheese = sirnica, etc.) |
| Begova čorba | “Bey’s soup” – a creamy chicken-and-vegetable soup |
| Dolma / sarma | Stuffed vegetables / stuffed cabbage or vine leaves |
| Bosnian coffee | Finely ground coffee from a copper džezva, with lokum |
Ćevapi and the bazaar
The heart of it all is Baščaršija, Sarajevo’s Ottoman bazaar, lined with ćevabdžinice – grill houses devoted to ćevapi. These plump, charcoal-grilled minced-meat fingers arrive in a soft, puffy somun flatbread with chopped raw onion and, often, kajmak (clotted cream). Order them by the count (five or ten). Nearby you’ll find burek – flaky pastry coiled with minced meat – and its siblings sirnica (cheese), zeljanica (spinach and cheese) and krompiruša (potato), sold by weight. A Sarajevo food tour is the best way in.
Soups, sweets and coffee
Look for begova čorba (a creamy “bey’s soup”), stuffed dolma and sarma, and the slow-cooked bosanski lonac (Bosnian pot). Finish with Ottoman sweets – baklava, tufahija (a walnut-stuffed poached apple in syrup) – and, above all, a Bosnian coffee, brewed in a copper džezva and sipped slowly with a cube of sugar and a piece of rahat lokum (our Bosnian coffee guide explains the ritual). Plan the trip from the Bosnia hub, and pair it with Mostar.
Frequently asked questions
What food is Sarajevo known for?
Ćevapi above all – charcoal-grilled minced-meat fingers in somun bread – plus burek and pita pastries, begova čorba soup, dolma and sarma, and Bosnian coffee with baklava.
What is the difference between ćevapi and other grilled meats?
Ćevapi are small hand-rolled fingers of minced meat grilled over charcoal and served in bread; they differin the Balkans by region – Sarajevo’s are plump and served in a puffy somun with onion and kajmak.
Is Sarajevo cheap for food?
Very – a hearty portion of ćevapi, a burek or a Bosnian coffee all cost only a few euros, making Sarajevo one of Europe’s best-value food cities.
Taste Sarajevo
Book a Sarajevo food tour, read the Bosnian coffee guide, and plan from the Bosnia hub.
