A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Sarajevo
- Sarajevo Information
- Eating & drinking in Sarajevo
- Things to do in Sarajevo
- Where to stay in Sarajevo
- Sarajevo street map
Bosnian cuisine typically involves a meat platter with a simple salad… followed by more meat! Eating out in Sarajevo, however, is more in keeping with its diverse ethnic history, so even vegetarians and fish lovers should find their tastes catered to.
For local Bosnian cooking, travelers can head to Grbavica where there are a number of authentic eateries. Here, there are also a handful of good Italian restaurants which, although slightly more expensive, are affordable nonetheless.
The best place to find a meal on the cheap, however, is in the Turkish Quarter, Bascarsija, where the historic streets are filled with small cafés and restaurants that, as a rule, offer particularly good value.
Alternatively, there are street stands across the city that serve traditional dishes such as 'cevapi' (a local kebab) and 'burek' (filo pastry stuffed with meat). Cheaper than a sit-down meal, they make a great snack or meal on the go.
At night, Sarajevo’s streets buzz with life thanks to its many cafés, bars and clubs. What’s more, with the city lights reflecting off the Miljaka River which dissects it, it’s a beautiful place to spend an evening.
The main pedestrianized area, Ferhadija, is a good place to start for nightlife in Sarajevo. The whole city seems to descend upon this street and the bars surrounding it for a few local Sarajevska beers before heading on to one of the noisier venues.
Home to so many great places for a cheap drink, Sarajevo makes for interesting bar-hopping and the Old Town is packed with both laid-back bars and busy clubs where patrons spill out onto the streets in the summer months.
Bascarsija is also a popular spot for a night out, with its laid-back pavement cafés and shisha bars. There are also some smaller, alternative places amongst the back streets which stay open late and often have DJs or live folk music.
Whilst there’s also a smattering of large modern discos (this is the Balkans, after all), nightlife in Sarajevo is really about its unique feel: lively without being chaotic, casual yet fashionable, it’s a big city with a friendly, small town vibe.