Bistros, trattorias and the everyday rooms where Sarajevo actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Sarajevo actually eats.
Cevabdzinica Zeljo on Kundurdziluk is one of Sarajevo's three anchor cevapi rooms, beef-only sausages grilled over coals and served in somun.
Signature: Cevapi, Pljeskavica, Kajmak
Order: Desetka (10 cevapi) with kajmak and a kefir.
Tip: All three Zeljo branches in Bascarsija are cash only and the queue moves fast at lunch.
Petica Ferhatovic is the Bravadziluk family-run cevapi room that opened 1984 for the Sarajevo Olympics and still presses cevapi at the same standard.
Signature: Cevapi, Pljeskavica, Sudzukice
Order: Desetka cevapi with kajmak and onions.
Tip: 10 cevapi run about 10 KM with kajmak; the corner terrace tables are the ones to ask for on warm Sarajevo evenings.
Cevabdzinica Hodzic on Bravadziluk has been grilling Sarajevo cevapi for more than 20 years and holds three Golden Dining Crown awards from the city.
Signature: Cevapi, Pljeskavica, Grilled meats
Order: 10 cevapi with kajmak and a glass of kefir.
Tip: Three locations across the Old Town; Bravadziluk 34 is the original and morning sittings are the quietest.
Cevabdzinica Mrkva opened on Bravadziluk in 1963 and has held the line on Sarajevo cevapi for more than 50 years, with branches across the city.
Signature: Cevapi, Sudzukice, Pljeskavica
Order: Desetka with kajmak and onions.
Tip: The Bravadziluk branch is the original; Mrkva Dobrinja and Mrkva Kovacici are the local-everyday rooms.
Buregdzinica Sac on Mali Bravadziluk pulls burek under a metal lid covered with coals in Sarajevo, the canonical 200-year Bosnian phyllo room.
Signature: Burek under sac, Sirnica, Krompirusa
Order: 200g of meat burek with kajmak.
Tip: Sold by weight; the meat burek with kajmak on the side is the order to make.
Buregdzinica Bosna on Bravadziluk pulls Sarajevo's full Bosnian phyllo family, spiral burek with meat, sirnica with cheese, krompirusa with potato.
Signature: Spiral burek, Sirnica, Zeljanica
Order: 200g spiral meat burek with kajmak.
Tip: Sold by weight; ask for kajmak on the side and bring napkins for the meat burek.
Nanina Kuhinja on Kundurdziluk is the Sarajevo Bosnian counter where Grandmother's Kitchen serves lonac, klepe and sarma by the portion through the day.
Signature: Bosanski lonac, Klepe, Sarma
Order: Bosanski lonac and a portion of klepe with kajmak.
Tip: The counter at lunch is the easiest sit; ask for klepe with extra walnut and kajmak.
Klopa in a passage off Ferhadija reads as Sarajevo's quiet daytime kitchen, with risotto, veggie burgers and pizza alongside a small Bosnian rotation.
Signature: Veggie burger, Risotto, Pizza
Order: Veggie burger with sweet potato chips.
Tip: Non-smoking and baby-friendly; arrive before 13:00 to claim the small front terrace.
Cakum Pakum on Kaptol is Sarajevo's vintage trattoria-coded room with hand-cut pasta, sweet and savoury crepes and a long brunch run for Centar lunch.
Signature: Crepes, Hand-cut pasta, Salads
Order: Truffle pasta and a Nutella crepe.
Tip: Closed Sundays; lunch is the busy seating and the patio fills fast.
Barhana on a Djulagina dead-end is the Sarajevo Bascarsija mehana with the longest rakija shelf and a courtyard for warm evenings and dining.
Signature: Homemade rakija, Pasta, Pizza
Order: Quince dunja rakija and pasta with kajmak.
Tip: Order a rakija flight to start; the herbal travarica and quince dunja are the house pours.
Avlija is the Sarajevo courtyard institution off Mehmeda Spahe with a vine-shaded garden and roast lamb under sac that locals book for occasions.
Signature: Roast lamb under sac, Pljeskavica, Bosnian platters
Order: Roast lamb under sac with potatoes.
Tip: Book the courtyard for warm-weather dinners; closed Sundays.
Inat Kuca in Kovaci is the Sarajevo Spite House, an Ottoman house moved across the Miljacka in 1895 and now a Bosnian restaurant for sahan and lonac.
Signature: Sarajevski sahan, Bosanski lonac, Cevapi
Order: Sarajevski sahan with bosanski lonac.
Tip: Reserve for dinner on the riverside terrace; cash is the practical move.
Dveri off Saraci in Bascarsija is Sarajevo's family-run Bosnian institution behind a wood-shuttered facade with a flowered courtyard and hearty lonac.
Signature: Bosanski lonac, Klepe, Grilled lamb
Order: Bosanski lonac and klepe with garlic-yogurt sauce.
Tip: Reservations are essential at Dveri; cash only and the rear courtyard tables are the ones to ask for in summer.
Pivnica HS in Sarajevo is the Sarajevska Pivara taproom on Franjevacka, the only room pouring the brewery's unfiltered draught and a wide grill menu.
Signature: Mixed grill platters, Sarajevsko Pivo, Roast pork
Order: Mixed grill platter with the unfiltered Sarajevsko draught.
Tip: Visit the brewery museum on the same ticket; the unfiltered light is the pour.