Italian and Mediterranean$$$centarMon-Sun 08:00-23:00
Restoran Manolo on Marsala Tita is the polished Sarajevo Italian room serving hand-cut pasta, slow risotto and a brunch list locals book for weekends.
Signature: Risotto, Hand-cut pasta, Tiramisu
Order: Truffle risotto with parmigiano-reggiano and a slice of tiramisu.
Tip: Reserve weekend mornings for brunch; the risotto of the day and tiramisu are the house signatures.
Traditional Bosnian$$kovaciMon-Sun 09:00-23:00
Inat Kuca in Sarajevo's Kovaci is the 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, Burek
Order: Sarajevski sahan with bosanski lonac and a glass of Blatina from Mostar.
Tip: Reserve for dinner on the riverside terrace, ask for sarajevski sahan to taste five Bosnian dishes in one tray, and bring cash for the bill.
Traditional Bosnian$$bascarsijaMon-Sun 08:00-23:00
Dveri off Saraci in Bascarsija is the family Bosnian room behind a wood-shuttered facade, with a flowered courtyard and hearty lonac on every table.
Signature: Bosanski lonac, Klepe, Sogan-dolma, Grilled lamb
Order: Bosanski lonac and klepe with garlic-yogurt sauce, paired with house bread.
Tip: Reservations are essential; Dveri is cash only and the rear courtyard tables are the ones to ask for in summer for warm-weather Sarajevo evenings.
Modern Bosnian$$$mejtasMon-Sun 09:00-00:00
4 Sobe Gospodje Safije is the four-room villa on Cekalusa where modern Bosnian Sarajevo eats, across restored 1910 rooms and a flower garden.
Signature: Beef tartare, Bosnian tasting plates, Pasta
Order: Beef tartare with kajmak and the seasonal Bosnian tasting plates the kitchen sends.
Tip: Reserve the courtyard garden in summer; the wine list pours Herzegovinian Zilavka and Blatina by the glass alongside European bottles.
Traditional Bosnian$$$vratnikMon-Sun 12:00-23:00
Kibe Mahala sits on a Vratnik hillside above Bascarsija, where spit-roasted lamb, sahan platters and Herzegovinian wine come with a panoramic view.
Signature: Spit-roasted lamb, Bosnian sahan, Veal jagnjetina
Order: Spit-roasted lamb by weight with potatoes and a half-litre of Blatina.
Tip: Take a taxi up; the hill is steep and the view tables fill quickly at sunset. Reserve the wraparound terrace for the best look across Sarajevo.
Modern Bosnian$$$vratnikMon-Sun 08:00-23:00
Park Princeva is the panoramic Sarajevo restaurant above Bascarsija that hosted Bono and Bill Clinton, working an elegant Bosnian menu with the best view.
Signature: Veal under sac, Bosnian sahan, Grilled trout
Order: Veal under sac with kajmak and a glass of Herzegovinian Zilavka.
Tip: Reserve a window or terrace table for sunset; the road up is narrow and a taxi from Bascarsija is the practical move.