Sarajevski sahan is the Bosnian sampler tray of five small dishes (cevapi, sogan-dolma, sarma, sarena pita, klepe) served on a copper-pressed plate. The canonical Sarajevo order for a first-time visitor.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
The sahan format (Turkish 'sahan' meaning tray) developed in Sarajevo's restaurant scene through Habsburg-era and modern institutional restaurants like Inat Kuca (house moved 1895 to the opposite bank of the Miljacka river) and persists today as the visitor's introduction to Bosnian Sarajevo cooking. The five-dish format was codified in the late 20th century as a tasting plate for visitors landing at the Bascarsija sit-down restaurants.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Tip from the editors. Sahan is a presentation format; the trick is small portions of each dish, not a full plate of any one.
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.
Tip: Reserve a riverside terrace table for dinner; ask for sarajevski sahan to taste five Bosnian dishes in one tray.
Sedef in Ilidza is the Sarajevo family room cooking the canonical sahan, bosanski lonac and colourful dolma at suburban prices for the Vrelo Bosne crowd.
Signature: Sarajevski sahan, Bosanski lonac, Dolma, Small cevapi
Order: Sarajevski sahan platter with five Bosnian dishes in one tray.
Tip: Take the tram to Ilidza, then walk; the outdoor alley tables are the ones to ask for, and the kitchen does whole roast lamb on order.
Park Princeva above Bascarsija is the Sarajevo Bosnian dining room with the highest dinner view in town, hosting Bono and Bill Clinton through the years.
Why locals love it: On the steepest road above Bascarsija, the Sarajevo restaurant that hosted Bono and Bill Clinton runs Bosnian dining with the highest dinner view in town.
Tip: Reserve a terrace table for sunset; take a taxi from Bascarsija up.
Kibe Mahala on a Vratnik hillside above Bascarsija runs spit-roasted lamb and sahan platters for the locals who climb up for the Sarajevo dinner view.
Why locals love it: On a steep Vratnik hillside above Bascarsija, this Sarajevo Bosnian restaurant runs spit-roasted lamb to a 20-table room with a wraparound city view.
Tip: Taxi up; the cobbled walk is steep and the view tables fill at sunset.
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