Before visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, I had heard about its cuisine, but mostly about cévapi, a grilled meat sausage that originated in the Balkans and is the national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina. And while cévapi is definitely one of the must-try dishes (unless you’re vegetarian), there are plenty of other Bosnian dishes to discover, as well as addictive desserts like tufahija and hurmasice.
Bosnian cuisine is hearty, comforting, and diverse (due to the influence of both the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire). Below is a list of what to eat in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including vegetarian options, for a delicious culinary experience.
PS: Read up on Bosnian culture for a deeper cultural experience and to avoid faux pas.
What to eat in Bosnia and Herzegovina: top famous dishes
1. Burek
Burek is a flaky pastry baked in large spiral trays before being sliced into portions. Originating from the Ottoman Empire, it’s filling, affordable, and incredibly satisfying, and usually comes with cheese, spinach, potatoes, or meat. They make for a great snack and breakfast item.
Insider tip: Technically, only the meat version is called burek. Cheese, spinach, or potato versions have different names (e.g., sirnika and zeljanica). And not all bureks are created equal. Some are crispy and flaky, while others are soft.
How to eat burek?
Most people eat burek for breakfast or as a snack.
Where to find burek?
You’ll find burek in most bakeries (pekaras), pastry shops, and cafes. Everyone has a “favourite” burek spot, but the best way to find the best one is by doing a food tour with a local guide.
2. Cévapi
Pronounced “ché-vapi”, cévapi is one of the famous Bosnian dishes. It’s a grilled meat sausage, made of a variety of minced meat, including chicken, beef, and lamb. It’s rare to find cévapi with pork, due to the majority of the Bosnian population being Muslim.
How to eat cévapi?
Cévapi is usually eaten in fluffy somun bread with chopped onions and kajmak (a rich, creamy dairy spread). You can eat it at lunch, dinner, or as a snack.
Where to find cévapi?
You can easily find cévapi in most restaurants, as it’s Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national dish, but check traditional ćevabdžinicas (specialist ćevapi restaurants) in Sarajevo, Mostar, and Travnik. Many say that the best cévapis are in Sarajevo, though others argue that they had the best ones in Travnik and Mostar.
3. Begova Čorba
Begova Čorba (Bey’s Soup) is a thick chicken and okra soup and dates back to Ottoman times and is one of the most traditional dishes in Bosnian cuisine. It’s rich, warming, and quite filling.
How to eat Begova Čorba?
Begova Čorba (Bey’s Soup) is usually eaten as a starter to a main meal.
Where to find Begova Čorba?
You’ll usually find Begova Čorba in traditional Bosnian restaurants in Sarajevo.
4. Bosanski Lonac
Bosanski Lonac literally means “Bosnian pot”. It’s a slow-cooked stew made with layers of meat and vegetables cooked together for hours. Every family seems to have their own version. It’s one of the most comforting dishes in Bosnia and Herzegovina: tender meat, soft vegetables, and a deeply flavourful broth.
How to eat Bosanski Lonac?
Bosanski Lonac is usually served as a main dish and eaten at family gatherings, for celebrations, and during colder months.
Where to find Bosanski Lonac?
You’ll likely find Bosanski Lonac in family-run restaurants and countryside guesthouses, as well as rural restaurants; they often serve some of the best versions because many still follow traditional recipes.
5. Sogan-Dolma
Sogan-Dolma consists of onions stuffed with minced meat and rice, then slowly cooked until tender. The onions become sweet and soft while absorbing all the flavours of the filling.
How to eat Sogan-Dolma?
Sogan-Dolma is traditionally served as a starter or appetizer.
Where to find Sogan-Dolma?
You can find Sogan-Dolma at family meals and special occasions, or at various restaurants.
6. Ražnjići
Ražnjići is grilled meat on skewers, similar to Turkish şaşlık or souvlaki, one of Greece’s most popular dishes. Ražanj is a Serbo-Croatian word meaning skewer.
How to eat Ražnjići?
Ražnjići is usually eaten either as an appetizer or as a main dish, especially when served over rice, with fries, or with somun bread.
Where to find Ražnjići?
You’ll find Ražnjići at barbecues and family gatherings, and they are also commonly found at local eateries, street food stalls, at traditional aščinice (home-style cookhouses), and ćevabdžinice (grill houses) throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What to eat in Bosnia and Herzegovina: vegetarian dishes
I’ll be honest: Bosnian cuisine is very meat-heavy, and it’s not that easy to find vegetarian dishes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, you can always ask for substitutes or seek out the dishes below.
1. Sirnika and Zeljanica
Sirnika and zeljanica are very similar to burek, except that they’re filled with cheese, or spinach, or potatoes, or a mix of all these.
How to eat sirnika and zeljanica?
Sirnika and zeljanica are best eaten fresh out of the oven, as a snack or for breakfast. You can pair it with drinkable yogurt, as many locals do.
Where to find sirnika and zeljanica?
You’ll find sirnika at most bakeries and traditional restaurants.
2. Grah
Grah is a Bosnian bean stew. It’s simple, hearty, and especially popular during winter. It’s usually made with sausages, but vegetarian versions are common, although it’s worth checking whether meat stock has been used.
How to eat grah?
Grah is consumed warm, as a main dish, and usually during colder months.
Where to find grah?
You’ll find grah at traditional restaurants and local eateries.
3. Kljukuša
Made from grated potatoes mixed with a light batter and baked until golden, Kljukuša is somewhere between a potato pie, a casserole, and a giant hash brown. In Herzegovina, you may see it called izlivača.
How to eat Kljukuša?
You can eat Kljukuša for breakfast, as a light lunch, or as a comforting meal on colder days. It’s also commonly served as a side dish alongside meat dishes.
Where to find Kljukuša?
You’ll find Kljukuša in family-run restaurants, rural guesthouses, and traditional Bosnian eateries, particularly in central Bosnia and Herzegovina.
4. Sataraš
Popular throughout the Balkans, sataraš is a light vegetable stew made of bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions. It’s similar to the Hungarian dish, lecsó, and the Turkish dish, menemen.
How to eat sataraš?
Sataraš can be eaten hot or cold, as a light snack or as a main dish, often accompanied by bread, and sometimes served alongside meat.
Where to find sataraš?
You’ll find sataraš at local traditional eateries (aščinice) serving homestyle food, or local green markets, usually in summer.
5. Ajvar dip
While not a meal, ajvar is a delicious dip made with olive oil, bell peppers, garlic, and oil. It’s often served as a condiment to a main dish.
How to eat ajvar?
Ajvar is best consumed as a dip, usually served with bread, crackers, meat, and even fries. It’s a great alternative to hummus and ketchup.
Where to find ajvar?
You’ll find ajvar dip everywhere, from the condiment section in a supermarket to local markets.
Famous Bosnian dishes for dessert
If you like sweet things, whether for dessert or a midday snack, you’re in luck because Bosnia and Herzegovina has some delicious sweet treats.
1. Uštipci
Uštipci are donut-like, fried, fluffy dough balls and are often served with cheese, kajmak, or jam.
How to eat Uštipci?
Uštipci is eaten as a snack, and you can eat it on its own or with accompaniments like jam or cheese.
Where to find Uštipci?
Look for traditional aščinicas (eateries) in the historic Baščaršija district in Sarajevo, though you can likely find it easily at bakeries.
2. Peksimeti
Peksimeti is a fluffier version of uštipci, and is also a fried fluffy dough ball, served with cheese, jam, garlic dip, or kajmak.
How to eat Peksimeti?
Peksimeti can be eaten on its own, but it’s best consumed with its accompaniment, whether it’s sweet jam or a savoury option like cheese.
Where to find Peksimeti?
Peksimeti is found at local bakeries and markets.
3. Tufahija
A very unique dessert, tufahija is a poached apple stuffed with walnuts and topped with whipped cream. It sounds simple enough, but the combination works beautifully.
How to eat tufahija?
Tufahija is usually eaten after a meal, as a dessert, but it’s can be heavy so make sure to leave plenty of room for it.
Where to find tufahija?
You’ll find tufahija at most traditional Bosnian restaurants.
4. Hurmasice
Hurmascie are soft cookies drenched in syrup. It’s very sweet, so it’s best eaten with something to balance out the sweetness, like coffee or tea.
How to eat hurmasice?
Hurmascie is usually eaten with coffee, tea, or as a dessert.
Where to find hurmasice?
Hurmascie can be found at cafes and restaurants.
What to drink in Bosnia?
1. Rakija
Rakija is a strong alcoholic drink with over 40% alcohol. Bosnians joke that rakija isn’t just alcohol; it’s also medicine, a cleaning solution, and a disinfectant. It’s the most famous alcoholic drink in Bosnia.
How to drink rakija?
Rakija is meant to be sipped and enjoyed slowly, not downed or drunk as a shot, like tequila.
Where to find rakija?
Rakija can be found in every supermarket, but it’s also commonly homemade and often offered to guests as a sign of hospitality. It’s considered polite to take a small sip if offered, unless, of course, you don’t drink alcohol.
2. Bosnian coffee
Bosnian coffee isn’t just coffee in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s a ritual, a pause to sip and socialise with friends and family. Bosnian coffee is rich, thick, and strong, and is meant to be enjoyed slowly.
How to drink Bosnian coffee?
- Bosnian coffee is not like Turkish coffee, and it consists of only water and coffee, with sugar served separately in cubes. Do not add sugar directly to the coffee.
- When your coffee is served, you’ll get the coffee, plus a small bowl with sugar cubes, and a small cup of cold water. Add a few teaspoons of the water to the coffee, and stir gently to make a foam.
- Pour the coffee into the small cup provided.
- Don’t drink the coffee immediately. Wait about 2 minutes to allow the coffee grounds to settle.
- Grab one of the sugar cubes, dip the tip gently in the coffee, then take a bit of the dipped part. Only then do you drink the coffee, but don’t drink til the last sip, as it’s bitter at the bottom with all the coffee grounds.
Where to find Bosnian coffee?
Coffee is a huge part of Bosnian culture, so you’ll find Bosnian coffee in every cafe and restaurant.
3. Salep
Salep is a thick, sweet drink made with orchid-root flour, milk, and cinnamon. It’s a comforting drink and is usually consumed in winter and on cold days.
How to drink salep?
Stir the cinnamon powder and foam gently with a spoon, and drink your salep slowly.
Where to find salep?
You’ll find salep in traditional cafés, especially during the colder months.
FAQs
Is Bosnian cuisine halal?
Bosnian cuisine is not always halal, though it’s quite easy to find halal food in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the majority of the population is Muslim.
Is it easy to find vegetarian dishes in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
It’s not that easy to find vegetarian dishes or meat substitutes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as most meals are meat-heavy, and Bosnian cuisine is known for its meaty dishes. However, you can always ask for a vegetarian version of a meal, or try dishes like sataraš (a light veggie stew) or kljukuša (a potato pie)
