They say the best way to truly understand a country is through all your senses. While the Sarajevo food and culture tour focuses on tantalising your taste buds with the most delicious food Bosnia’s capital has to offer, it also engages your other senses. You’ll hear fascinating stories about Bosnia’s food traditions and snippets of its history from a local guide. You’ll see vibrant market stalls, smell the rich aroma of freshly brewed Bosnian coffee, and feel the warmth of freshly baked bread in your hands.
Sounds perfect? Then come along with me as we explore Sarajevo’s rich food and culture scene together!
Location: Sarajevo city center, more details provided on booking link
Cost: Yes. Check prices and book tour here.
Lenght: 4h
How to get there: You can get to city center by car or by public transport
Check out our full Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary
Why Choose a Guided Food Tour in Sarajevo?
There is more to food than just the taste.
A lot of regional foods come with traditions that are both hundreds of years old and at the same time – still practised in everyday lives. Sometimes the recipes are handed from generation to generation in a handwritten recipe book but other times they are adopted to fit the needs of the modern lifestyle.
And what better way to learn about these traditions than from a local? Our guide, Ahmet, did a fantastic job not only teaching us how to properly enjoy some must-try foods in Sarajevo but also sharing intriguing historical and cultural tidbits about Bosnia.
Plus – this particular tour takes you to beloved local spots often overlooked by tourist guides, making it an authentic and unforgettable experience.
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The Lively Baščaršija Market in Sarajevo: A Paradise for Foodies and Explorers
Sarajevo bustles with life and colour, and the heart of this vibrant city is its bustling market. It’s the perfect place to sample many Bosnian foods and soak in the local atmosphere.
As you wander through the market, you pass by numerous small shops selling traditional coffee makers, jewellery, souvenirs, and mouth-watering Turkish sweets.
Although, at first a lot of the items seem the same, if you look carefully you will understand each shop is unique with its own character and charm. The two hand made bracelets in the blacksmith shop are cousins but not twins. And each vendor’s personality shows in the displays – one vendor arranges everything neatly, while another embraces a creative chaos.
While we are windowshoping our guide tells us about Bosnia’s traditional crafts—some forgotten after the industrial revolution and others still practised today. Did you know there’s a handmade bottle brush shop in Sarajevo still operating?
Unfortunately, the owner is out at the moment, so we miss the chance to peek inside.
But don’t worry – it is time for a snack, anyways.
Foods to try in Sarajevo 1
Did You Know Sarajevo Has Their Own Variety of Baklava?
We stop by a little shop with a variety of baklava displayed in the window—square, rose-shaped, and tube-shaped, all soaking in sweet, sticky syrup. According to Ahmet, everyone in Sarajevo knows how to make baklava, and everyone believes their mom’s baklava is the best. However, nowadays buying baklava from specialty shops instead of making it at home is accepted too.
If you have visited Turkey you may be familiar with this layered, nutty desert. There are a lot of Turkish influences in Bosnia’s food scene. However, Bosnians do offer their unique spin on it by presenting Džandar baklava. It’s the one that looks like a pastry tube filled with delightful cream. The biggest difference between Sarajevo and the Turkish baklava is the nuts used. The one we are about to try has variation with almond, walnut and hazel as the base nut.
As per guide’s recommendation – let’s sample the almond one. It is sticky from the syrup, but not overly sticky. It is sweet. But not as sweet as other baklavas. In my opinion it strikes the perfect balance.
Now, for our next treat we need to leave the market for a bit.
But trust me – it will be worth it.
Foods to try in Sarajevo 2
Freshly Baked Somun Bread
There is a place you may not even notice when passing by.
It’s a little bakery. That has a simple A4 menu next to the door and when you look at the menu it features just one item – a bread.
But what a bread that is!
Our guide calls a Ramadan bread, as it is typically the first thing locals eat to break the fasting in the end of the day during Ramadan. Apparently, it’s so delicious that during Ramadan, people in Sarajevo queue up in long lines just to buy it.
Let’s try it!
When you take the flat bread in your hands you realise it is still warm. Freshly baked.From outside it has a bit of lovely chard from baking in the oven and the inside is soft and fluffy.
I’m not ashamed to admit I devoured two of these in a row, without any toppings, and even came back for more before we left Sarajevo. It’s that good!
But we have now walked for a while, so it is time for a little pick me up.
Foods to try in Sarajevo 3
Let’s Learn How to Drink Bosnian Coffee the Bosnian Way
When should you drink coffee? According to Bosnians – any time.
In Bosnia, coffee is more than a morning shot of caffeine; it’s a social ritual, a way to slow down and connect with friends and family. As you stroll through Sarajevo , you’ll spot countless café tables adorned with ornate coffee sets, little plates of Turkish delights, and sugar cubes—even late into the evening.
Our guide takes us to a special place where most of the visitors seem to be locals enjoying the coffee and conversations. It’s definitely a more authentic experience than any coffee shop I could have googled myself. And that is why it is great to have a tour like this.
The Art of Drinking Bosnian Coffee
So, how do you properly enjoy Bosnian coffee? First off, don’t call it Turkish coffee. Yes, they’re similar, but in Sarajevo, it’s proudly Bosnian. And whatever you do, don’t down it like an espresso shot! This isn’t about a caffeine spike; it’s about the experience.
Bosnian coffee is typically served together with a sugar cube, a Turkish delight, and a glass of water. It seems to be a bit of a gamble on what flavour of the sweet you will get. I think this one must be a rose.
Here’s the insider tip from our guide: take the sugar cube, pop it in your mouth, let it dissolve a bit, and then take a sip of the strong, bitter coffee. That’s how you get the exquisite balance of flavours.
The coffee itself is robust and somewhat gritty, brewed directly from the grounds in the džezva (the pot with the long handle). It has a strong, earthy flavor that may not be everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee), but it’s an experience you can’t miss when in Bosnia.
Now that we are rejuvenated by some caffeine it is time to eat some more.
It is lunch time now, so let’s try a popular Bosnian main course meal.
Foods to try in Sarajevo 4
The iconic chevapi
For lunch, we head to a place where Ahmet’s grandparents love to eat chevapi, so you know it’s going to be good. Chevapi is an assemble-your-own type of meal. You get grilled beef-lamb sausages, flatbread, raw onions, and kajmak.
What’s that? It is a bit difficult to explain. The texture of kajmak is similar to a whipped butter. But it is not butter. It is the cream that forms on top of the milk when milk is slowly simmered. The taste is mild, quite buttery. If you want to sample some more – head to the food market where they sell it both sweetened and unsweetened.
But for now, chevapi is the star of the show and kajmak is a supporting actor. So tear off a piece of bread, spread some kajmak on, wrap a chevapi sausage in it, and enjoy!
Do you still have room in your stomach? Because we have more.
It’s time for one more iconic Bosnian dish. Can you guess what it is?
Foods to try in Sarajevo 5
Is There a Burek With Cheese?
If you really want to see a Bosnian’s eyes flare up, just ask for “burek with cheese.” But be ready for a duel! In Bosnia, there’s no such thing. Burek is strictly a meat-filled pastry. Any similar pastry filled with cheese, spinach, or potatoes that you thought is also named burek ? Those are called “pastries” or “pitas.”
So, let’s embark on this culinary adventure and sample both the legendary burek and its cheese-filled relative. The best way to savour these delights? With a generous side of yogurt, of course.
First up, the burek. As you take your first bite, the flaky, golden pastry shatters delightfully, giving way to a rich, savoury filling of ground meat. Now, onto the not-burek. Inside, you find a filling reminiscent of cottage cheese—rich, fatty, and crumbly. Both are salty, flaky and fatty. Although it is a pastry it could easily be eaten as a meal.
Thoughts?
I feel like this tour was a feast of Bosnian cuisine with some history and culture in the desert. From the sweet, nutty baklava and freshly baked somun bread to the rich, strong Bosnian coffee and the iconic meat-filled burek, each bite offers a taste of tradition. I recommend it!
You might have noticed – I did not share any specific places where we ate. As it is a paid tour I did not want to reveal their secrets, so that you have some incentive to join the tour yourself. It was truly a lot of fun. As well there were a couple of other snacks we sampled along the way that are not listed here.
What To Know About Picking This Food Tour in Sarajevo?
Is the food included in the price?
Yes, for this particular tour all the food items I mentioned were included in the price and in the end we also got some recommendations on where to eat on our own if we were to spend more time in Sarajevo.
What landmarks of Sarajevo does the tour include?
The tour is mostly focused on the market, but we also saw exteriors of some historic buildings like mosque and bell tower. However, I would recommend planning time to explore the landmarks separately or look into complimenting this tour with another walking tour as this one is more focused on food and crafts.
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Check out the full itinerary of our Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina road trip
A lot more fun things to experience organized in a day-to day plan