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Food tours in Sarajevo: what to eat and which tour to book
Sarajevo sits where Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Europe meet, and its food shows both. From the Ottoman centuries come ćevapi (small grilled meat sausages in flatbread), pita pies baked in round trays, stuffed vegetables, baklava and coffee made in a copper džezva. From the Austrian period come cafés, cakes and the elegant city market hall. Meat is central, but the pies, beans and dairy (kajmak, cheese, yoghurt) mean there is plenty more. The old bazaar of Baščaršija is where most visitors eat, and it is genuinely good, though busy; the streets west along Ferhadija and up into the residential hills are where prices drop.
Use this page to know what to order and where. The tours shown here are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and schedules change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Sarajevo
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ćevapi ćevapi (ćevapčići) | Small grilled sausages of minced beef (sometimes mixed with lamb), served in a soft somun flatbread with raw onion and often kajmak (clotted cream). Ordered as 5 or 10 pieces. | Ćevabdžinice in Baščaršija and across the city; Sarajevo-style ćevapi are smaller than those in Banja Luka. | roughly 8–14 KM for 10 pieces (about €4–7) |
| Pita pies burek, sirnica, zeljanica, krompiruša | Thin rolled pastry baked in coils in a round tray. In Bosnia, 'burek' means only the meat filling; the cheese one is sirnica, spinach and cheese is zeljanica, potato is krompiruša. Eaten with yoghurt. | Buregdžinice (pie shops) in Baščaršija and the centre; best mid-morning when fresh. | roughly 4–7 KM a portion (about €2–3.50), often sold by weight |
| Bey's soup begova čorba | Thick, creamy soup of chicken and okra with vegetables, thickened with egg yolk and sour cream. | Traditional restaurants serving Bosnian cooking. | roughly 5–9 KM a bowl (about €2.50–4.50) |
| Stuffed vegetables and onions dolma, sogan dolma, sarajevski sahan | Peppers, onions, courgettes and vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice; sogan dolma are stuffed onions; a Sarajevski sahan is a mixed plate of several stuffed dishes. | Aščinice, the traditional cook-shops that serve ready-made dishes at lunchtime. | roughly 10–18 KM a plate (about €5–9) |
| Klepe | Small meat-filled dumplings, similar to manti, served with garlic yoghurt and melted butter with red pepper. | Traditional restaurants and aščinice; not every place has them every day. | roughly 8–14 KM a portion (about €4–7) |
| Bosnian coffee bosanska kahva | Finely ground coffee brewed in a copper džezva and served on a tray with a small cup, a sugar cube and rahat lokum (Turkish delight). Drunk slowly. | Traditional coffee houses in Baščaršija and across the city. | about 2.5–5 KM (about €1.30–2.50) |
| Baklava and tufahija baklava / tufahija | Baklava is layered filo with nuts and syrup; tufahija is a whole poached apple stuffed with walnuts and topped with cream. | Slastičarne (sweet shops) in Baščaršija. | roughly 2.5–5 KM a piece (about €1.30–2.50) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Baščaršija
The Ottoman-era bazaar quarter with ćevapi grills, pie shops, coffee houses, sweet shops and traditional cook-shops in narrow lanes around the Sebilj fountain.
Markale open-air market
Central open-air produce market off Mula Mustafe Bašeskije street, selling fruit, vegetables, cheese, honey and dried fruit; also a place of remembrance for the two wartime massacres there.
City Market Hall (Gradska tržnica)
Austro-Hungarian covered market across from Markale, selling meat, smoked beef (suho meso), cheese and kajmak.
Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
The pedestrian street running west from Baščaršija, with cafés, cake shops and restaurants.
Bistrik and Kovači
Hillside quarters just above the old town, with small family restaurants, aščinice and views over the city; quieter than the bazaar.
Food tours in Sarajevo compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experience Sarajevo: Bosnian Cooking Class | 4 hours | from €90 per person | max 6 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Sarajevo: Sarajevo City Market, Old Town Food Tasting Tour | 4 hours | from €49 per person | max 10 | Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source. | Check dates |
| Sarajevo Food Tour: Eat where the locals eat | 5 hours | from €69 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Sarajevo: Eat, Pray, Love Tour - Local Life Experience | 4 hours | from €39 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Sarajevo Rakija Tasting Tour & Local Bites | 3 hours | from €65 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Sarajevo in a Day – History, Tradition, War, Gastronomy | 378 minutes | from €70 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Experience Sarajevo: Bosnian Cooking Class
On GetYourGuide · run by Sarajevo Experiences
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €90 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 7 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 6
- Included
- Local guide Private transportation Cooking class with a local family All cooking ingredients Bosnian coffee experience Meals and beverages Hotel pick up Hotel drop off Additional services
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Sarajevo: Sarajevo City Market, Old Town Food Tasting Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Sarajevo Insider City Tours & Excursions
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €49 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 138 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Suits
- Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source.
Sarajevo Food Tour: Eat where the locals eat
On GetYourGuide · run by .Cheyf Reisen
- Length
- 5 hours
- Price
- from €69 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 17 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Sarajevo: Eat, Pray, Love Tour - Local Life Experience
On GetYourGuide · run by Sarajevo Insider City Tours & Excursions
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €39 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 15 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Insider City Tours and Excursions
Sarajevo Rakija Tasting Tour & Local Bites
On GetYourGuide · run by .Cheyf Reisen
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €65 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 9 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Guided rakija tasting tour with a local guide 5 rakija tastings (fruit brandies & liqueurs) Bosnian mezze / snacks at both stops Visits to 2 local venues Small group experience Tips Additional food and/or drinks
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Sebilj
Sarajevo in a Day – History, Tradition, War, Gastronomy
On GetYourGuide · run by Bella Bosnia Tours
- Length
- 378 minutes
- Price
- from €70 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 6 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Expert Italian-speaking guide Transportation by air-conditioned van Guided visits to the main historical and cultural sites Admission ticket to the Tunnel of Hope Cevapi and burek food tasting during the walking tour…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Kračule 2, Sarajevo 71000, Bosna i Hercegovina
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food here means takeaway ćevapi, pita from pie shops and fresh somun bread. Most places have a few tables, so 'street' food is eaten sitting down. Pies are best fresh in the morning and can run out by mid-afternoon.
Sit-down meals
Traditional cook-shops (aščinice) serve stews and stuffed vegetables from the counter at lunchtime, and are usually closed in the evening. Restaurants are open for lunch and dinner, often from about 12:00. Many places in Baščaršija do not serve alcohol; restaurants in the rest of the centre usually do.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Sarajevo typically teach pita making (rolling the pastry by hand), dolma or Bosnian coffee, often in a family home, and last 2–4 hours with the meal. They are small-scale and good for vegetarians if you ask for cheese or vegetable pies.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | 40–60 KM, about €20–30 (pie breakfast, ćevapi lunch, cook-shop or simple dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | 80–120 KM, about €40–60 (two restaurant meals with coffee and sweets) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | 180+ KM, about €90+ (upmarket restaurant with Herzegovinian wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Possible. Cheese, spinach and potato pies, bean stews (grah, often made with meat, so ask), stuffed peppers without meat, salads, cheese and kajmak are common. Vegan food is harder, as dairy is in most dishes; a few dedicated places exist in the centre.
Halal: Easy in Baščaršija and much of the city: most meat in traditional restaurants is halal and pork is rarely served; many places show a halal certificate. In other parts of the country and in some international restaurants, pork is served, so ask.
Gluten-free: Hard with traditional food: pita, somun bread, klepe and baklava all contain wheat. Grilled meat without bread, soups (check thickeners), stuffed vegetables and salads are the safer choices. Awareness is limited.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Prices quoted or charged in euros at a poor exchange rate in tourist spots. Pay in Bosnian marks (KM); the rate is fixed at about 1.96 KM to €1, so check any euro price against that.
- Kajmak, extra bread or salads brought to the table with ćevapi and charged separately. Ask what comes with the order and what costs extra before it arrives.
- Unmetered taxis or drivers who quote high prices to visitors. Use taxis with a meter from known companies, or agree the fare first.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Sarajevo?
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. Rounding up or leaving about 10% for good service in restaurants is normal, and small change is enough in cafés and ćevapi shops. Cash tips are better than adding to a card payment. On a food tour, a small tip for a good guide, perhaps 10–20 KM, is welcome.
What is the difference between burek and pita?
In Bosnia, 'pita' is the general word for the rolled pastry pies, and 'burek' means only the one filled with minced meat. The cheese version is sirnica, spinach with cheese is zeljanica, and potato is krompiruša. Calling a cheese pie 'burek' is a common visitor mistake. Pies are usually eaten with plain yoghurt.
Can I drink alcohol in Baščaršija?
Many traditional restaurants, ćevapi shops and coffee houses in Baščaršija do not serve alcohol. Restaurants and bars a few streets away, along Ferhadija and in the Austro-Hungarian centre, usually do. Sarajevo is a mixed, relaxed city, so alcohol is easy to find, just not in every bazaar eatery.
What is an aščinica?
It is a traditional cook-shop serving home-style Bosnian dishes cooked in the morning and displayed at the counter: stews, stuffed peppers and onions, beans, soups and sometimes klepe. You point at what you want. They are mostly open at lunchtime and often close by late afternoon, so go before about 15:00.
Is Sarajevo good for halal food?
Yes. Most traditional restaurants in Baščaršija and the old centre serve halal meat and do not serve pork, and many display a halal certificate. Ćevapi, pies and stews are typically made with beef or lamb. In international restaurants, or in other parts of the country, check before ordering.
How much should I budget for food per day?
On a budget, about 40–60 KM (€20–30) covers a pie breakfast, ćevapi for lunch and a cook-shop dinner. Two restaurant meals with coffee and sweets come to about 80–120 KM (€40–60). An upmarket restaurant with Herzegovinian wine is roughly 180 KM or more per person.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.