One of the biggest surprises during our month in Bosnia and Herzegovina was just how good the food was. Before arriving, we knew very little about Bosnian cuisine, but it quickly became one of our favourite food destinations in the Balkans.
Traditional Bosnian food is hearty, filling and often centred around meat, slow-cooked stews and freshly baked bread. Meals are typically made from local and seasonal ingredients and generous portions are the norm. You’ll also notice influences from both the Ottoman Empire and neighbouring Balkan countries throughout the cuisine.
We also loved the café culture. Whether it was strong Bosnian coffee served with Turkish delight, a cold local beer or a glass of homemade rakija, food and drink seemed to play a central role in everyday life.
There are countless dishes worth trying, but these were some of our favourites from our month travelling around Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with where we enjoyed them most.
1. Ćevapi
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the land of ćevapi, and trying them is practically mandatory while visiting the country. These small grilled sausages are usually served inside soft flatbread with a generous helping of raw onions, although some places also offer ajvar or a yoghurt-based sauce.
During our month in Bosnia, we ate more ćevapi than we care to admit, and after plenty of research, we finally found our favourite. That honour goes to Haris in Travnik. In fact, several locals in Sarajevo told us that Haris in Travnik was the place to go for the best ćevapi in Bosnia, and after trying them ourselves, we completely agree. They were juicy, full of flavour and easily the best we had during our trip.
2. Mućkalica
Mućkalica is a rich meat stew cooked in a tomato-based sauce and one of our favourite dishes we tried in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While it originates from Serbia, you’ll find plenty of Serbian influences in the cuisine of Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly in the Republika Srpska region.
The dish consists of tender pieces of meat cooked in a flavourful tomato-based sauce and is the perfect comfort food after a day of exploring.
The best version we had was in Sarajevo at a small restaurant with one very unusual feature for Bosnia: it was completely non-smoking (October 2018). The tiny kitchen at the back was constantly buzzing with activity as the cooks prepared everything from scratch.
The restaurant was popular with both locals and visitors, so we’d recommend booking a table in advance. The staff spoke excellent English and were incredibly welcoming. While the mućkalica was the highlight for us, the homemade bread crown and excellent steaks were also worth mentioning.
3. Bosanski Lonac
Bosanski Lonac quickly became Livia’s favourite dish in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This traditional slow-cooked stew is typically made with meat, cabbage, carrots, onions and other vegetables, all cooked together for hours until the flavours combine into something wonderfully rich and comforting.
The best version we tried was at Kod Asima in Jajce, located above the entrance to the old town (Update May 2026: we can’t find this restaurant on Google Maps anymore). The interior is a little dated and dark, but there is also a pleasant rooftop terrace if the weather is nice.
What made this Lonac so memorable was the texture. It was thick, rich and packed with flavour, unlike some of the thinner versions we encountered elsewhere. We ended up talking about this meal long after leaving Jajce.
One interesting thing we noticed during our travels was that Bosanski Lonac seemed much more common in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We don’t remember seeing it on menus during our time in Republika Srpska, although that may simply have been the places we visited.
4. Mix grill
Grilled meat is a huge part of Bosnian cuisine, and you’ll find mixed grill platters on menus all over the country. We ordered them more times than we can remember during our month in Bosnia, and rarely had a bad meal.
One of the best mixed grills we found was at Irma in Mostar‘s Old Town. Everything is cooked over a charcoal grill, and watching the chef work is almost as entertaining as the meal itself. At one point she was pulling meat from the flames with her bare hands before piling it onto enormous platters.
We ordered the mixed grill for two and were genuinely shocked when it arrived. For around 30 KM (October 2018), we received a mountain of grilled meat, vegetables, ajvar, bread, cream cheese and, of course, a generous helping of raw onions. It was a mountain of joy. If you visit Mostar, arrive hungry. We made the mistake of eating earlier in the day and quickly realised that was a rookie error.
5. Burek
Burek is one of the most popular snacks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and you’ll find it everywhere. Made from thin layers of pastry and filled with different ingredients, it’s the perfect quick meal whether you’re grabbing breakfast, lunch or a late-night snack.
Our favourite version was the traditional meat-filled burek, although you’ll also find varieties filled with cheese, spinach and potatoes. Most bakeries (pekara) sell fresh burek throughout the day, and many stay open late into the evening, making it one of the easiest foods to find when travelling around the country.
The best burek we had was in Travnik, but honestly, we don’t remember ever having a bad one. If you’re visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, eating burek at least once is practically a requirement.
6. Bosnian Coffee
No visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina would be complete without trying Bosnian coffee. Strong, rich and traditionally served in a small copper pot alongside a cup and often a piece of Turkish delight, drinking coffee here is as much about the experience as the coffee itself.
We quickly fell in love with Bosnia’s café culture. No matter where we went, cafés were full of people chatting, reading the newspaper or simply watching the world go by. Unlike many countries where coffee is something you drink quickly before moving on, in Bosnia it is often something to be enjoyed slowly.
Some of our favourite coffee experiences came from the smaller towns. In Jajce, a café owner even brought us cushions to sit on while we enjoyed our coffee in the autumn sunshine. Moments like these became some of our favourite memories from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Whether you drink it with sugar, Turkish delight or a glass of water on the side, Bosnian coffee is a must-try experience while travelling through the country.
7. Biftek
While biftek isn’t a traditional Bosnian dish in the same way as ćevapi or burek, Bosnia and Herzegovina is known for its excellent meat, making a good steak well worth trying.
We didn’t order biftek too often, mainly because it was usually one of the more expensive items on the menu, but whenever we did, we were rarely disappointed. The quality of the meat was consistently excellent and portions were generous.
One of the best steaks we had during our trip was at MGs restaurant in Trebinje, where it arrived perfectly cooked and packed with flavour. If you’ve spent a few days eating ćevapi and stews, a good biftek makes for a nice change.