A bustling pedestrian street in Sarajevo’s Old Town (Baščaršija). The lively bazaar atmosphere alongside the heart of Sarajevo’s vibrant food scene. In Sarajevo, Bosnian food isn’t just a meal – it’s a celebration of East-meets-West history. The city’s cuisine is heavily influenced by Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian traditions (Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine - Wikipedia), so you’ll find tender grilled meats and flaky pastries at Central European cakes and coffee. As the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo is rightly praised as a must-visit destination for food lovers. Wandering its cobbled streets, you can almost taste history with every bite – from street-side burek stands to charming cafes.

Walk into the Old Town (Baščaršija) and you’ll feel like you’ve entered a living food market. Shopkeepers hawk roasted chestnuts and dried fruit, potters show off copper coffee sets, and vendors sell simit and burek straight from the oven. Balkan's cuisine fanatics will recognize Baščaršija as “where East meets West”, with Ottoman-style mosques and 19th-century Austro-Hungarian facades side by side. It’s Balkan at this crossroads where Sarajevo’s food tour truly begins. As one culinary guide puts it, guests on a walking tour will “taste the finest savory and sweet traditional specialties of Bosnian cuisine”

The centerpiece of any Sarajevo food tour is undoubtedly burek. This savory pie – a warm spiral of flaky phyllo dough stuffed with minced beef and onions – is ubiquitous in the city. In Bosnia it’s known simply as burek (in other Balkan countries similar pies with cheese or potato fillings are called pita, zeljanica, etc.). Traditional Bosnian burek is made “only with meat and onions” (Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine - Wikipedia), and it’s usually cooked under a domed lid (the sač) for a light crispiness. Locals insist it must be served with something creamy: either a dollop of sour cream (pavlaka) or a glass of yogurt drink (ayran) (Börek - Wikipedia). In fact, travel writers note that if you’re “super traditional”, you should wash down your burek with ayran or yogurt.

Burek isn’t just a quick snack – it’s a proud jewel of Bosnian national cuisine (Taste Atlas praised Bosnian Traditional Food - Sarajevo Times). The famous local food guide TasteAtlas lauds Sarajevo’s own Buregdžinica Sač as an “integral part of Balkan cuisine” and “one of the culinary delights” of the capital (Taste Atlas praised Bosnian Traditional Food - Sarajevo Times). Modern vloggers even call Sarajevo’s burek “the #1 best burek in the Balkans.” Wherever you try it (the city has dozens of buregdžinicas, or burek shops), you’ll sink your teeth into layers of buttery pastry wrapped around juicy spiced meat. A bite of hot burek straight from the oven – crispy outside, tender inside – will set a high bar for your Sarajevo food tour.

On tours you’ll often visit legendary burek joints. For example, guides may skip the lines at a “somewhat of a local legend” bakery (Sarajevo: Food And Crafts tour | GetYourGuide) where people stand for hours to get the freshest pastries. Meet Bosnia’s Food & Crafts Tour takes you to just such a bakery in Baščaršija, where the ovens are always firing and families wait early for their morning burek fix (Sarajevo: Food And Crafts tour | GetYourGuide). As one description notes, guests on that tour “discover the freshest bakery goods… this particular bakery is somewhat of a local legend… people are willing to stand for hours in line just to get the best pastries” (Sarajevo: Food And Crafts tour | GetYourGuide). Bring a friend, or be ready to share – because Sarajevo’s best burek is worth it!

Of course, no Sarajevo food tour would be complete without trying ćevapi. These are small grilled sausages (about the size of your index finger) made of minced lamb and beef. Cevapi are truly the unofficial national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Column by David Hoffmann: Gastronomic Adventure in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times) – described by locals as the “undisputed kings of Bosnian fast foods” (Column by David Hoffmann: Gastronomic Adventure in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times). Virtually every neighborhood has a famed ćevabdžinica (cevapi shop), but the most famous cluster is along Baščaršija’s Kovači Street. Here, wooden tables and red-checked tablecloths are scattered in front of steel platters heaped with cevap. They come piping hot, nestled inside fluffy somun bread.

Ćevapi are traditionally served with a pile of chopped raw onions, a side of tart ajvar (pepper relish) or creamy kajmak, and that pillowy flatbread (Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine - Wikipedia). The effect is irresistible: tender savory meat cooled by sweet onion and scooped up in chewy bread. As one travel writer notes, the smell of ćevapi grilling is “intoxicating,” wafting through the Old Town day and night (Column by David Hoffmann: Gastronomic Adventure in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times). In fact, locals in Sarajevo swear by a small ćevapi shop called Ferhatović in the heart of Baščaršija – one blog reports it’s “the consensus best Ćevapčići in Sarajevo” (Column by David Hoffmann: Gastronomic Adventure in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times). (Just be prepared – portions are huge and the lines can get long at lunchtime!)

Other traditional Bosnian dishes will pop up on your tour too. You might try sarma (meat and rice wrapped in pickled cabbage), pilav (a buttery rice-and-noodles dish), or rich stews like bosanski lonac. Sweet tooth? Don’t miss local desserts like tufahija (walnuts stuffed into poached apples), syrupy baklava or hurmašice, and the unusual tulumba (fried dough drenched in syrup). Bosnian coffee is another cornerstone of Sarajevo culture: thick, strong and never bitter. It’s always served in a small copper džezva with a glass of water and often sugar cubes (Column by David Hoffmann: Gastronomic Adventure in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times). The key is to sip slowly and savor the foam – after all, Sarajevo invented the café society! One popular guide says Bosnian coffee “is strong, but isn’t bitter... It is always served with sugar cubes and a glass of cold water” (Column by David Hoffmann: Gastronomic Adventure in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times) – the perfect finish (or start) to any meal on your food tour.

Top Sarajevo Food Tours to Try

If you want a guided experience, several local companies offer Sarajevo food walking tours that hit all the highlights. A casual recommendation is to join a small-group or private tour so you can graze along the way. Here are a few popular options:

• Meet Bosnia Tours – Food & Crafts Tour: This 2-3 hour walking tour weaves through Baščaršija’s alleys, showing you traditional crafts and food. You’ll visit a famous local bakery to sample burek and sirnica (cheese pie), sip Bosnian coffee in a historic Inat Kuća house, and enjoy ćevapi at a family-owned grill (Sarajevo: Food And Crafts tour | GetYourGuide) (Sarajevo: Food And Crafts tour | GetYourGuide). The guides love to point out hidden gems – for example, one bakery stop is so good that “people are willing to stand for hours in line just to get the best pastries” (Sarajevo: Food And Crafts tour | GetYourGuide). It’s perfect if you want a mix of tasting and local culture.
  
• Sarajevo Local Food Tour (Travel Buddies): Run by passionate local guide SelvaDz, this tour is all about authentic flavors. Guests “savor traditional delicacies like savory burek and grilled ćevapi” (Sarajevo Local Food Tour | Travel Buddies), followed by sweet baklava and strong coffee. It’s an intimate experience (small group) and very hands-on. As the itinerary explains, the tour kicks off with flaky bosnian pita and includes “the flaky burek pastry, grilled ćevapi, and traditional desserts” (Sarajevo Local Food Tour | Travel Buddies). This is great if you want deep-dive into traditional dishes and even get the chance to ask locals all your foodie questions.
  
• Balkantina Gourmet Tours: A well-reviewed local company, Balkantina runs a “Sarajevo Gourmet Tour” that has won rave reviews for atmosphere and food. Reviewers praise the mix of fresh local dishes and friendly guides, noting “the local fare is fabulous, full of fresh local produce… This tour is a must!” (Delicious Sarajevo: Eat, Walk & Discover City Tour 2025). The tour generally includes stops at highly-rated eateries – from burek shops to modern Balkan fusion restaurants. It’s a bit more upscale and focused on quality ingredients, so ideal if you want to sample Sarajevo’s fine dining side along with street food.
  
• Walkers and Talkers – Private Culinary Tours: (Bonus suggestion) For a personalized experience, some guides offer private tours tailored to you. They’ll pick you up anywhere in the city and lead you through Baščaršija at your own pace. These can be budget-friendly (if you split the cost with friends) and super flexible. Check reviews online – many solo travelers and food bloggers recommend private guides who treat you like family.

Each of these tours covers the essentials of traditional Bosnian dishes, from buttery breads to grilled meats to sweet treats. They also help you understand Sarajevo’s history and culture along the way, so you’re not just eating – you’re learning stories behind the food. Whatever you pick, know that Bosnia’s hospitality shines through. As one tour participant raved, Sarajevo’s guides make you “feel so welcome”, and the food is prepared with dedication, using fresh local produce (Delicious Sarajevo: Eat, Walk & Discover City Tour 2025).

Plan Your Sarajevo Food Adventure

By now you can see why Sarajevo is a top destination for food lovers. Every corner of Baščaršija offers a chance to taste something unforgettable. Start with a piping-hot burek for breakfast (maybe even with a yogurt drink, as locals do), walk off your meal through the handicraft-lined alleys, then line up for a lunch of smoky ćevapi and onions. As you wander, keep an eye out for sweet shops selling baklava and tufahije to snack on later, and never say no to Bosnian coffee – it’s a breakfast, lunch, and dinner tradition in one tiny cup.

Beyond Old Town, Sarajevo’s neighborhoods (like Čaršija and Baščaršija) hide more gems: artisanal chocolate shops, organic wine bars, and bakeries with armfuls of fresh pitas. And the best part? Bosnian hospitality is legendary. Locals love to chat over a platter of food, inviting you to slow down and share stories. On a Sarajevo food tour, you’re not just a tourist: you’re a guest at a table that’s been set for centuries.

Whether you come as a solo traveler, a couple, or on a group tour, Sarajevo food will charm you. Its Balkan cuisine ties together flavors of the Ottoman East (think grilled lamb, spices, and phyllo pastries) with Austro-Hungarian sweetness (creamy puddings, coffeehouses) – all served in a stunning city backdrop.

So pack your appetite (and stretchy pants) for Sarajevo! Add the city to your travel bucket list and dive into the ultimate Sarajevo food tour. You’ll be greeted with a plate of warming burek, a shot of strong Bosnian coffee, and smiles all around. By the end of your trip, you’ll agree that Sarajevo’s food isn’t just dinner – it’s a delicious story you took home with you.

Bon voyage and enjoy the feast!