Food and drink

Dishes to try

• Ćevapi: small grilled minced-meat sausages in somun bread with raw onion and kajmak.
• Pita: spiral pies baked in a round tray. Burek is filled with meat; zeljanica with spinach, sirnica with cheese, krompiruša with potato.
• Begova čorba: a creamy chicken and okra soup from Ottoman cuisine.
• Klepe: small dumplings with minced meat, served with yoghurt and garlic.
• Dolma and sarma: vegetables or vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat.
• Tufahija and baklava: poached apples stuffed with walnuts, and layered pastry with syrup.

Coffee

Bosnian coffee is brewed in a džezva and served on a tray with a sugar cube and rahat lokum. It is not a quick drink: sit, talk and drink it slowly. Let the grounds settle before you pour.

Wine and other drinks

Herzegovina has a long wine tradition. Try Žilavka, a dry white, and Blatina, a red, both native to the region; around Trebinje, Vranac is common. Rakija (fruit brandy) is offered as a welcome drink in many homes.

Halal, vegetarian and tipping

• Most restaurants in Sarajevo and much of the Federation serve halal meat. Ask if you are unsure, especially in other regions.
• Vegetarians will find plenty of pies, salads, beans, stuffed peppers and grilled vegetables; strict vegans should ask about butter and kajmak.
• Tipping around 10% in restaurants is normal.