Where to eat in Travnik

Note to editor: no prices were supplied, so the article contains no KM figures. Please add real ones before publishing, or leave it as written. Two other things to know. The mountain is left unquoted because quoting it would link to the Vlašić café. Kod Crnog Mačka and Maccao are in Vitez, not Travnik, so they are left out.

Eat ćevapi in Travnik first, buy the white cheese second, and spend whatever time is left over a small copper pot of coffee. Those three things are what the town does better than almost anywhere else in Bosnia. The rest is a pleasant bonus.

Ćevapi

Ćevapi are small fingers of minced meat grilled over coals. They come in fives or tens, usually tucked into a soft, puffy flatbread (somun) with chopped raw onion. Kajmak, a rich, slightly tangy dairy spread, is often on the side. Order by the number of pieces. Ten in bread is a proper meal, and five is enough if you plan to keep eating elsewhere. Every Bosnian town claims its own ćevapi are the best. Travnik argues the point harder than most, and people drive in from elsewhere in Central Bosnia to eat them.

The name you will hear most is Ćevabdžinica Hari. It has a place in town at Žitarnica and another up at Babanovac on the mountain, and it has more than ten thousand reviews behind it. Expect it to be busy. On the main street, Ćevapdžinica Bosna on Bosanska is the easy choice if you are already walking through the centre.

If you are heading up towards the ski area, there are several options. Ćevabdžinica Maja is also at Babanovac. Ćevabdžinica Merdan in Šišava is the highest rated on our list, though from fewer reviews. Ćevabdžinica Vahid sits on the M-5 at Divjak, which suits you if you are driving through rather than stopping in town.

Prices for ćevapi are modest everywhere in Bosnia. A plate here will not stretch your budget, though prices vary from place to place.

Travnik cheese

Locals call it Vlašićki sir or travnički sir. It is a white cheese matured in brine or whey, and it is among the best of its kind in the Balkans. It is traditionally made from sheep's milk on the high pastures of Vlašić, the mountain that rises above the town. It is called Travnik cheese because the villagers carried it down and sold it here. The mountain's name is thought to come from the Vlachs, nomadic herders from the east who are believed to have brought the brine method with them.

It is salty, crumbly and sharp. It goes well with bread, with ćevapi, or with tomatoes on a summer evening. If you are taking some home, ask for it packed in its brine. It keeps far better that way.

Bosnian coffee and where to drink it

Bosnian coffee is brewed in a small long-handled pot called a džezva, from coffee ground almost to powder and never filtered. It comes to the table in the pot, often with a sugar cube and a piece of rahat lokum. You pour it yourself, let the grounds settle, and drink it slowly. Nobody hurries a coffee here, and that is half the point.

In the old part of town, Cafe Vremeplov at Varoš 10 is a good place to sit after climbing up to Stari Grad, the fortress above the Lašva valley. On the main street, Lajpcig at Bosanska 81 is well liked. Vlašić on Šehida is busy and well reviewed, and it is a natural stop between errands.

Trout at Plava Voda

Plava Voda is the spring that comes up below the old town. It is cold, clear and loud, and on a hot day it is the coolest place in Travnik. Trout is the dish to order here. It is usually grilled simply and served with potatoes and a wedge of lemon. Sitting by the water with a plate of fish is one of the better ways to spend an afternoon in town.

Outside the centre, Izvor at Ribnjak is another well-reviewed restaurant worth considering if you have a car.

When you want something else

Not every meal has to be grilled meat. Pizzeria Cedar on Šehida is popular with locals for pizza. "Ex ponto Bar & Restaurant" in Zenjak covers a wider menu when a group cannot agree.

A note for visitors

Travnik sits about 90 kilometres west of Sarajevo. It is the seat of the Central Bosnia Canton and was once the seat of Ottoman viziers. Ivo Andrić was born here and set Bosnian Chronicle in the town's consular years. You can easily see it in a day, and a sensible day runs like this: the fortress in the morning, ćevapi at lunch, coffee in the afternoon, and trout by the spring if you are staying for dinner. Buy cheese on the way out.