Perhaps unsurprisingly, Mostar is home to an exceptional dining scene. After all, it is a rather touristic town in the Balkans. This is to say, Mostar has a rich culinary history, and its locals must innovate to keep their numerous visitors pleased, so that even more of them can visit in the next year. Due to this excellent combination, this tiny Bosnian city offers an incredible number of eateries, which sell anything from locally roasted Turkish coffee to veganized versions of Balkan classics like ćevapi. I do wish that I had more time to explore the full range of offerings in Mostar. Nevertheless, you can find out what I think about the spots I managed to visit during my short stay below. I am sure that you will enjoy at least a few of them as well!
Buregdžinica Ago – https://maps.app.goo.gl/9WYTxSZDVcsw5dBj9
It may be best to start this list with Buregdžinica Ago. Truth be told, did I enjoy better burek elsewhere? Yes. However, did I come across a friendlier burek vendor before? No. Burek, a pastry that is often enjoyed for breakfast in the Balkans and in Turkey is a flaky and tasty goodie, but nothing beats a breakfast that is served alongside a ton of smiles. If you want to start your day right, order a spinach and cheese filled burek from this fantastic gentleman and dunk it into some yoghurt on the side. You will not regret your decision.
STO% – https://maps.app.goo.gl/mRsKBS2F1qz1ZYNq8
Sometimes less is truly more. STO% (meaning 100%) is a no-frills establishment that sells fresh sandwiches. They bake an extremely tasty type of local bread to order and fill it with high quality ingredients that you choose. Those with a sweet tooth will love the local hazelnut spread, but they are mostly known for their kaymack and cured meat combo. While I do not eat meat myself, I tried the kaymack and cheese combo, and I can understand the hype around it. Kaymack is clotted cream, but the way they do it here is rather special, I have not had it this tasty and salty anywhere else. The staff is extremely kind, friendly, and they work very fast. It is best to get one to go as there are only a handful of seats to enjoy your sandwich. Starting at as low as 4 BAM for a massive sandwich, you really cannot go wrong with STO%. It is a must visit in Mostar.
Hindin Han – https://maps.app.goo.gl/SmCc3GJzRTnuBFJL8
Speaking of must visits, no visit to Mostar should be complete without dining in Hindin Han. This place screams quality. Their service staff is top notch, the food is prepared quickly, beer is cold, fries are excellent, and stuffed squids were as good as it gets, until I had even better ones in Neum but that is a tale for another day. On top of all of this, the view of the small creek that joins the Neretva River as well as the view of the nearby Crooked Bridge will make even waiting for your meal rather enjoyable. Cannot recommend this place enough!
Vrata Orijenta – https://maps.app.goo.gl/PdDfCahEry1Rr6Tt5
Since the old town of Mostar was almost always a bit too crowded for our taste, we did not really prefer to have our meals there. We only ever ate in the center once, and that was to enjoy the unique offerings of Vrata Orijenta. While my mother loved her stuffed vegetables, the vegan meatballs and sausage I ordered was just alright. I have to admit that I did enjoy the veganized local cuisine that Vrata Orijenta offered, but in all honesty, compared to the juicy filled squids at Hindin Han or the fresh sandwiches I could get for a fraction of the cost at STO%, Vrata Orijenta simply did not offer me anything mind-blowing. I think if I visited this place first my mind would be blown for real, alas, this was actually the last place we ended up trying in Mostar. Nevertheless, it is not every day that a courageous restaurant owner decides to veganize a meaty local dish, so please try and support them, they are well worth a visit!
Pizzeria Napolitano Mostar – https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZaX5W2mQbX1TtnRe8
Our experience at Pizzeria Napolitano Mostar was mixed to say the least. I for one enjoyed our dinner there, my mother, not so much. The pizza was not great, I must admit that much. Especially the vegetarian option was full of juicy veggies, which turned the pizza into a soup. The Margherita fared better, but this place still offered some of the worse pizzas we had mostly due to the simple fact that they remained a bit doughy. Nevertheless, this is far from the city center and can offer a respite to those who just want to enjoy a simple cheap dinner, alongside some cheap wine.
Café de Alma – https://maps.app.goo.gl/xDvkqA234jB91ZAdA
I prefer not to drink tea or coffee regularly. With that being said, I am not anti-caffein as well. If I do come across some decent recommendations during my travels, I try to give them a chance. Nevertheless, in all honesty, drinking Turkish coffee in an extremely hot day was not something I was looking forward. However, I am glad that I forced myself to taste the freshly roasted and brewed coffee at Café de Alma. It did taste slightly more enjoyable than the regular stuff one, and the Turkish delight that accompanied it was delightful to say the least. I will still stick to black tea(with some milk if given the option, but if you like your coffee, you will love Café de Alma.
Slastičarna Palma – https://maps.app.goo.gl/DRPmKw2u6ftKUG7N8
While neither I nor my mother has a sweet tooth, we do enjoy an occasional dessert or two. Slastičarna Palma is one of the older establishments in Mostar, specializing in cheap but tasty desserts. I do have a soft spot for milky desserts, so I enjoyed their take on tres leches quite a lot. This is a rather interesting dessert with roots in Latin America, which may have been brought all the way to the Balkans (and Turkey) through the influence of telenovelas. The cake is soaked in three different dairy varieties, specificities of which depend on the exact chef that prepares it. Regardless of how it is prepared, I do not remember a single instance when I did not enjoy eating a tres leches. In any case, for that and many more desserts, Slastičarna Palma is a decent option to check out in Mostar.
