Inat Kuća (Spite House)

Inat Kuća, known in English as the Spite House, is a traditional Bosnian restaurant at Veliki Alifakovac 1 on the bank of the Miljacka river in Sarajevo, in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, directly across from the Vijećnica (City Hall). The building is famous for its story: when the Austro-Hungarian authorities built the Vijećnica in the 1890s, the owner of the house on the site is said to have refused to sell unless it was rebuilt, brick by brick, on the opposite bank, and the dispute gave the house the name inat, meaning spite or stubborn pride. The tale is a fixture of Sarajevo folklore and is the main reason many visitors come. The cuisine is Bosnian and Ottoman-influenced home cooking. Signature dishes include bosanski lonac, the slow-cooked Bosnian pot of meat and vegetables, sogan-dolma, onions stuffed with minced meat, and tufahija, a poached apple filled with walnuts and topped with cream, a classic Bosnian dessert. Portions are generous and presentation is traditional rather than modern. The dining room has the character of a heritage house, with carved wood, rugs, copper and old furnishings, and there is a relaxed, somewhat touristic mood as service staff dress in traditional style. Dress is casual, noise levels are moderate and the setting suits families and groups. Beverages include Bosnian coffee, herbal drinks, local beer and some Bosnian wine. Reservations are recommended for groups and for evenings, particularly in the summer season, and booking a day or two ahead is sensible. A meal costs roughly 20-35 KM (about USD 11-20). The riverside location and proximity to Baščaršija make it easy to combine with a walk to the Vijećnica and the Latin Bridge. Listed hours run roughly noon to 10PM daily and should be verified locally.